CECPAC Executive Director Charles Crawford
IPNEWS-Monrovia: The first of three-cluster training of trainers (TOT) workshops kicks off today, Monday, March 13, 2023 in Tubmanburg, Bomi County.
According to a release issued by the Center for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding (CECPAP), cluster one training of trainer’s workshop will bring together participants from Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, and Gbarpolu respectively. These participants will converge in Tubmanburg City, Bomi County from March 13-14, 2023.
Participants taking part in cluster two training session will come from Lofa, Nimba, and Bong counties, and they will assemble in Gbarnga City, Bong County beginning March 17-18, 2023.
Grand Gedeh, River Gee, and Maryland counties will produce participants for cluster three workshop, and Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh County, will serve as the venue for the training session which commences on March 21-22.
The workshop is being held under the theme: “Promoting Peaceful Electoral Environment and Community Security in Liberia.” The training session will endeavor to build capacity development for joint security actors, local authorities, women, and youth groups to reinforce peace corridors in identified hotspot areas including boarder communities to respond to risk associated with potential issues arising from voter trucking.
The TOT workshop is being organized and facilitated by CECPAP with funding provided by the UN Peacebuilding Fund. The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) is supervising the implementation of the project.
Preventing Election Violence in Liberia
Liberia will hold presidential and legislative elections on October 10, 2023. The run-up to the vote so far has been primarily peaceful, and the country, including local and international civil society organization with focus on electoral matters, have engaged in ongoing efforts to prevent election violence.
One of such civil society organization that is bent on engaging the populace regarding the prevention of electoral violence is the Center for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding (CECPAP).
CECPAP is in the business to research, assesses the risk of election violence and the scope of violence prevention efforts, and provides recommendations for ongoing prevention.
There is reason for optimism as Liberia prepares for its October 10, 2023 elections. Thus far as the National Elections Commission (NEC) prepares to begin the Biometric Voters’ Registration exercise there has been calm and peaceful environment throughout the country, with few instances of hate speech via social media.
Despite the cautious optimism there is no room for complacency as tensions could escalate rapidly. Most concerning are budget gaps and the lack of institutional strength that, even with significant international investments, could prevent the Liberian National Police and National Election Commission from providing adequate election administration and security.
Ongoing efforts to prevent election violence, including domestic and international election observation and peace messaging efforts, may help the country achieve this important milestone as it moves towards the October 10, 2023 presidential and legislative elections.
It is expected that in the coming months, international diplomats should coordinate with African leaders in the region and encourage the leading candidates to call for restraint and live up to their commitments to avoid violence before, during and after the October 2023 polls.
On October 10, 2023 the people of Liberia will participate in critical presidential and legislative elections in what many Liberians say is a make or break election that will see the country progress, stagnant or retrogress depending on the outcome. Considering the overwhelming development challenges Liberian institutions face, peaceful elections cannot be taken for granted.
Elections often present significant challenges in countries that recently emerged from violent conflict, but Liberia may be defeating the odds. Civil society, the police, the electoral commission, international diplomats and—above all—leading Liberian politicians will further determine whether the country’s fragile peace will continue to be maintained.
Sources of Conflict
Liberia remains one of the least developed countries worldwide. In its previous post-conflict elections (2005 and 2011) Liberia experienced limited violence despite significant administrative flaws and heated rhetoric. The memory of civil war was still fresh, the international community endorsed the elections, and the political elite generally kept their cool in the face of technical challenges, urging restraint among their supporters.
Elections often present significant challenges in countries that emerged from violent conflict, but Liberia may be defeating the odds.
Brief Chronology of Electoral Violence in Liberia
Koijee, Others to Face Senate’s Probe over Election Campaign Violence
In November 2018, the Senate launched investigation into Saturday, 17 November 2018 Montserrado District#13 election campaign fracas, a bloody confrontation between supporters of rival Representative candidates which left several people injured and others hospitalized.
Supporters of Unity Party’s (UP) District#13 representative candidate Cornelia Krua and John J. Weah, representative candidate of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), clashed over the weekend on the climax of their campaign rallies leading to Tuesday’s vote.
Graphic pictures from Saturday’s chaotic scene showed men wearing black T-Shirts and red barrettes parading with cutlasses in their hands. Police also investigated which of the rival groups the machetes-carrying men actually belong to. The exact circumstances which led to the nasty election campaign scuffle have not and up to now been established. Several media reports have linked Monrovia’s City Mayor Jefferson Koijee to the violence, but this news outlet has not indecently verified those reports.
