By Bill W. Cooper
United States Ambassador Michael McCarthy called on the political party leaders, civil society organizers, and international dignitaries to respect the Farmington River Declaration in its totality.
“If your signatures do mean anything to you, we depend on your honor to uphold those high standards invoked in the Declaration,” the U.S Envoy reminded Liberia’s political leaders with a fist.
“These signatories who made a clear commitment to prevent violence, cooperate with law enforcement agencies, expand voter education, avoid inflammatory language and disinformation, and accept the official election results among others must be adhered to by all,” Amb. McCarthy said.
“So, my congratulations come however with a caveat; going forward, I expect all parties to avoid a repeat of the nonsense we witnessed two weeks ago with the political disruption of a church service,” the US. Diplomat warned.
According to him, the true test of said commitment will be the execution of a free, fair, transparent, and peaceful election process over the next 19 weeks, and also urged media institutions and integrity organizations to keep politicians of all parties accountable to their important Declaration commitments.
He maintained, “Rather than simply reporting on the ‘horse race,’ ask politicians the tough questions about their platforms and records, shed light on policy inconsistencies, and remind the public what they stand to gain or lose in the lead up to October.”
“It is not easy, but your efforts to hold politicians and government officials accountable are critical to upholding Liberia’s democracy, and I salute you for it. Again, like said, the attacked on a church was nonsense and should have no place in Liberia’s democracy,” he added.
It can be recalled that in April of this years, several political parties including the CDC, Unity Party (UP) and Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) signed the Farmington River Declaration where they agreed to support and participate in violence-free, peaceful, transparent, and credible legislative and presidential elections on October 10, 2023.
The Ambassador’s call stems from the recent attack at the Christ Chapel of Faith pastored by evangelist Prince Y. Johnson, thereby adding his voice to the many condemnations from all spheres of society including government, opposition, CSO, religious institutions among others.
Neither the ruling party nor the opposition has taken responsibility of the attack that attempted to disrupt the fragile peace that the country enjoys ahead of the October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections.
But as the situation continues to spark up public debate, United States Ambassador McCarthy characterized the attack on the church of Senator Prince Johnson as “nonsense.”
Recently, members of the National Patriotic Party (NPP), a constituent member of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) stormed the Christ Chapel of Faith of Senator Prince Y. Johnson of the opposition Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), disrupting the Church’s Sunday service.
The youth, in defense of their decision, said they had assembled in protest against Senator Johnson’s planned outburst against their political leader Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor who earlier warned Liberians of a possible Prince Johnson’s presidency if former Vice President Joseph Boakai is elected president.
But in a strong worded reaction, Senator Johnson used his pulpit to caution VP Taylor to focus on praying for her only son who he (Johnson) said is living on drugs and desist from attacking him.
He also made damning allegations against other politicians including Mr. Alexander Cummings, which Cummings’ Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) responded to harshly.
