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Liberian Youths Need Psychological Disarmament - Dr. Robert Kpoto

The Analyst (Monrovia)
NEWS
July 18, 2005
Posted to the web July 18, 2005

The standard bearer of the United Liberian Democrats and medical doctor, Dr.
Robert Kpoto, says the youths of Liberia need to go through a psychological
disarmament if the country must count on them for the future challenges.
He said the disarmament process which ended in the country was only centered
around the taking away of the arms and ammunition from the hands of the youths
who make up about 75% of the country's population, adding that the
psychological aspect of disarming them should be looked at.
Liberian youths, Dr. Kpoto stressed, were traumatized long ago before the onset
of the 14 years civil conflict that brought death, destruction and untold
suffering on the people of Liberia.
He made the suggestion when he spoke at the St.Theresa Convent School during a
roundtable political forum held under the auspices of the coalition of
political parties and sponsored by the European Commission's bilateral election
program in Liberia.
Addressing participants on the topic "After 14 Years Of Civil War In Liberia,
The Traumatization Of Liberia Youths, What Hope For Them In The Democratic
Society," Dr. Kpoto noted that there are some individuals he did name in the
Liberian society that are responsible for the traumatization of youths in
Liberia.
He named illiteracy, poverty and unemployment as factors used by destructive
individuals in the Liberian society to cause conflicts that traumatize Liberian
youths.
Dr. Kpoto said that the failure of individuals and the educational system has
dashed the hopes of the youths, saying that they see no role model in the
society.
At the same time he added that there is a need for the educational system in
the country to be decentralized to help youths in the country.
The forum, which is aimed at contributing towards credible, peaceful and
transparent elections confirmative to international standard, was launched to
demonstrate the efforts of the European Commission's bilateral election support
being executed by the Electoral Reform International Services (ERIS) and the
Carter Center UK (CCUK).

   

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