The Liberia National Police is also investigating the matter to establish who started the violence and what led to the violence which has claimed international attention. Several international bodies, including UN, and ECOWAS, issued statements condemning the weekend’s election campaign bloodshed. Also, as the LNP and relevant security apparatuses delve into the matter to unravel the truth and bring to book the wrong doers, the Liberian Senate, too, is not letting the violence go unnoticed.
In a communication written to the Plenary of the Senate in Monrovia Tuesday, Grand Bassa Senator Nyonblee Kanga-Lawrence, who is also Standard Bearer of the opposition Liberty Party (LP) is alleged to be directly affected by the weekend’s violence, called for immediate action to be taken in order to avoid a recurrence of the deadly campaign clashes which practically impeded normal movement of people in the Gardnersville and New Georgia Townships.
After the weekend’s election camping melee, it was initially reported that one person died from the gory confrontation, but the Liberian National Police (LNP) has denied such reports. In a statement issued by the LNP, the country’s supreme law enforcement agency confirmed several injuries from the incident, but however denied media reports that people died from the violence.
In its initial reaction to the incident, CDC chairman Mulbah Morlu on Sunday accused the political leader Nyonblee Kanga-Lawrence of broad day lies over accusation she (Sen. Kangar) levied against the MCC’s City Mayor Jefferson Koijee. It may recalled that Senator Kangar, after Montserrado Distrct#13 post-election violence, accused Mayor Koijee of leading a group gangs that reportedly sparked the weekend’s skirmishes, charges Mr. Morlu also denied.
‘We Were Not Aware of Cummings & Yekeh’s Stay in Grand Gedeh’, Supt. Says
In July 2020, Grand Gedeh County Superintendent Kai Farley disclosed that the Chairman of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Mr. Alexander Benedict Cummings and his entourage, including Montserrado County Representative Yekeh Kolubah, surreptitiously entered into the county without the consent of the local authorities and security apparatus.
Speaking to FrontPage Africa, Mr. Farley said Mr. Cummings and Representative Kolubah failed to notify his office, and security actors about their arrival in line with what leaders of other political parties normally do whenever they pay a visit to Grand Gedeh.
He made the disclosure in a telephone interview with FrontPage Africa on Thursday, July 30.
Supt. Farley further denied claims made by the CPP political leader that he (Farley) orchestrated the protest against Rep. Kolubah in Grand Gedeh.
Mr. Alexander Cummings, leader of the Collaboration of Political Parties (CPP) and head of the Alternative National Congress accused the leadership of Grand Gedeh County for the early Thursday morning attack on him and Rep. Kolubah.
A group of aggrieved supporters of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) staged a protest in the county and demanded the unconditional and immediate departure from the county of Montserrado County Representative Yekeh Kolubah (ANC, District No. 10) from Grand Gedeh.
“The superintendent came this morning, made no explanation, no apologies. He came and said you need to leave; we will escort you out, but you need to leave. I have no proof, but I believe the Superintendent is responsible for what happened here today. Again, I’m alleging it because I don’t have proof but nowhere else did this happen – and if the Superintendent of this county didn’t want this to happen, I believe it would not have happened” Mr. Cummings stated.
In his reaction, Supt. Farley termed the allegation as “unfortunate”.
“It’s unfortunate that he (Cummings) will say that as a political leader of an institution. For Hon. Cummings to say I came forcibly asking him out of the county-that is not true. It was something that was suggested by the Deputy Police commander in the county in the presence of Hon. Cummings. Hon. Cummings even asked me, but what’s your suggestion? And I told him that based upon the advice of the Joint Security; I think that this is something that we should go by”.
Not aware
Supt. Farley disclosed that though he was not notified earlier, the stay of Mr. Cummings, Rep. Kolubah and others from both the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and the CPP in the county was revealed to him by one of the authorities of the Liberia National Police (LNP) in the county.
“The first thing is that Honorable Cummings coming to Grand Gedeh County-the county authorities and the security apparatus were not aware. I don’t know the hour they really came because I came in the county around 4:00 to 5:00 in the morning hours”.
