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PROCMURA Advocates for Peaceful Elections in Liberia
Liberia, a nation scarred by two devastating civil wars, has been striving to maintain peace since the conflict officially ended in 2003. Elections have often been a source of tension, with political rivalries and ethnic differences occasionally spilling over into violence. In 2023, the stakes were high once again. As political divides rallied their supporters, there increased whispers of potential unrest.
It is in this environment that PROCMURA stepped in, recognising the importance of fostering peace before, during, and after the election. PROCMURA has been active in Liberia for years, but the 2023 elections called for intensified efforts, especially considering the country's religious diversity, where both Christians and Muslims live in significant numbers, and the rising political tension as the country prepared to have its presidential election.
PROCMURA’s intervention included an Observation of the Elections mission premised on mobilising Christian and Muslim leaders' participation in the electoral process, flagging the status of Faiths/Religions' involvement in Democracy and Development. Notably, some of the participating Political Parties accredited by the country's electoral body - NEC- had set their core values on religious or indigenous tradition standards as noted by the PROCMURA team on the ground.
ROCMURA, through the Area Committee, mobilised a team of fifty people, including Imams, Pastors, women and youth leaders from its already existing structures in the fifteen (15) Counties of Liberia, to participate in the campaign for a peaceful election which included the observation mission. The campaign focused on pushing messages of peace before, during and after in the lead-up to the hotly contested general election.
The inclusion of religious leaders was premised on the fact that they hold tremendous influence in their communities, and it was critical to harness that influence to advocate for peace and help de-escalate potential conflicts in their communities. In areas where tensions ran high, they more often reminded their respective communities of the commitment to and the importance of peace and non-violence.
As election day approached, PROCMURA launched a nationwide media campaign sensitising the people on the need and importance of peaceful elections and their role, as individuals and collectively, in making sure that the whole exercise was peaceful. Radio interviews and talk shows became one of our most effective tools. Radio is a primary means of communication in Liberia, especially in rural areas where the masses live. PROCMURA reached hundreds of thousands of Liberians through this particular campaign, urging them to reject violence and embrace a peaceful election process. The crafting of the targeted messages ensured that the emphasis was put on the responsibility of every citizen — Christian, Muslim, or otherwise — to promote peace.
Acknowledging the power of social media, the PROCMURA team on the ground also embraced social media to spread the message of peace further, apart from distributing flyers and stickers with messages of peace in the streets of the major towns. The campaign was not just about asking the masses not to engage in violence but also encouraging them to be peace ambassadors in their respective communities.
PROCMURA partnered with the National Elections Commission through the Liberia Council of Churches and successfully obtained accreditation for observers to Observe the Voter Registration Exercises done by NEC across the Country from April to June 2023 for the Presidential and Legislative Elections in October 2023 and for the Presidential Run-off Elections in November of the same year.
