.... As the international community calls for a speedy and impartial investigation
President George Weah has strongly condemned the deadly electoral violence in Lofa County, which tragically resulted in the loss of lives and property destruction.
Addressing a crowd of supporters in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, the President said that the Foya violence was an affront to the country's democracy and unnecessary. He reminded the hundreds of Liberians who had gathered to see him on the campaign trail that there is no legal justification for violence, no matter the situation.
"What happened in Lofa County is sad and wrong. Liberians need to desist from any acts of violence," the President publicly said on September 29. "We were in opposition to this country, and we kept the peace of this country."
"Young people, keep the peace," he said. "I say you should fight to keep the peace and sustain it. The youth should not allow anyone to fool them. We are heading toward prosperity. When our country is peaceful, everybody will have the opportunity and get something to do," Weah added.
The September 28 violence, which occurred between supporters of the President's ruling Coalition for Democratic Change and that of former Vice President Joseph Boakai, is just one of many violence incidents that supporters of both parties have engaged in since the campaign for the October 10 polls opened on August 5.
At least three persons were confirmed dead, and scores of private and public properties were damaged in the process. These incidents have raised concerns about the security of the country in the aftermath of the October 10 general polls. In Nimba as well, a man was allegedly killed in campaign-related violence, with both the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change and the Unity Party once again pointing fingers at each other for "inciting the violence."
Weah, who had left Lofa about two days before the violence occurred after completing his campaign tour, has promised that the government will "take steps to hold those responsible for the violence accountable," although he did not elaborate on the specific measures.
The Collaborating Political Party, of which Alexander Cummings, a rival of Weah and Boakai, heads as the presidential candidate, has also "strongly condemned" the violence.
Aloysius Toe, the Secretary-General of the Collaborating Political Party, noted that the "vandalization of crucial public infrastructure and the attempted destruction of property by alleged party supporters" were "utterly reprehensible." Such actions, he said, contradict the very essence of a democratic society and threaten the stability and progress of our nation.
"Our hearts ache for the lives reportedly lost and the many injured, including a law enforcement officer," Toe added. "Violence has no place in our democracy, and we vehemently call for an immediate cessation of these acts that undermine the fabric of our nation."
The international community has also joined in condemning the violence, with the U.S, ECOWAS, and other organizations calling for the prosecution of all those who masterminded the violence.
In a short Facebook post, the U.S Embassy condemned the Foya violence and called upon the Liberian government to thoroughly investigate the matters and swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice.
"We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims and urge everyone to maintain the peace," it said. "The US Embassy calls upon authorities to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice. Political differences must be solved at the ballot box, peacefully, and never through violence. Violence is never the answer."
As for ECOWAS and the UN, they called on the leaders of both parties to strongly urge their partisans to refrain from provocation and any other acts of violence.
In a statement, both groups noted that while they were condemning the violence in the strongest terms, they want the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change and the Opposition Unity Party to fully cooperate in the ongoing investigations.
"ECOWAS and the UN commend the Liberia National Police for promptly restoring calm," the release said. "ECOWAS and UN, however, urged the [police] to conduct speedy and impartial investigations and make public their findings and ensure that the perpetrators are prosecuted."
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"ECOWAS and the UN call on all stakeholders and the public at large to continue upholding the values of peace, accountability, respect for the rule of law, in order to consolidate peace and security in Liberia during this critical electoral period," it added.
In a release also, the Liberian Council of Church noted that it is important that the two parties at the center of the fracas cooperate fully with the Joint Security investigation as it is a "crucial step toward resolving the matter and maintaining peace in the region."
"As Liberia prepares for the upcoming elections scheduled for October 10th, 2023, the Council of Churches reiterated its earlier call for heightened state security measures to prevent and address any incidents that could disrupt the electoral process. Their concern is that such disruptions could jeopardize the integrity of the elections," the Council said.
