They caution against voter apathy, saying, “Regardless of how each individual citizen feels regarding the performances of past and current leadership, to boycott or stay away from the forthcoming elections does not help the situation in any way.”
“It rather allows a handful of individuals to decide the destiny of the country and regrettably, the entire country will have to live with their choice whether good or bad for the next six (6) years for President and Representatives and nine (9) years for Senators,” CLAL members say.
They add, “It is against this backdrop that the Catholic Lawyers Association of Liberia calls on all registered Catholic voters to turnout on voting day to exercise their constitutional right to vote for their preferred candidate(s).”
CLAL members say they are concerned about “recent developments that have the propensity to threaten the over two (2) decades of peace being enjoyed by the people of Liberia.”
“Particular attention is drawn to advertent or inadvertent actions and/or inactions of the National Elections Commission in the execution of its statutory responsibility that could raise unnecessary suspicion and distrust in certain quarters,” CLAL members say in the October 5 statement that their National Coordinator, Cllr. Darryl Ambrose Nmah, signed.
They express optimism in work of the National Elections Commission (NEC) Liberia, saying they “believe those in charge of the electoral process are individuals with high moral standards and they would do nothing to diminish the trust which has been reposed in them.”
CLAL members also call on all “political actors and the general public to refrain from any actions and statements including threats or jabs that would create tension, uneasiness or impede the peace of the nation.”
They go on to denounce “in the strongest terms any form of violence which has begun to creep its way in the elections.”
“The incident in Foya, Lofa County on Friday, September 29, that reportedly left two persons dead and several injured is extremely alarming and all measures need to be put in place, not just to prevent the recurrence of such incident, but also to ensure those responsible for this mayhem be made to face the full weight of the law,” CLAL members lament.
They note that “all Liberians know the consequences of electoral violence and as such everyone must stand up against hate-speeches, threats and all acts that would derail the peace and plunge the country into another round of conflict.”
