By Laurina B Lormia (Cub-Reporter)
The Forum of Liberian Women Elders, in collaboration of The Liberian Institute for Growing Patriotism (LIGP) is urging the civil society to secure the peace, justice, and stability in Liberia.
At an honouring program for the late Mary Brownell on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at her residence on Ashmun Street with the Judge Emma Shannon Walser Medal of Rule of Law, Good Governance, and Patriotism, the Advisor to the President on Foreign Affairs, George W. Wallace, informed the society about the peace and social justice that are being enjoying today in Liberia.
“As an agent of peace and social Justice, Mother Brownell devoted her lifetime to any and all things associated with peace, justice, and stability. Her direct role in prevailing on leaders of the various factions to sign the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of Accra was a defining moment of the true power of a woman. Indeed, the women of Liberia rallied around Mother Brownell and others to cause sword to be beaten in pruning hooks,” Wallace recalled.
“The mission has been accomplished. We have had four peaceful democratic elections. We now have former Presidents living peacefully among us. The scene of two former Presidents holding hands at the inauguration of an incoming President was historic, not only for Liberia, but for Africa,” as keynote speaker, he stated.
“Let us continue to pursue the path of peace and reconciliation. Let us strive to forge national unity and promote the culture of peaceful coexistence. Let us garner the spirit of patriotism and nationalism by promoting healthy causes that will project Liberia in post-war recovery, development, and modernization,” he added.
He said, “They persuasively convinced our men on the battlefronts that peace, as well as reconciliation and unity, was the best option over military victory. They brought home the peace trophy won on August 18, 2003. They also came with the TRC to cure our wounds, look at one another and forgive the wrongs perpetrated during the years of warfare. Their mandate was to gather a wounded nation, make peace, and reconcile them. Their duty was to unite a gravely divided nation.”
“It was patriots who put the nation’s state above their personal and parochial desire. We must learn patriotism and act patriotically. We must learn the virtue of patriotism from our great teacher, Mary Brownell. We must espouse her fighting cause for peace and stability. We must copy her legacy of maintaining an untainted integrity and holding on to an unbending principle. Indeed, we must be true and faithful disciples of a great teacher,” he asserted.
“In recent times we have been inundated with the issue of whether or not a War and Economic Crimes Court should be established to bring perpetrators of wrong deeds to Justice. I am certain this great debate would not have escaped Mother Brownell. What I cannot say with certainty is the position she would have taken. As an advocate for justice, she certainly would not condone or support perpetrators of crimes in society escaping justice,” Wallace added.
“But as a strong campaigner for peace and stability, she would have weighed the options and benefits the War and Economic Crimes Court would bring to Liberia. But whether she would have advocated for the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court in the context in which it is being asked is not what I can vouch for,” he concluded.
For her part, former Foreign Minister, Olubanke King-Akerele, said they strongly believe and urge the new administration of President Boakai to seriously consider and make a request to the UN and ECOWAS to come and undertake an assessment and evaluation facing the nation, as there is too much hatred and hate speeches that will take us down to the road that we do not want to go.
“All parties, especially the opposition, need to be mindful of this; we urge them to bear in mind the respect that the world and Africa is giving to former President Weah for how he acknowledged the victory of Boakai. In view of this, we urge the former President not to lose the respect being accorded him and Liberia by his party people, advocating and promoting hate messages,” she said.
She added, “Where is our former Chief Justice Glorious Musu Scott? She is today in prison for reasons becoming more and more evident by the officials of government that there were heavy hands which condemned her for the murder of her own foster daughter.
The new government must review all the killings and the murders for which we do not know what happen, as without justice, there can be no sustainable peace, and our mothers, Mary Brownell and Emma S. Walser, impacted the nation in the struggle for justice, peace, and security.
However, Miatta Fahnbulleh stated, “Coming back to Liberia after six years and seeing the damage and harm that drugs have caused young people of this generation, especially the females growing up on Broad and McDonald Streets, I don’t remember one woman who was a drug addict, so that’s going to be some of our interests at Ma Mary’s place to see how we can help to rehabilitate the young girls from the street.”