“I got a call from the Deputy Police Zwedru commander in the county telling me that Honorable Yekeh Kolubah and honorable Cummings were in Zwedru. I told him that I was just coming and needed to take a rest. I followed the information and it was proven that they were there but, nobody called me; and I was not aware of them coming like what other political parties’ leaders do”.
Supt. Farley continued: “Between 8:15 am the Deputy Police Commander called me again and said the guest house where Honorable Cummings and Yekeh Kolubah were staying, there were crowd around the guest house asking Hon. Yekeh Kolubah to leave. And I told him, ok, I will take bath and reach there”.
Upon his arrival, Supt. Farley disclosed that a formal discussion later ensued between the CPP Chairman, Rep. Kolubah and members of the Joint Security Force.
Supt. Farley narrated that following the suggestion from the Deputy Police Commander and his subsequent endorsement for Mr. Cummings and other to leave the county for their own safety, Rep. Kolubah allegedly objected and forcibly made his way out of the fence of the guest house with some officials of the ANC.
He added that the alleged action of the Montserrado County lawmaker prompted the commotion.
Slaughtering Chickens?
According to him, Rep. Kolubah allegedly threatened to “slaughter chickens” in Grand Gedeh County if Mr. Cummings allude to the advice from the Joint Security to leave the county.
“Hon. Kolubah said he will not leave if Cummings had to leave-it’s better that he sits here and damage chickens if chickens have to be slaughtered and if blood wants to waste, it will waste in Grand Gedeh County”.
“He came with about six persons outside while we were still in the living room talking to Hon. Cummings. And there were ANC people in the fence of the guest house saying we can’t go, anything you want to do, your can do it. The LDEA commander told me that he advised Hon. Kolubah not to come outside and so, I left the living room and came to calm down the situation”.
Exchange of stones
Supt. Farley claimed that there was an exchange of stones between supporters of the ANC who were in the fence of the guest house, and protesters on the streets before the premises.
He, however, failed to establish whether or not some of those behind the violent protest were arrested.
He described those who protested against the Montserrado County lawmaker and his political leader outside of the guest house as “a group of aggrieved citizens”.
“Those people were protesting citizens; we don’t know where exactly they come from; but they are citizens of the county”.
AFL’s Intervention
Supt. Farley disclosed that an intervention into the incident was made by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), General Prince Johnson.
He noted that with his consent, AFL soldiers were sent in to calm the situation, following a conference call along with Mr. Cummings.
“Within that time, the Chief of Staff of the AFL called me and said ‘what can we do this time’ and I told him that as far as I am concern we have a shortage of manpower and AFL soldiers. We were on the call with Hon. Cummings and General Johnson sent the soldiers to put things under control”.
Not aware of damages
The Grand Gedeh County Superintendent further denied reports that vehicles belonging to Mr. Cummings and Rep. Kolubah were damaged during the saga.
“I am not aware of the damage of a vehicle because I have not seen it. I don’t what to speak to it because when the situation happened, I had to come outside to calm the situation. I think the security will be the right people to give you the information”.
Regret and apologies
He, however, extended regret over the incident and apologized to the CPP Chairman for the disorderly conduct of the protesting residents of the county.
Supt. Farley condemned the incident, but called on residents of the county to desist from acts that have the proclivity to tear citizens apart.
“I said to them that we regret the incident and we are going to make sure that things are put under control; but in that process Rep. Kolubah came with force and forcibly went outside and the commotion started.
“The situation is one that we condemn and we think it is not the right thing to do. We regret the incident and this is not anything that the local authorities of the county support. We want to extend our deepest sorry to Hon. Cummings.”
Law abiding
At the same time, Supt. Farley has pledged to guarantee the safety of citizens visiting the county, despite the latest incident.
According to him, residents of the county are law abiding, and as such, the latest incident should not scare away citizens, particularly opposition politicians from visiting the county.
“Grand Gedeans are law abiding citizens and peaceful people and we will continue to be peaceful; there are other opposition political parties’ leaders that had been here and are still alive. I even interacted with them; they come at my residence and we cracked jokes. Grand Gedeh is a peaceful county”.
He, however, commended the Joint Security Force in the county for restoring law and order following the incident.
A leaked audio in the possession of FPA shows Supt. Farley in a heated exchange, giving mandate to Rep. Kolubah and Mr. Cummings to depart the county.
