Weah Accuses Elections Losers, Others Of Threatening Peace

President George Weah has accused members of the opposition of threatening the peace and stability of the country since his ascendency as President of the Republic of Liberia. The Liberian leader, speaking at the General Assembly of the 74th regular session of the United Nations in New York on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, said Liberia has begun to witness the emergence of a creeping threat to democratic space following the hard-won peace and stability.
“We are beginning to witness the emergence of a creeping threat to our democratic space, and to our hard-won peace and stability. Some individuals, within and out of our country, particularly those who have lost democratically-held elections, have resorted to incitement, threats of violence, misuse of social media, and hate speech, with the aim and objective of achieving power through undemocratic means,” President Weah informed the Assembly .
Adding, “This is unacceptable, and must not be encouraged by those who would wish Liberia well. For democracy to thrive, all Liberians, including both the ruling parties and the opposition parties, must respect the rule of law, and abide by the procedures and regulations prescribed therein,” Weah admonished Liberians.
President Weah said, as a leading opposition party in Liberia during the past 12 years, “Our Party, the Congress for Democratic Change, accepted the disputed results of the two previous Presidential Elections, in 2005 and 2011, in the interest of peace”.
“Nevertheless, throughout those two terms, we continued to engage the government of the day in a constructive manner, even accepting to serve as Peace Ambassador when called upon to assist them to maintain the peace under their regime. We must all learn to respect the mandates of the electorates, even when that mandate is not in our favor, and not be selective in our support for democracy only when we win,” The nation’s president declared.
Meanwhile, President Weah, speaking on the TRC at the United Nations General Assembly, narrated that the Liberian civil conflict came to an end when all parties and warring factions signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Accra, Ghana, in August, 2003.
The Accord called for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), to provide a forum that would address issues of impunity, as well as an opportunity for both the victims and perpetrators of human rights violations to share their experiences, in order to facilitate genuine healing and reconciliation.
The TRC was duly established, concluded its hearings, and produced a final report in 2009. Among other things, the report called for the establishment of an extraordinary criminal tribunal to prosecute those identified as having committed gross violations of human rights and economic crimes between 1979 and 2003.
“It is important to note that the TRC report also recommended the use of a conflict-resolution mechanism that has been traditionally used in Liberia, called the “Palava Hut” mechanism, whereby, in various district meetings conducted by community elders, perpetrators could publicly request forgiveness from their victims, and where the aims of restorative justice could be served.”
“When I spoke before you last September, after my first nine (9) months in office, I indicated a preference for dialogue as a conflict-resolution mechanism, so that as a Government and People, we could together focus our efforts on poverty-reduction, growth, and economic development, rather than on retribution”.
“However, since that time, there has been a rising chorus of voices from many quarters, calling for the establishment of an Economic and War Crimes Court. These voices include not only thousands of war victims, but also some of the alleged perpetrators, who seem to wish to either clear their names or their conscience.”
“Support for the establishment of the Court has also been voiced by many international organizations, as well as some of our international partners.”
“Mr. President, we are at a loss to understand why the clamor for the establishment of the Court is now being made, almost a full decade after it was first called for, and during which time no such pressure was brought to bear on the government that grew out of the Accra Peace Accord.”
“Nevertheless, our Government is a listening Administration, and we have been paying keen attention to the voices of our people. What I have discerned from their cries is that it is important to bring closure to the wounds from the 14 years of Liberia’s brutal civil war, and that we need to agree on a mechanism that would guarantee the sustenance of peace, stability, justice, and reconciliation, as well as enhance our prospects for economic recovery.”
“Considering the importance of this matter, I have already begun consultations with our National Legislature – the representatives of our people – and we intend to have a broader engagement with the Liberia Judicial System, and with our strategic International Partners and Organizations, in order to determine pertinent issues such as legal framework, timing, venue, and funding, among others.”
“It is my hope that at the end of this consultative process, a National Consensus will evolve that will determine the pathway to resolving this issue. I therefore ask for your unflinching support, as we embark upon this important national endeavour,” President Weah concluded his address at the 74th UN Assembly.