Condo Reconciliation Group Inc., a US-based peace advocacy group with headquarters in Monrovia, says it has learned with serious concern the rampant violation of the rights of ordinary, peaceful citizens, mainly non-poro members in Golakonneh District, Grand Cape Mounty County, at the volition by practitioners of the Poro Society.
The non-poro members, Condo gathered, have been consistently ordered indoors, often at night, by the devil only to get up the next morning to see their livestock, such as sheep, goats and chickens stolen and shops looted.
In a press release issued in Monrovia on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 under the signature of Kabah M. Trawally, Executive Director, Condo recalled that in an incident which occurred on March 7, 2022, the devil ordered people indoor at about 7:00 p.m. in the heavily populated mining town of Weanju.
According to Condo, a businessman and a shop owner, Mohammed Sheriff, had his shop vandalized with goods and cash worth US$1,615 and L$151,800 stolen and the building heavily destroyed.
At the same time, the US-based peace advocacy group said it also learned that a couple of days after this incident a businessman, Alusinee Mara, was abducted and forcibly initiated by members of the Poro Society at Mana Gorduwa intersection while on a commercial motorbike traveling to another town.
The victim is said to still be in the hands of his abductors, despite his captors receiving a ransom of L$15,000 for his release.
On Monday, March 14, Condo dispatched a team to the district to ascertain the allegations. It can be recalled that the Government of Liberia (GoL) recently a placed a four –year moratorium on all practices of bringing out the devil in cities and towns in Grand Cape Mount County. Residents of Lofa Bridge, Gold Camp, Tahn and Weajue, all from Golakonneh District, have repeatedly been victimized by this practice in defiance of the moratorium.
According to the Deputy Mandingo Governor of Grand Cape Mount County, Amara Kamara, these incidents have always been brought to the attention of the district’s authorities, but no concrete action has been taken to stop the abuses.
“As citizens, we are under no obligation to compromise our rights to freedom of movement, but we always choose to go indoors when they order us as a sign of respect for their culture and for the sake of peace and peaceful coexistence. We did not know that this has become a pretext for criminal activities,” Condo quoted Kamara as saying.
“If the district’s authorities continue to ignore our plight, we will have no recourse but to defend ourselves,” he added.
The Lofa Bridge Police Commander, Inspector Chris M. Dowah, confirmed the incident in Weajue on March 7, and said that a criminal investigation has been launched.
“Condo sees this frequent unleashing of the devil on people, in flagrant disrespect to government’s order just to rob peaceful and law-abiding residents of their peace and valuable properties, is a serious impediment to national peace and security, and is therefore asking the government to prevail on the local authorities to ensure that law and order and protection of the rights of all people and properties are guaranteed,” the US-based peace advocacy group asserted.
“Unlike land disputes, this activity poses a bigger threat to the security and peace of this country because it borders on personal security, economic right and freedom of movement in pursuit of survival needs on a daily basis. If it cannot be stopped, there must be a national dialogue of all stakeholders to carve a framework that will guarantee all cultural practices but within the confine of the laws, for the safety and security of all none members as they go about their normal activities,” the US-based peace advocacy group further asserted.
Meanwhile, Condo has described the situation as a national security concern and must be urgently addressed, or it has the propensity of undermining the peace and stability of the country.