CPP Candidate Telia Urey Escapes Death in Attack in Montserrado District #15
Flashback: CPP candidate Telia Urey’s vehicle was attacked by persons believed to be supporters of the ruling CDC in Logan Town, Montserrado Electoral District #15 during the 2019 mid-term elections. CECPAP wants to ensure that such violence does not repeat its self by engaging in training community members throughout Liberia
In 2019, Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) opposition representative candidate for Montserrado County District #15 by – election Ms. Telia Urey reportedly escaped death on Saturday, 17 August at the hands of her attackers believed to come from ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) in the politically tense district.
Telia, The daughter of the four collaborating opposition political parties then chairman Mr. Benoni Urey, was the leading candidate in the by–election in which President George Weah told a campaign rally that under his rule the Ureys will not win election in Liberia.
Following Ms. Urey’s complaint of elections irregularities, the National Elections Commission (NEC) ordered a rerun in six polling places in the district, instead of a rerun of the entire District as earlier requested. She accepted NEC’s decision but the ruling CDC was against the rerun, as it claimed to have won the votes.
Ms. Urey was reported to have gone to visit the headquarters of one of the candidates in the District by-election, Mr. Kelvin Bayoh when she and her team got attacked during a meeting. During the violence on Saturday, reports said Ms. Urey and her supporters were held hostage for over an hour and that several persons were injured.
Ms. Urey’s vehicle was reported damaged in the attack, as witnesses in the district narrated that the ruling party supporters allegedly spilled gasoline on the building in which Ms. Urey and her supporters were besieged, with claims that the attackers intended setting the building ablaze.
According to residents, Ms. Urey’s personal bodyguards and supporters rescued her out of the building.
There was a public outcry in the District that the Liberia National Police whose officers had also been victimized by attacks by supporters of the ruling party CDC appeared to be paralyzed in taking proactive measures to stop political violence especially in cases where CDC supporters were linked.
Flashback: CPP candidate Telia Urey’s vehicle was attacked by persons believed to be supporters of the ruling CDC in Logan Town, Montserrado Electoral District #15 during the 2019 mid-term elections. CECPAP wants to ensure that such violence does not repeat its self by engaging in training community members throughout Liberia
Deputy Police Chief for operations Col. Marvin Sackor was also flogged in 2019 at CDC headquarters in Congo Town while he was attempting to dialogue with leaders of the ruling party after its supporters clashed with jubilant opposition supporters for their victory in the Senatorial by-election won by Abraham Darius Dillon.
In the wake of what was trending in Montserrado in 2019, the Executive Mansion on Sunday, 18 August indicated that President George Weah mandated the Liberia National Police and other security agencies to be proactive and bring to book anyone engaged in violence.
Flashback: CPP candidate Telia Urey’s vehicle was attacked by persons believed to be supporters of the ruling CDC in Logan Town, Montserrado Electoral District #15 during the 2019 mid-term elections. CECPAP wants to ensure that such violence does not repeat its self by engaging in training community members throughout Liberia
As Weah Detests Violence, Gov’t Probes Zwedru Attack on Rep. Yekeh and CPP Cummings
In August 2020, President George Weah told the youth and people of Grand Gedeh County, especially supporters of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) that: “If You Love and Support Me, Refrain from Violence.”
The Liberian government had announced that it had launched a full-scale investigation into mob violence by pro-CDC supporters in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County against two opposition politicians—Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah and the opposition CPP leader Alexander Cummings.
In an August 1, 2020 press release signed by Information Minister, Eugene Nagbe, the government said, having conducted preliminary investigation into circumstances that led to an attack on opposition leader Alexander Cummings and his entourage in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Justice, has commissioned a full scale probe into the incident, while condemning the appalling violence.
In this regard, the Superintendent of Grand Gedeh was summoned to Monrovia to assist in the probe.
The Information Ministry also directed the Joint Security Forces to ensure that all those involved in Thursday’s incident were held to account for their actions.
The inquiry would have determined the apparent lapse in security protocol and other reasons which contributed to the fracas.
On the following day, August 2, 2020, President George Weah, reiterated his objection and detestation of violence and unrest in Liberia, recalling that the country witnessed so much of it for long at the expense of peace and normalcy, according to an Executive Mansion press release.
He said the 14 years civil conflict, which left over a half million Liberians and many more traumatized and displaced, is sufficient lesson for all Liberians to eschew violence and trouble which the President said has got no place in Liberia’s fledgling democracy.
