Monrovia, 27 August, 2023 / 9:00 pm (ACI Africa).
Members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Liberia (CABICOL) are advocating for civility as politicians engage in campaigns ahead of the October 10 general elections.
In their statement shared with ACI Africa on Tuesday, August 22, CABICOL members caution against “physical and verbal attacks” and call for tolerance.
“Electoral campaigns are not synonymous to 'war' as sadly depicted sometimes during this time,” Liberia’s Catholic Bishops say in the statement that the President of CABICOL, Bishop Anthony Fallah Borwah of Gbarnga Diocese, signed.
They add, “Being of different political persuasions is a sign of our fundamental rights to choose who we want to lead us. Therefore, there is no need to see one another as 'enemies' but rather competitors to serve.”
“Civility should be the order of the day. We can propagate our agenda without recourse to the use of violence,” they CABICOL members say, and cautioning against violence, add, “Physical and verbal attacks on opposing candidates have no place in our emerging democracy.”