The Women Non-Governmental Organization Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) has alarmed over the recent wave of campaign violence across the country.
According to WONGOSOL’s Executive Director, Esther S. Davis Yango, violence should not be the way forward in the democratic process of Liberia.
She stated that election violence poses fear in the ordinary citizen, especially women, preventing them from freely participating in electioneering processes, which is a violation of their human rights.
“Liberia is signatory to many international and regional frameworks, as well as our national Constitution, to promote peaceful elections and, therefore, the government should uphold the rule of law by ensuring that this election is free of all forms of violence,” she added.
“Our attention is drawn to the incidents of electoral violence since the inception of the campaign process, which has the propensity to disrupt the fragile peace we currently enjoy,” Yango noted.
According to her, during crisis women and children are the most affected.
WONGOSOL’s boss made the statement over the weekend as supporters of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the Unity Party (UP) clashed Thursday August 10, 2023 during a campaign tour of President George M. Weah in electoral district #9, Montserrado County.
She noted that on April 4, 2023 political parties signed the Farmington River Declaration, which clearly sets the framework for free, fair, transparent and non-violent elections. She said it confirms and affirms a commitment by all political parties to uphold the rule of law.
Yango underscored that all political parties in Liberia, including the ruling party, committed to an orderly and peaceful election. “Therefore, we are counting on them to live up to their commitments and ensure that this election is free of all forms of violence,” she reiterated.
Yango then called on all Liberians to maintain the peace, especially the youth, stating that they are the future leaders, therefore they should not allow themselves to be influenced by politicians to carry out any form of violence during this election period.
She also called on the ruling party to put all necessary measures in place to prevent and avoid electoral violence at all levels.
Yango asserted, “The international community is watching us to conduct ourselves during and after the election, but what has been unfolding now in recent time is worrisome, therefore all necessary actions need to be taken to curb the violence.”
The WONGOSOL Executive Director emphasized that the government, through the Ministry of Justice as well as the joint security, should be vigilant and do everything possible to arrest the situation before it gets out of hand, as Liberians have suffered violence over the years in past elections.
She said she wants developing partners and the foreign missions heads in Liberia to intervene now and put to a halt the ugly act of violence among supporters of political parties.
She stated that election will come and go, therefore all Liberians should conduct themselves orderly and distance themselves from any kind of action that seeks to undermine the aim of the democratic process.
