Liberia: ‘We Will Solve Our Small Family Problem Soon’

House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa has assured the Women in Peacebuilding Network (WIPNET), that the ongoing leadership fracas at the House of Representatives will be settled in the confines of the rule of law and there will be no violence.

Speaker Koffa on Thursday equated the ongoing power struggle to a mere family dispute that will be resolved soon because all sides are interested in the peace and stability of this country.

His assertions were in response to scores of women under the auspices of WIPNET, who trooped to the grounds of the Capitol Building to speak with both sides of the divide.

But upon the arrival of the women peace advocates, the “Majority Block” seeking the removal of the Speaker had left the grounds of the Capitol. As such, they were only able to meet with the Speaker.

Accordingly, Speaker Koffa indicated that “the little family confusion” will soon be resolved through the rule of law as there can be no lasting solution in the absence of the rule of law.

“We recognize your role in the maintenance of peace in this country. The one thing that we will assure you is that we just have a small family problem and we will fix it soon. We will fix it according to the rule of law because there can be no solution in the absence of the rule of law,” stated the House Speaker.

“The good thing is that there is no body from this side or that is not interested in the way of peace. What we have is just a small confusion. I promise you that in the next few days our problem will be settled. We will fix things in the confines of what the law says. If the law says it is in this way that things [are] supposed to be done, we will all follow that path to resolve it; whether someone [is] supposed to move or someone supposed to stay. We will respect whatever the law says. If we leave the law and start going to different places, then that’s a different thing we want to achieve and not peace.”

The spokesperson of the women’s group, Madam Beatrice Johnson, called on the opposing group to give peace a chance by allowing Speaker Koffa to continue his tenure at the helm of the House of Representatives.

“Our leaders should listen to us. Our mothers have been bearing this pain of peace for the last 21 years. People must listen to the rules and regulations that govern this country. To have peace, people must be respectful of the peace.

If someone is supposed to remain in the seat for some time, let them remain for the time for which they were put there,” said Madam Johnson.

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“Violence is not our solution for this thing that is happening today. We don’t want war, we want peace. We have nowhere to run, maybe they have their children abroad. So we have come today with placards so that they will find a way forward. We stand for peace and not violence. Violence is not the solution so let them hear it today, and tomorrow. Let them not hurt our peace,” she added.

They further urged members of the House of Representatives to settle their dispute. “We have brought our peace placard because of the violence that has been going on here, it raises concern and breaks our hearts. We need peace, and it must be now,” the spokesperson noted.

They emphasized that such a situation is troubling and has the propensity to instill fear in the country. Speaker Koffa met the group of Liberian Women and assured them that calm will be restored soon.

The women’s group has vowed to return to the Capitol next week if calm isn’t restored.

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