—As Catholic Activists in Africa Launch Campaign to Stop Abortion Legalization in Liberia
IPNEWS: Members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Liberia (CABICOL) are advocating for civility as politicians engage in campaigns ahead of the October 10 general elections.
In their statement shared with ACI Africa on Tuesday, August 22, CABICOL members caution against “physical and verbal attacks” and call for tolerance.
“Electoral campaigns are not synonymous to ‘war’ as sadly depicted sometimes during this time,” Liberia’s Catholic Bishops say in the statement that the President of CABICOL, Bishop Anthony Fallah Borwah of Gbarnga Diocese, signed.
They add, “Being of different political persuasions is a sign of our fundamental rights to choose who we want to lead us. Therefore, there is no need to see one another as ‘enemies’ but rather competitors to serve.”
“Civility should be the order of the day. We can propagate our agenda without recourse to the use of violence,” they CABICOL members say, and cautioning against violence, add, “Physical and verbal attacks on opposing candidates have no place in our emerging democracy.”
The National Elections Commission (NEC) scheduled August 5 – October 8 as the period within which campaigns for the general elections in the West African nation can be conducted.
In the statement dated August 15 that was also published on CABICOL Facebook page, Catholic Bishops in Liberia urge the electorate to turn up and elect the President, members of the House of Representatives, and half of the Senate.
To vote, they say, “is not only a moral obligation but also a patriotic duty. In so doing, we are helping in the promotion and safeguarding of our nascent democracy.”
“There cannot be voters’ apathy in our current dispensation. Failure to vote is not only unpatriotic but also a serious omission in the fostering and maintenance of our peace. Failure to choose is already a choice and a bad choice,” CABICOL members say.
For credible and peaceful elections, the Catholic Church leaders urge NEC officials to “be professional and above reproach because the credibility of the elections depends on your level of professionalism.”
“You must remain an impartial arbitrator of our electoral process. Thus, you will be contributing to consolidating our democratic process,” they say in the statement that was also signed by Bishop Andrew Lagaye Karnley of Cape Palmas Diocese and the Diocesan Administrator of Monrovia, Fr. Gabriel Blamo Jubwe.
CABICOL members urge the media to remain “objective in the analysis of the issues that matter. Remember, you owe it to God and the State to remain truthful in your reportage.”
Turning their attention to the youth, they caution them against associating with politicians keen on using them for violence, and say, “Remember, you are the present and future of our nation.”
The Catholic Bishop further “appeals that all political actors be given the same level of security. We are all Liberians and the rights of all should be upheld and protected.”
In their statement shared with ACI Africa on August 22, CABICOL members recommend daily recitation of the Holy Rosary for peaceful elections.
Meanwhile, Members of CitizenGO, a Catholic activist organization, are rallying for signatures to stop lawmakers in Liberia from legalizing abortion in the West African country.
It was rumoured that Senators in Liberia were considering, within two weeks starting Wednesday, August 23, the continuation of the debate on the Public Health Bill that contains many matters, including the issue of abortion.
In their petition launched Tuesday, August 22, CitizenGo expressed concern that allowing Liberians to abort whenever they feel like will lead to tens of thousands of lives being lost annually in the country.
“This bill would introduce a very big change to legislation in Liberia and would directly lead to the death of thousands of innocent babies through abortion in Liberia,” the Catholic pro-lifers say.
Under Liberia’s current law, abortion is allowed in exceptional circumstances that include where the mother’s life is at risk, rape/incest/felonious intercourse, and disability of the fetus. “These are rare situations,” the Catholic activists say.
Contrary to these speculations, Liberia’s Senate Pro-tempore Albert Chie has blasted anti-abortion bill mockers, terming their advocacy as mere politics that hides the real public benefits.
Pro-tempore Chie clarified that there is no stand-alone bill on reformed abortion bill before the Liberian Senate contrary to perceptions.
Delivering his opening statement Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at the return of the 54th Legislature to a special session, Senator Chie pointed out that rather, there is only a new chapter in the new Public Health Bill on sexual and reproductive health which addresses issues of sex education, family planning and abortion.
“Let me also point out that there is no stand-alone bill on abortion before the Senate, as it is being perceived in some quarters; but rather, there is a new chapter in the new Public Health Bill on sexual and reproduction health,” he said.
The Pro-Tempore’s clarification comes amid long-standing claims and counterclaims in the public that there is a bill currently before the August body to address abortion.
The bill, when passed into law, per public speculations, seeks to determine at what time and at what condition can a pregnant woman be given the right to legally abort a pregnancy.
Sen. Chie indicated that the bill came to the Senate from the House of Representatives for their concurrence, contrary to continued accusations by U.S. Congressman Chris Smith that the Senate promulgated the bill.
