The People Uniting for Peace in Liberia (PUFPIL), a non-political grassroots peace initiative, has officially been launched, with members of the movement expressing readiness to harness peace and foster unity and reconciliation among the people and citizens of Liberia.
Founded by Asatu Bah-Kenneth, PUFPIL was launched on Thursday, December 9, 2021 at the Corina Hotel, Sinkor, bringing together patriotic citizens from many sectors of the Liberian society.
Officially launching PUFPIL, the former President of Stella Maris Polytechnic, Mary Laurene Browne, said, “PUFPIL is a very worthwhile undertaking, and the fact that all of us are here this afternoon bears testimony to the reality that, indeed, peace has to reign.”
She emphasized, “Let us not engage ourselves in the crab mentality where support can be given. We should be very generous with our time, with our ideas and with our pockets. Let us not say it didn’t start with us so we are not going to do what we are supposed to do. In this way we will continue to fight for peace and continue to long for peace. So this need that PUFPIL has endeavored to meet should embrace all of our efforts.
“Where does peace begin? In the mind: we think about it, talk about it, rationalize about it and eventually it anchors in the heart. What is the peace we desire? We want to sleep tranquilly, work, play, relax, assemble and express ourselves respectfully without fear or tension coming from anywhere or from anyone.”
Browne underscored that PUFPIL is a ray of hope for the Liberian society, but more than that it is a spark that has been ignited, and for that spark to share its light even further over the length and breadth of the country it simply means that everyone should be directly and indirectly involved.
“So it is my pleasure and distinct honor to be called upon to launch such a program, such an endeavor on the part of patriotic Liberians. This is what patriotism is all about. Love for one’s country can be expressed in various ways that are effective. And this is what the founders of this organization are trying to do.
“On that note, I’m pleased, humble and honored to launch the People Uniting for Peace in Liberia (PUFPIL),” Browne said.
Earlier, the Founder and Vision Bearer of the People Uniting for Peace in Liberia (PUFPIL), Asatu Bah-Kenneth, outlined the goals of the organization, noting that one of its primary objectives is to promote peace and unity among Liberians, which has been her priority as a law enforcement officer.
PUFPIL is a non-political and grassroots peace initiative, with the objective of providing alternative problem-solving solutions to conflict, as well as promoting and maintaining peace.
It was established to encourage reconciliation, tolerance and unity between and amongst the citizens and residents of Liberia, enhance collaboration amongst PUFPIL members and other peace-building institutions and promote national and international partnership with relevant institutions for the creation of synergies in peace-building efforts.
The mission of PUFPIL, according to documents accessed by the Hot Pepper, is to develop alternative methods for preventing and finding solutions to conflict in Liberia through problem identification, mediation, outreach, community engagements, humanitarian assistance and gender responsiveness.
The target of the organization focuses mainly on schools, churches, mosques, civil society organizations, traditional leaders, peace-building organizations, the disabled community, women and youth groups, and INGOs, amongst others.