President George M. Weah has reminded Liberians not to ignore the importance of Liberia’s peace after 14 long and bitter years in the wilderness of civil war.
The Liberian President also called on the entire citizenry to be proud of themselves and their country, to be proud of preserving the sovereignty and cohesive integrity of Africa’s first and oldest republic.
He said, “I am happy that since August 18, 2003, when leaders of various factions and interests made a solemn affirmation to end violence by signing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Accra, Ghana, Liberians have demonstrated their resolve never to resort to violence or go to war to settle their grievances.”
The Liberian leader made the remark Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in a special statement delivered during the country’s 176 Independence Day celebration, held at the Centennial Pavilion in Monrovia.
This year’s Independence Day celebration was held under the theme, “Giving Our People Hope for a Violence-Free, Fair, Transparent, Inclusive, and Credible Elections.”
According to him, the combined fortitude and patriotic commitment of Liberians are an inspiration of hope for the future of a Liberia that will rise and remain a bastion of positive history in Africa and the world.
The President stressed that together, Liberians have a collective duty and obligation to uphold, protect, and defend the 1986 Constitution, and warned that Liberians “cannot ignore the shadows cast by the checkered past of our nation, particularly the dark chapter of the civil war that plagued our beloved land for 14 long and painful years”.
He recalled how lives were lost and countless families torn apart, with over a quarter of a million Liberians perishing, and more than 1.5 million displaced, both at home and abroad, during the civil war.
“Yet, amidst the ruins of that time, we have persevered, united by a common purpose and an unwavering determination to rebuild our nation. We have proven that what unites us as Liberians is far stronger than what divides us.”
The President also asserted that Liberians are celebrating not just the anniversary of independence, but also the resilience of the people, who he said have clung to the hope of a united and prosperous Liberia, amidst challenges.
Commenting on his six years of Presidency, President Weah assured Liberians that the best is yet to come, despite the horde of developmental weightlifting already carried out in the last six years under his leadership.
He said the nation and world would marvel at the country’s rise to nobler heights and called on citizens to continue to develop the spirit of love, unity, and reconciliation, noting that the best days of the nation are yet to come and that the journey towards prosperity and progress is far from over.
The President also introspected Liberia’s journey to statehood and the many political and social complexities it has endured and that he remains optimistic of a better Liberia, which he said is only realizable through unity, peace, reconciliation, and the determination to put the national interest above individual desires, despite the unfortunate events of the past that stunted Liberia’s development.
He pleaded that those desires should not be put above the interest and general well-being of the country, and at the same time, accordingly challenged Liberians to look to the future with hope and optimism, because the country has come a long way.
“Although I am the Chief Executive Administrator of the country, the success we are promising does not rest with me alone,” he noted, adding that inclusiveness of this exercise requires the full and committed participation of all our citizens and friendly partners.
“Above all, it requires the unreserved commitment of those political stakeholders who are vying for positions in these forthcoming elections, as well as their followers, and it should be understood that, while our individual and collective political interests are uppermost, those desires should not be put above the interest and general well-being of the country, which is indeed our collective interest,” Weah added.
Meanwhile, the President further used the occasion to express his determination and energy in ensuring that the interest of the Liberian people is served and that their will is done during the pending presidential and legislative elections.
The Liberian Leader also recalled the recently signed Farmington Declaration, which imposes on political leaders the onus to accept the results of elections and refrain from violence.
He said: “Today, I reiterate, with renewed resolve, my commitment to patriotically discharge the responsibilities imposed on me as your leader, in the promotion and preservation of the fundamental rights and freedoms that are guaranteed by the Constitution, and to strive to create an atmosphere that is conducive to the free and unrestricted right to exercise your franchise in a peaceful, transparent, and inclusive process.”