He added that joint hearings were conducted by the Committee on Health of both Chambers before the House passed it.
Pro Tempore Chie revealed that the Senate regardless of several consultations and public hearings has not arrived at a final version for approval by the Senate’s Plenary.
“The bill has been at the Legislature since February 2020 and is, therefore, not a new legislative instrument.”
At the same time, the Senate Pro-tempore has condemned what he terms, lies being propagated by people who have little or no understanding of the various issues contained in the proposed new Public Health Law and the transparent manner in which the debate has been proceeding in the Senate.
“Fellow citizens, we are appalled by the interference in our legislative process and condemn the lies which are being propagated by people, who have a little or no understanding of the various issues contained in the proposed new Public Health Law,” he said.
At the same time, the Senate Pro-Tempore has lauded local stakeholders, international partners of the Liberian government and health professionals who worked along with the Ministry of Health and others in the public.
According to him, the said collaboration helped to prepare the revised public health bill, coupled with participation in the various consultations for the approval of the instrument by the Legislature.
They express concern that the Public Health Bill will scrap Liberia’s current abortion law and replace it with an extreme law that allows abortion, for any reason, on demand, up to when the baby in the womb is at 14 weeks gestation.
“It has been estimated that this change from allowing abortion in exceptional circumstances to allowing abortion on demand would lead to the lives of 40,000 babies being lost to abortion in Liberia every single year,” the members of CitizenGo say.
The Catholic activists allege that “the Swedish government and other foreign NGOs” have been creating and funding organizations in Liberia to lobby for the legalization of abortion.
“There are credible allegations of bribery including large cash payments of $20,000 each being made to senators from the Government of Sweden for voting in support of the bill,” they say, and add, “Foreign Government interference in the democratic process of Liberia is totally unacceptable and a form of neo-colonialism that you must reject.”
The activists have appealed for signatures to stop the Public Health Bill in Liberia, saying, “This Bill can be stopped. Please visit http://stopliberiaabortionbill.com/ now to use the free easy tool to send a message to senators asking them to vote against the bill.”
In a related development, the Swedish Embassy is denying that it bribed Liberian senators to pass an amendment to the country’s public health law that would legalize abortion, which remains prohibited except in extreme cases.
The Swedish denial comes as it remains one of the leading donors to Amplifying Rights Network, a pro-abortion group, that is spearheading the campaign for the legalization of abortion in Liberia.
But religious groups, including the Inter-Religious Council, disagreed and claimed that the Swedish government’s support for the Amplifying Rights Network “is a direct attack on Liberia’s deeply-rooted cultural and religious values.”
The Council’s call for the bill’s rejection, however, fueled claims that the Swedish Embassy had made substantial financial contributions to senators in exchange for their support of legalizing abortion under the guise of funding various development projects in Liberia.
The allegations have forced the Swedish Embassy to promptly deny any involvement or role in the abortion debate, even though its support for the Amplifying Rights Network is key to the group’s push for the legalization of abortion.
“Sweden is a long-term development partner to Liberia and supports the Liberian government as well as national and international organizations working to improve conditions for democracy and human rights,” it added. “One important aspect of their work is to strengthen women’s full enjoyment of their human rights, not least their sexual and reproductive health and rights.”
According to the Embassy, Sweden “respects the democratic processes of our partner countries and that Swedish development cooperation does not tolerate any form of corruption.
The Embassy clarification comes just as Bishop Kortu Brown, a leading figure in the anti-abortion movement claimed that the religious community has estimated that the legalization of abortion would lead to the death of 40,000 babies every single year. This is a conservative estimate, as the actual number could be much higher when the bill is legalized as it would allow abortion on demand.
“This bill would introduce a very big change to our legislation here in Liberia and would directly lead to the death of thousands of innocent babies through abortion in Liberia,” Brown said as he pleaded with Liberians to join the religious community in taking action against the bill.
“Please take action now and contact senators now via StopLiberiaAbortionBill.com and ask them to vote against this horrific bill,” he added. “A change from allowing abortion in exceptional circumstances to allowing abortion on demand would lead to the lives of thousands of innocent babies being lost to abortion in Liberia every single year. This is a low estimate, the actual number could be much higher.”
Under Liberia’s current law, abortion is allowed in exceptional circumstances – where the mother’s life is at risk, rape/incest/felonious intercourse, and disability of the fetus. These are rare situations.
The Public Health Bill, which the Senate is currently looking at, would scrap Liberia’s current abortion law and replace it “with an extreme law that allows abortion, for any reason, on demand, up to when the baby in the womb is at 14 weeks gestation,” Brown said.
The proposed change comes as most African countries prohibit abortion except in extreme circumstances, such as the life of the mother, rape/incest, and fetal disability.
