MONROVIA – “What happened in Foya District in Lofa County is unacceptable and worrisome. We strongly condemned that violence that took place in that town on Friday, September 29, 2023”, Bishop Kortu K. Brown said on Saturday, September 30, 2023 at the Graduation ceremony of the 12th Grade Class of the Mother Tegeste Stewart Apostolic Pentecostal School in Brewerville when more than 40 students who successfully passed in the WAEC were graduated
“These children deserve to go in school. We should not support any person or group who will try to prevent these children from going to school. It is wrong. It is unacceptable. Electoral violence resulting into the unfortunate deaths of ordinary Liberians”, he asserted. Bishop Brown called on the security authorities to properly investigated the violence and bring the perpetrators to book. The violence occurred as a results of an altercation between UP and CDC according to media reports.
During the ceremony, the students, parents, guardians and other guests were asked to stand up and commit to a violence-free election on October 10. “We want Peace. No more war!” the audience of over 500 persons sang and made a Pledge not to engage in electoral violence during the election season, repeating after the cleric: “I, (each person calling their name) promise not to engage in electoral violence during the election season”
Bishop Brown is leading a nonviolent election campaign in collaboration with the Concerned Christian Community (CCC) and OMNIA Institute for Contextual Leadership based in Chicago, Illinois. Youths from across the country are making a pledge not to engage electoral violence during the election. The video and tape are being played on local radio stations across the country and running on TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, etc., under the caption: “Liberian Youth Voices against Electoral Violence” Campaign. The campaign includes the fielding of more than 75 Interfaith Peacemaker Teams members who have been trained in local communities to help build peace amongst local residents, etc. They will also participate in an orientation workshop on election observation during the week
The Bishop of the Apostolic Pentecostal Church International who is also a former president of the Interreligious Council of Liberia, averred that the religious community will stand up to any and all persons and/or groups who are bent on undermining the peace, disrupting normal life and thereby slowing the progress of Liberia’s children, amongst others. “You can’t afford for your children to continue to be “Zogos” living in graveyards, swamplands, marketplaces, etc.” he said.
