General News
Memorial Day Will Be Non-violent
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- Published on Wednesday, 07 November 2012 10:07
- Written by The News
The main opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) has assured the Liberian people that its Memorial Day will be non-violent and peaceful.
At the same time, the Government of Liberia has promised to provide security for the peaceful assembly of the CDC and the general public.
A release issued by the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) said during a meeting on Tuesday, both the Ministry of Justice and the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) emphasized the need to maintain peace, and showed preparedness to work to consolidate stability and democracy in the country.
During yesterday's meeting chaired by the Minister of Justice, Cllr. Christian Tah, attended by executives of the CDC and officials of the LCC, the parties assured that they would work together for the sustenance of peace, stability and democracy.
According to the release, the CDC assured the people of Liberia that during today's Memorial Day, the party decided NOT to march in the streets but to assemble at their headquarters for the memorial program.
The LCC therefore calls on all Liberians to remain hopeful, and reminds both the Ministry of Justice and the CDC that the Council and the people of Liberia look forward to the Ministry of Justice and the CDC living to their commitments reached as the Council will be observing the commitments of both sides.
Tension heightened recently in Monrovia when the CDC insisted that it would not seek permit from the Liberian government to assemble peacefully at its headquarters because such rights are guaranteed under the laws of the state.
The Liberian government had indicated that the law requires the opposition party to seek permit for the purpose of expediency.
Today's event is set aside by the main opposition CDC to memorialize the death of its partisans during a violent clash with riot police officers on the eve of a presidential run-off election on November 7, 2011.
CDC staged a boycott of the run-off poll and protested the dissolution of the National Elections Commission (NEC), claiming that the Commission had taken side.
Partisans of CDC took to the streets vandalizing properties and impeding the movement of citizens and residents as well as obstructing the free flow of traffic, which resulted to the discharge of firearms and the subsequent killing of at least one person.
However, the CDC insists that three persons were killed during the violent protest and not one.
