Monrovia — As the country gears toward the General and Presidential Election, the Executive Director for the Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD) Matthias M. Yeanay says his institution foresees a violent election amid what he terms as the conspicuous muteness of the Government of Liberia over growing politically motivated disruptions and unfolding lawlessness in the country.
IREDD Executive Director on Monday told journalists: "We smell a chaotic election and we don't want our election to be chaotic. We want a very peaceful and transparent election that will bring in leadership to stir the affairs of the country for the next six years. We foresee that if measures are not taken to curtail violence, we see a chaotic election and we don't want that to happen."
Mr. Yeanay is also calling on the ruling party and the opposition parties to stay away from violence and push out their agenda for Liberians to decide for themself who to elect come October 10, 2023.
"Politicians should not make Liberians afraid or should not put fear in the people through violence and think that the Liberian people are going to sacrum because they don't want violence," he said.
IREDD's Executive Director continues: "We don't want a situation like what happened during the 1997 election where Liberians were forced to vote for certain people because they still had arms in their procession. We want a free, fair and transparent election."
According to the Executive Director of IREDD, the country is witnessing countless political upheavals and verbal attacks by players in the political space; something he says is not good for the electoral process.
"These countless attacks without prompt punitive action have the propensity to provoke political conflicts and unmind a peaceful democratic process of Liberia," he said.
Yeanay names several instances including the recent May 21, 2023 disruption of the worship service at the Christ Chapel of Faith of Senator Prince Y. Johnson by group of people identified to be supporters of the National Patriotic Party, a faction of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) who are supporters of Vice President, Jewel Howard Taylor.
"A review of video footages from the vicinity of the Christ Chapel of Faith Church has clearly proven beyond all reasonable doubts that the act was planned and executed by supporters of the Vice President for which prompt punitive action to deter and prevent future occurrence is yet to be taken, something that undermined government's leadership roles," he said.
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"Relative to these unwarranted disruptions and verbal attacks, IREDD here with calls on all well-meaning citizens and residents of Liberia to openly speak out against these unhealthy occurrences that have the propensity to create untold multiplying unrest," Yeanay added.
April 4, 2023, at the Unification City in Margibi County, the most talked about Farmington River Declaration was signed for peaceful democratic processes during and after the October10, 2023 elections in Liberia.
IREDD's Executive Director says the ruling party, the Coalition for Democratic Change should ensure respect for the rule of law and provide good and balanced leadership for all irrespective of affiliation. This, he says, will ascertain peaceful coexistence and promote democratic governance processes in Liberia.
"CDC affiliates must refrain from acts that are inimical to basic human rights and a peaceful environment for Liberians and residents. IREDD likes to acknowledge the Farmington River Declaration of 2023, signed by 26 registered coalitions and political parties on April 4, 2023, Unification City, Margibi County," he said.
Yeanay added: "To this effect, and amid the overgrowing political upheavals and continued attacks across actors despite the overwhelming signing of the Farmington River Declaration of 2023, IREDD is constrained to caution all political parties and leaders to ensure that their supporters to desist from any actions that have the propensity to incite violence or conflict of any form."
