Monrovia – The Executive Director of the Peace Building Office has called on Liberians to use this year’s celebration of the International Day of Peace to reflect soberly on the challenges the nation faces, insisting that peace is not the mere halting of gunshots but the sustainability of livelihood and the strengthening of educational capacity, among others.
Report by Mae Azango – [email protected]
“As the national theme present: A time for peace, rejecting violence and securing human rights; celebrating women and girls, let’s not forget that peace and security are essential foundations for social progress and sustainable development,” Edward Mulbah said delivering the keynote address at the indoor ceremony of the International Day of Peace held at the City Hall of Monrovia.
“It is time for reflections, reflections on our educational system, because education is a right; it is vital for fostering peace unity and reconciliation.”
Mulbah added that while Liberia had made tremendous progress made over the years to address the root causes of the 14 years of civil war, it was important to know that there were still challenges.
“There are challenges of land/property conflict all over this country; border property disputes, inter-ethnics tensions, corruption, voice and accountability, unemployment, especially amongst the youth, perceived marginalization of minority groups, the challenge to implement certain aspect of the TRC recommendations,” he told the gathering.
“There are also structural challenges; all these challenges undermine the attainment of durable peace.
However, we have made some progress; we have developed framework, structures and system to address some of these challenges,” he said.
Also speaking at the Peace program was National Chairman of the National Council of Chiefs and Elders Chief Zanzan Karwor, who said if Liberia should talk about peace, there should be no more than three political particles.
“Why the politician can’t join together and form two or three political parties?” Chief Karwor asked rhetorically.
“If we are talking about peace, why should we have almost 40 political parties running for the President office? I
s presidency the only job in Liberia?
We are telling all politicians who want to be President, we will make you to sign a document to pave all roads leading to the various counties in Liberia, when you become President, because after two years, we will vote to remove you if you do not do what you promise,”Karwor.
Chief Karwor may be right there because though a dozen of the more than 20 political parties to contest the elections in 2017 signed a communiqué over the weekend in Ganta, Nimba County but violated a term of the document when partisans and sympathizers of the Liberty Party and All Liberian Coalition Party began criticizing one another.
Chief Karwor also said Liberia needed a past President to show as in the case of other counties.
Marpue Speare of the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) presented a statement to stop discrimination against women, to the Minister of Internal Affairs Dr. Henrique Tokpah, who received it on behalf of the Government of Liberia and promised to pass on women statement to Gender Minister Julia Duncan Cassell.
The renowned Rev. Emmanuel Bowier recited the United Nations Song, and presented the peace song done by Liberia Cultural Ambassador Juli Endee to an UNMIL officer, who received it on behalf of Special Representative to the UN Secretary General Farid Zarif, and thanked Madam Endee.
Carter Center Chief of Party Pewee Flomoku thanked all the women for their massive turnout from the first day of the peace celebration last Friday and stayed on to the last day.
In Observation of the International Day of Peace, to be celebrated on September 21, 2016, The Carter Center in Monrovia, in collaboration with Peace Ambassador William R. Tolbert III, Women in Peace building Network, (WIPNET), various women groups, Crusaders of Peace, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), and others, started a week celebration, beginning with the mosque on last Friday, reflection on Saturday, thanksgiving on Sunday, awareness and community outreach on Monday and Tuesday and climax with an Indoor program on Wednesday at the Monrovia City Hall on Wednesday.
There was a candle light reflection period held at the Fish market on Saturday, with WIPNET spelling the word “peace” with lit candles.