Liberia: Non-Violence Is the Best Way

WITH ALL of the news about various types of violence, including rape, disappearances, murders, ritualistic killings road killings and house burnings, it is most important to continue raising awareness about non-violence to motivate people to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. Then there is the big news about the bad 2022 census of the Liberian Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) and the corruption in the National Elections Commission (NEC) of Liberia.

MANY PEOPLE stand by and let the violence roll because they say that the Court is corrupt and it makes no sense to go to the Court. What many people forget to know is that many cases get settled out of Court by just sitting and talking with no violence. But if the sitting were not to work well, then it makes sense to go to the Court. It makes sense to go to Court because the news from the Court is circulated locally and globally through the Journalists who come to the court from the newspapers and the radio stations. The news from the Court informs people and helps to motivate them to take non-violent actions to settle cases.

THE GOVERNMENT is in the position to settle cases non-violently, but the interest of the powers that be is money-driven, especially as the 2023 election is just around the corner. Witness the Case of former Chief Justice Gloris Musu-Scott, who indicated publicly two times that she had been attacked by unknown persons at her home. The government did nothing to prevent any further attack on her, as seen in the government actions upon the suspension of NEC officials and at the Eighth Edition of the Intellectual Forum of in honor of Arch-Bishop Michael Kpakala Francis. This is why some of our wise Market Women are saying that "if the whole former Chief Justice were not prevented from being attacked, then what about us poor people in West Point, Zorzor, Saclepea and elsewhere?".

THIS LACK of protection by State management means that protection has to come from the Communities. This Commentary provides information to help people in the Communities to work together non-violently. This method of work continues and it is highly likely that the Legislators from the 54th National Legislature who seek re-election will not be re-elected and the candidates with bad records will not be elected in the ensuing election of 2023.

THE BEST way to get persons with good records elected is to change the prevailing UNFAIR electoral system into the enduring FAIR electoral system by changing the present corrupt NEC. It is only through this change within the Rule of Law that persons with good records will be elected to bring in the system of Justice, the indispensable ingredient for Peace in Liberia and in any other Country.

Guest Editorial by Togba-Nah Tipoteh

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