The President’s assertions come in the aftermath of reported hostile reaction by some residents of Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh County, to officials of the opposition Collaborating Political Party, Mr. Alexander Cummings and District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah.
The citizens reportedly went amok in demand of Representative Kolubah’s immediate expulsion from the city-a hostile reaction they justified on the Representative’s habitual verbal attacks, including profanities, against President Weah.
“If you love me, if you support me, please be peaceful and developmental,” the President said in reference to the hostile Zwedru resident’s action. “Remember that I promised the people of Liberia that my administration will maintain zero tolerance for violence but will maintain the peace, build roads and improve the lives of all.”
Speaking Sunday, August 2, 2020 during regular worship service at the Forky Kloh Jlaleh Family Fellowship Inc., the President called on all Liberians to be peaceful and adhere to the tenants of democracy, as violence is not the answer to Liberia’s development challenges.
Pres. Weah described the recent happenings in Zwedru City undemocratic, saying those culpable will be brought to justice.
“This country witnessed too many instabilities that didn’t benefit us as a nation and people. Hostility is not the answer,” the Liberian Leader warned further. “We must focus on maintaining peace, order and adherence to the law. With peace we can develop our country.”
He added: “Everyone has the right to move about freely in any part of the country. There are ways under our democratic system by which citizens reject people whose behaviors or political ideologies don’t match theirs. Either you stay away from assemblies where they are found or you vote.”
He asked the Ministry of Justice to quickly investigate the incident in Grand Gedeh County.
“Liberia will never return to its ugly past; certainly, not under my watch as President of the Republic,” the Liberian Chief Executive maintained.
At the same time, the Information Ministry noted that the fact that the Cummings delegation safely visited several other counties without incident, is a clear indication that the Government is committed to protecting all its citizens, regardless of their political persuasion.
The rights to free movement and political assembly are fundamentally guaranteed by the Liberian constitution. The government will continue to ensure that these rights are protected at all times.
As the country moves closer to elections in December, the Justice Ministry assures the public that it is employing additional measures which will ensure security for all those engaging in political campaign activities.
Joint Statement on Election Violence in Liberia – Following Election Violence in Cape Mount County
In December of 2020, a joint Statement on election violence in Liberia was issued by the United Nations in Liberia, ECOWAS, the EU Delegation and the Embassies of the EU Member States (France, Germany, Ireland, and Sweden), the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Embassy of the United States of America
“The United Nations in Liberia, ECOWAS, the EU Delegation and the Embassies of the EU Member States (France, Germany, Ireland, and Sweden), the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Embassy of the United States of America appreciate and share the profound values Liberians hold for peaceful and democratic processes and protection of human rights. We have invested heavily and worked strenuously alongside Liberians from all political parties and all walks of life to promote peace, security, and democratic institutions in this country. We deplore the incidence of violence in Grand Cape Mount yesterday, including the burning of cars and looting and burning of a house, and are certain that the vast majority of Liberians would wish to disassociate themselves from such acts. In this regard, we fully support the statement this morning by President George Manneh Weah condemning the violence and calling for political partisans and their leaders to conduct themselves peacefully.
There must be a full investigation of incidences of violence, including yesterday’s, and all those found responsible must be held accountable. Law enforcement agencies must be granted sufficient resources to carry out their work, including the provision of security to political candidates and polling sites. We recall commitments stakeholders made in the Code of Conduct to ensure a peaceful and transparent electoral process. We call on all parties to renounce the use of provocative language and dissemination of misinformation and falsehoods that only promote political tensions, divisiveness, and violence and risk the progress Liberia has continuously demonstrated since 2005. We further call on political leaders and electoral candidates to pursue any disputes through peaceful means and dialogue, in accordance with the law.
International partners are following closely Liberia’s adherence to the rule of law and its advancement of peace and democracy. We look forward to witnessing the voting process on December 8, and support Liberian civil society observation and monitoring initiatives as well. We remain confident in the strong commitment of the Liberian people to peace, stability, and development and continue dedicating our support to advance these essential goals.”
CECPAP Intents to Conscientize Liberians against Repeat of the Above Chronology of Electoral Violence
Meanwhile, CECPAP Executive Director Charles Crawford told IPNEWS that the intent of his organization to ensure that electoral violence is never repeated ahead of the 2023 presidential and legislative elections that is why they have embarked on a project to conscientize Liberians to thread a peaceful path before, during and after the October 10, 2023 polls.
