LCP, MRU Women Call For Maintenance Of Peace And Reconciliation

By Bill W. Cooper
The Liberia Crusader for Peace (LCP) and Mano River Union women including its national partners over the weekend concluded their women conference aim at calling for the maintenance of peace and reconciliation in the region.
The conference which brought together women from all over the country, including the Rural Women of Liberia, the Traditional Council Women, along with Sierra Leone, Guinea and cote d’Ivoire Kukatornon heads was held in Kakata, Margibi County, in commemoration of the Accra Peace Accord which ended the Civil War on August 18, 2003.
Speaking at the conference, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection who was represented by Margibi County Gender Coordinator, Danilette D. Asilton noted that the sustainability of the Peace of the Country rest solely on the shoulder of every woman in the region, adding that peace and security is cardinal to human growth and development, and that without peace and security, development will not be possible.
“As we go about through these few days of the Kukatornon, it’s my fervent hope and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection fervent hope that women from all walks of life, Guinea, Cote d’Ivore and Sierra Leone and also women from around Liberia and Margibi County, will look at the issue of peace which goes beyond the household with national government, local leaders, our churches and in our Mosques as something to really maintain, because keeping the peace of Liberia and the region is on the shoulder of Liberia woman,” she explained further.
Asilton then lauded Amb. Endee and her team and all women including the heads from various Mano River Union for keeping the peace in every Mano River Union Countries, asserting that women have broken barriers, women can move mountains and women can make the difference in the society.
In remark, LCP Ambassador, Juli Endee noted that the Kukatornon started 18 years ago through the help of the National Traditional and Elders National Coordinator, Madam Setta Fofannan Saah, and the Carter Center along with the Mano River Union, whom she said crafted a document to hold the Mano River Union Women Conference along with the Kukatornon Peace Festival every year, adding that they have been fully supported by the carter center and every government.
She said that, after the crafting and signing of the document by Carter Center, it was then taken to the government of Liberia, the government of Cote d’Ivore, the government Guinea and the government of Sierra Leone, adding that it is from the crafted document by the women at the Gompa declaration that brought Kukatornon in all Mano River Union Countries.
“Ever since then, the Mano River Union Women comes to Liberia. When they left Liberia, they went back to their countries and talk to their government that they also want to organize Kukatornon, We Are One Festival, but they do not want to change the name because they took it from Liberia. In Guinea, is Kukatornon we are one festival for peace, as well as in Code d’Ivore, is Kukatornon we are one festival for peace and in Sierra Leone, we have Kukatornon we are one festival for peace,” Amb. Endee narrated.
The culture ambassador added that, it is time for every woman from all Mano River Union Countries to stand up and speak against anything that will bring War to any of these countries, stating “anything happens to Guinea, Sierra Leone and Cote d’Ivore will definitely affect Liberia because we are one.”
Amb. Endee lamented that it was 14 years the country went through a civil conflict, and it has been 16 years since the country civil war came to an end, stressing that It means, the country should never go back to where it came from because peace is what the country deserve and not war.
She then pointed out that the George Weah Peace Award was name in honor of the President when he was then UNICEF and Peace Ambassador and his role play in the fragile Peace the Country now enjoying, noting that it was officially launched last year to recognize his achievement.
“When we first launched the Peace Price, the first winner walk away with the sum of L$1 million and the winner at the time was Messenger for Peace. There will be another deserving winner, and that winner will walk away with check,” she explained further.
The LCP Ambassador further disclosed that this year October Kukatornon will be in Guinea, while November Kukatornon will be in Corte d’Ivore and December Kukatornon will be in Sierra Leone.
In remarks, Sierra Leone Inatorma Kamara, Guinea Zeinab Trani and Cote d’Ivore Doh Hnne Steplinee all lauded their counterpart, Amb. Endee for the great initiative (Kukatornon) and pledge their government full support in maintaining the peace in the region.
Meanwhile, the women of the conference have signed a resolution and set up a committee in other to craft a bill to petition their legislature aim at prohibiting the use of indecent language against women and leaders by some Journalists in the country.
This came about, when the heads of the various MRU Women noted that in their various countries, it is highly prohibited for a Journalist to sit on his/her radio in the morning or at any time and use profane languages against women or their leaders, adding that said Journalist license will be revoked and prosecuted by not practicing Journalism anymore in that country, and possibly closed down said institution for good.
The committee which was set up to fight against the continuous usage of insultive language, is headed by YWCA National General Secretary, Roseline K. Toweh and will be ably assisted by Women Voices owner, Helen Nah Sammie and followed by other women groups which include; Rural Women of Liberia, Governors Council of Liberia, Traditional Council of Women, WIPNET and the Disable Community Women among others.