Gbarnga, Bong County – A segment of the Mandingo ethnic group in Liberia, under the banner Bengoma Liberia, has launched a nationwide campaign to promote peace and reconciliation amongst Muslims and Mandingos in the country.
Bengoma is a Muslim but Mandingo- dominated group, aimed at encouraging peace, reconciliation and co-existence amongst Muslims and Mandingos and the larger Liberian society.
The chairperson of the group, Madam Hawa Keita, said Bengoma’s recent initiative is the organization’s way of re-echoing the need for reconciliation and unity in Liberia, especially in rural communities.
Madam Keita maintained that there is still a need for Liberians to seek ways that will reconcile and unite themselves for growth and prosperity.
“We may have all the courts of war in Liberia, but we Liberians will still have to unite and reconcile ourselves, if we are to move forward,” she added.
She spoke Tuesday, April 16, 2019, during a meeting with the Muslim and Mandingo community in Gbarnga, Bong County where she challenged them to focus more on building themselves through peace and reconciliation.
For his part, a steward of Bengoma Liberia, Kerkula Muka-Kamara, emphasized that division has no future and as such, it must be resisted at all levels in order for peace to reign in the country.
Muka-Kamara added that peace and reconciliation is only possible if Liberians forget the bitter past and embrace a glorious future.
“Rwanda fought one of the deadliest tribal wars but see that country today; we can be better than Rwanda if we can unite and reconcile our differences.”
According to him, Bengoma’s ongoing peace and reconciliation campaign will be extended to every community to ensure that Liberia is fully united. Muka-Kamara believes that unity and reconciliation is a must, adding, “We have to come together and unite and all other developmental issues will be added unto us.”