Women in peace building network in Liberia preaching the need for peace. Photo Credit: Participationdictionary.
The Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has said its survey of more than 1,500 Liberians reveals shows how worried the population is about a possible return to days of civil war.
Liberia is preparing for presidential elections in October this year and this latest survey could dampen the hopes of many who wish for the country not to ever witness renewed violence.
The CRS on its website said the “The nationally representative study, conducted from March to May 2016 in each of Liberia’s 15 counties, applied both quantitative and qualitative methods.
It further said the study is “one of the first studies to reveal how Liberians perceive the state of peace, reconciliation, and conflict since the country’s devastating 14-year civil war that ended in 2003”.
Jennifer Overton, Regional Director for CRS in West Africa said in a statement that “Liberians are telling the world that the causes of the long civil wars are still there and they have genuine fears of their country returning to violence,”
“We now have some very specific key indicators for potential risks of conflict. But we have to address them now.” She added
The study shows that the wounds inflicted by the wars have not fully healed with respondents citing some factors that could lead to renewed violence. Among those factors are corruption in the public sector, disputes over land ownership and high rates of youth unemployment.
Pilate Johnson, Acting Director for the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in Liberia said “This report is an inventory of issues that require urgent and serious attention,”
He said “Both the Liberian government and the international community cannot afford to be complacent about peace in Liberia”.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia’s incumbent president and Africa’s first elected female head of state, is stepping down this year.
Source: Africafeeds.com
