MONROVIA -The National Civil Society Council of Liberia, (NCSCL), has asked the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS), National Elections Commissions (NEC) and political parties for an immediate review of the Farmington River Declaration prior to the 2023 Presidential/Legislative Elections.
In June of 2017, twenty (20) of Liberia’s registered political parties signed a declaration, committing themselves to prevent electoral violence, impunity, and injustice and pledging before ECOWAS heads of state.
The actors agreed to mediate or use legal methods in the event of political conflicts.
At that declaration duped the “Farmington River Declaration”, the parties committed that their political campaign activities would be conducted in such a manner that would not only preserve but also enhance and maintain the peace and unity of Liberia.
In a release, the Council stated that it believes that a re-visitation to the Farmington River Declaration would be a crucial first step in order to maintain peace and security and enhance national unity and reconciliation.
NCSCL observed that Liberia needs a peaceful society, with political tolerance and respect for all actors, irrespective of their views or opinions.
The Council stated that Liberia’s political climate is unstable and overburdened with potential conflicts. They also need urgent intervention before the 2023 general election and presidential elections.
“If the rising political tensions are left unattended, this could break beyond measure and produce unimaginable consequences,” said the Council.
The Council maintained that the undesirable interference of the country devil in the 2020 midterm election in Gbarpolu County against senatorial candidate Gboto Kanneh and the senatorial by-elections in Lofa County respectively, the brutalization of members of the Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) of the state-run University of Liberia over their “Fix the Country Protest” by fanatics of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the desperate war of words usually spewed by members of the ruling CDC and the opposition community as key factors that urgently warrant a re-visitation of the Farmington River Declaration before it is too late.
“The past is too dark and dirty and we cannot afford to slip an inch into any form of political chaos anymore,” NCSCL added.
Source: New republic liberia
