IPNEWS: Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on the 21st of September. The United Nations UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace within 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.
But achieving true peace entails much more than laying down arms. It requires the building of societies where all members feel that they can flourish. It involves creating a world in which people are treated equally, regardless of their race.
Against this backdrop, the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation of the University of Liberia in collaboration with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc-Liberia and Mano River Union on Wednesday, September 21, celebrated the day at the main campus of the University of Liberia on the capitol hill in Monrovia.
The event brought together several participants both national and international partners to discuss the way forward for Liberia to maintain the peace it enjoys after nearly 14yrs of civil war.
This year the event ‘International Day Peace’ has been observed under the theme; “Politicizing Ethnicity Threatens Peace and Stability”.
In her keynote address, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Ambassador to Liberia, Josephine Nkrumah believes that the issue of ethnicity threatens action-building, peace, and stability in any nation and as such Liberians must work to ensure that they remain peaceful during and after elections in order for the nation to grow.
“Many countries have been beset by issues of ethnicity threatening nation building, peace, and stability.
Indeed, within Africa perhaps it has been more pronounced and in the sub-region, we have contended with ethnic conflicts that have spiraled into multiple nations unrest giving our ethnic diversity that cuts across national borders”, she said.
Fast forward to modern Liberia and we sees how the 1980 coups and several attempted coups were heavily tinged and slated with regime ethnocentrism. Perhaps at the heart of the darkest days of Liberia’s history was the ethnic dimension which resulted in a full-scale civil war between the krahn dominated arm supported by the Mandingos who helped prop up the Samuel Doe regime and the rebel force led by Charles Taylor and backed by the Gio and Mano” She retrospect.
Amb. Nkrumah however, questioned Liberians on their taught about Liberia’s development and transformation after the nearly 14 years of senseless civil war.
“Our Liberian history has taught on lesson-ethnicity contributed to destabilizing Liberia into a war zone of heavily destructive dimensions and the loss of countless lives over a period of 14 years.
We can rewrite history, the picture painted is dark, but could it be painted differently within the context of the effects of ethnic plurality on peace and stability? Understanding our history helps us create a better future.
Have political leaders not learned that when our pronouncements have undertones of ethnicity and our appointments are based on ethnic factors rather than meritocracy, we breed diseases of mediocrity?
Have you and I not learned that irrespective of what ethnic group we come from we are Liberians an from the republic of Liberia and our primary duty as citizens is to build this country on the pillars of social cohesion and national unity”, she questions Liberians at the gathering.
Essentially our collective failure to rise above negative ethnicity threatens our peace and security, ECOWAS Ambassador disclosed, ECOWAS Ambassador noted.
Early speaking was the president of the University of Liberia Dr. Julius S. Nelson, Jr.
Dr. Nelson admonished Liberians at the gathering that in order for Liberia to grow it requires all of Liberia to look at Liberia in the bigger picture and individually.
“Today Liberia Join the international community and the world over to celebrate this very important day because peace is not only in the absence of war but is it is also freedom of tranquility and provides the atmosphere for more productive peace in the lives of loving people”
Since Liberia’s transaction from war to peace almost 20 years ago we have been blessed and no more we go back to the dark days in the republic of Liberia. We will continue to remain grateful to the international community, the United Nations, but especially to the Economic Community West African States (ECOWAS), our regional brothers and sisters for standing by us in the midst of the senseless war we brought on ourselves”, Dr. Nelson disclosed.
He however called on Liberians not too politicize ethnicity, thus describing it as a threat to peace and stability in and growing nation.
For his part, the chairman, of the World Policy Council of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Elias Shoniyin , disclosed that in the absence of peace it is impossible for any nation to grow, and if Liberia must grow and move forward, Liberians must maintain the peace they now enjoy adding that “peace is in our hands”.
Mr. Shoniyin “in the absence of peace absolutely there is no development, in the absence of peace there is no possibility of the future, the absence of peace constrains the youth, in the absence of peace nation cannot engage in the development, in the absence of peace mothers cannot raise their children within the society of security force and as well in the absence of peace mothers watch their children died.
“So, as we gather here today, we want peaceful, united under the same calling to proclaimed not only for our country but all others who hear the clearing call that we pronounce today”.
The event brought together ambassadors from different embassies, the student community, the Army Forces of Liberia, and religious leaders among others. By Taisiah K.Merfee
