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What Liberians Expect From Akosombo

The NEWS (Monrovia)
EDITORIAL
June 3, 2003
Posted to the web June 3, 2003

By George Bardue
Monrovia
For nearly five years since the rebel incursion began in Liberia, there has not
been anything like peace talks to stop the hostilities between the rebel forces
and Government troops. As a result of this prolong desire on the part of the
fighting forces to settle for a dialogue, Liberians continue to be victimized
by gun-men.
Last year, when the international community constituted the International
Contact Group on Liberia with the mandate to ensure lasting peace and security,
Liberians embraced the idea and expected that they would be rescued from this
dudgeon to avert the violence for State power.
After several meetings by the ICGL, and considering the appalling conditions of
Liberians, the Group agreed that negotiations were the only way out. For this,
a date was drawn and venue set for dialogue between the rebels, Government and
other Liberian stakeholders.
And as the June 4, 2003 date for the peace talks in Akosombo, Ghana draws
closer, Liberians pin their hopes and expectations to said talks.
Among results that are expected from Ghana, are cease-fires, deployment of
international security forces, disarmament of the fighting forces and holding
of credible elections in the Country. If these concerns are addressed, and
agreed upon by all parties, Liberia would be on the road to peace, stability
and security.
Liberians at home and abroad, want to hear that compromises are made for the
sake of peace. I think the citizens will also be grateful should the Government
open its arms to a power sharing arrangement without pre-conditions.
The rebels Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy(LURD), and the
Movement for Democracy in Liberia(MODEL) should therefore reason together in
order to have peace in Liberia. Anything contrary to peace, could create room
for chaos and destruction.
It is expected that the Government and representatives of the warring factions
would pursue the urgent deployment of international security forces that would
restore sanity to the Country. All conference participants should put the
interest of larger society above all else.
It is time that representatives to the talks put the Country above all else,
not themselves. Therefore, let Liberians reason and compromise so that peace
would return to their native Land. There should be agreements that would
restore credibility to the Nation's political and economic systems. Liberians
need peace that would rekindle lost dignity among other World bodies, and with
their neighbors.
Let Liberians go to Ghana with the focus on peace, not with a desire that would
further plunge the Country into unending problems.

   

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