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Liberia: Election Commentary
Liberia: Election Commentary
Date distributed (ymd): 970816
Document reposted by APIC
This posting contains two commentaries on last month's election in Liberia,
one by Africa Faith and Justice Network and the other by Friends of Liberia.
Additional news and commentary can be found at
http://www.africanews.org/west/liberia
AROUND AFRICA
August 1997 (afjn-infoact)
Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN), 401 Michigan Ave. NE, P.O.
Box 29378, Washington, D.C. 20017 Tel. 202 832 3412; Fax. 202 832 9051;
Email: afjn@igc.org. For information
on subscribing to the afjn-infoact listserv, please write to afjn@igc.org,
or send the message "help" to majordomo@igc.org.
LIBERIA:
"The End Justifies the Means"
The quotes above capture the behavior of Liberian voters who went to
the polls on Saturday July 19 to vote in an election that capped Liberia's
onerous peace process. Charles Taylor, the originator of the Liberian civil
war, which began on December 24 1989, won the election by a landslide,
taking more than 70 percent of the vote. None of the other 12 candidates
got 10 percent.
Even Ms. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was touted as a serious rival, received
less than 10 percent of the votes cast. About 700,000 Liberians participated
in the election which took place uneventfully. Taylor will be inaugurated
in early August and will become Liberia s 21st President.
It is almost impossible to grasp the meaning of why the Liberian people
voted the way they did. Yet some pointers are easily available.
Taylor was the most financially endowed of all the candidates; he had
the most means available to any candidate to travel throughout the country
unmolested; there were too many candidates and he had the most name recognition
of all of them. He overwhelmed the Liberian people with his radio broadcast
(Taylor virtually monopolised the airwaves); even suggesting at times only
his election can ensure peace; he threatened the election commission that
if they dared postpone the election only an "angel" would be
able to protect its Chairman.
Wary Liberians were convinced that a Taylor presidency was the best
bet for peace. It was a case of "your vote or your life"; Liberians
chose their lives.
Was the Liberian vote free and fair? Not exactly. Was it an exercise
in democratic liberties? Hardly. Did evil prevail over good? Perhaps. But
Liberians were given an opportunity to choose a leader and they did. The
result must be respected. If one is to find a saving grace in this process
it is that Taylor did not become President by force; even though force
was a contributory factor. He became president through the "consent
of the people." Though a pyrrhic victory, the Liberian people compelled
him to occupy the presidency by subjecting him to the ballot box. The ballot
box not the bullet made Taylor's day. All is not lost. Now that Taylor
can lay claim to "legitimacy", he must now rebuild what he has
destroyed. Can he or will he? That is the question.
Friends of Liberia (FOL)
For more information on the FOL E-Mail Network contact Steven Keenan
<sekeenan@ican.net> or Friends
of Liberia, 1616 North Fort Myer Drive, 12th Floor, Rosslyn, Virginia 22209
(Mailing Address: P.O. Box 28098,Washington, D.C. 20038). Tel: (703) 528-8345;
FAX: (703)528-7480; e-mail: Liberia@FOL.org
Liberia's Special Elections
Preliminary Statement of Findings
July 23, 1997
Friends of Liberia (FOL) has completed its observation of Liberia's
1997 Special Election and has determined that, despite problems, this process
was free, fair and transparent. As many as 90 percent of registered voters
cast votes at almost two thousand voting sites throughout the country -
a clear expression of their strong desire for peace and democracy. After
nearly eight years of civil war and on the eve of 150 years of nationhood,
the people of Liberia must now move forward to rebuild their country. We
think this is the message voters were trying to send. We urge all Liberians
to put aside their differences and respect the results of this election.
The conclusion by Friends of Liberia that the Special Election was free
and fair does not infer that it was without underlying problems. A great
many of the 800,000 Liberian refugees outside the country did not participate
in the election. The time available for civic education was inadequate
in light of high illiteracy rates and the effect of the war on the people's
sense of security. Many minor irregularities occurred when illiterate people
voted since the Elections Law limited assistance to the physically handicapped,
and poll worker manuals did not specify how to address issues related to
voters who could not read or write. Despite commitments made in the Special
Elections Law, the election did not appear to have been played on a "level
playing field." Liberians need to address issues such as: campaign
spending, possible voter intimidation, and distortions of the truth.
Friends of Liberia served as a neutral and independent observer in Liberia's
Special Election fielding a team of 34 observers drawn from a pool of American
citizens who have lived and worked in Liberia and who have a personal commitment
to Liberia and its future. Friends of Liberia teams observed the registration
process, the political campaign, the conduct of election officials and,
ultimately, election day balloting and counting. These teams, deployed
in nine counties, visited more than 400 polling centers.
To develop a full understanding of the electoral process, Friends of
Liberia, before and after the election, conducted an intensive round of
meetings throughout Liberia with election officials, the political parties,
and the international organizations involved in the process. Friends of
Liberia also met with key nongovernmental organizations actively engaged
in the electoral process and with a commitment to human rights and democracy.
We approached the observation of the 1997 Special Elections determined
to assess objectively whether the election process was free and fair according
to international standards. Friends of Liberia was also guided by its longstanding
commitment to the conditions under which, in its view, elections should
be held. These conditions, endorsed by members of the U.S. Congress, include
the following:
-Former faction leaders would not use military force to influence the
election process.
-Voters and candidates would have unimpeded access to each other and
to polling sites.
-Refugees wanting to do so could return safely to register and vote.
-An independent election commission would administer an unbiased election
code.
-Materials for carrying out voter registration and balloting would be
in place.
-Eligible voters would be informed about the election process.
-International and domestic observers would be able to report freely
on the election process.
Friends of Liberia feels that, for the most part, these conditions have
been met.
Turning out to vote in large numbers, some walking for several hours
to voting sites, Liberians showed the world that they have a strong sense
of civic duty and love of country. Voters, party representatives, observers
and candidates should be proud of their contributions to an election process
conducted under extremely challenging circumstances. Special recognition
should be given to the poll workers, who exhibited a tremendous spirit
to make this process work despite poor living conditions, lack of food,
and late salary payments. Friends of Liberia was impressed by the emergence
in this election of domestic observer groups.
This election provides an opportunity for Liberians to transcend years
of acrimony, destruction and bloodshed. Ultimately, the government emerging
from the election has the responsibility to unite and work for the healing
and reconciliation of the entire country. Friends of Liberia believes it
is vital to the process of peace and democracy that the new government
of Liberia make every effort, at every level, to fulfill this mandate.
A first step should be to ensure respect for the rights of all political
parties to continue to express their opinions peacefully. There should
be strict observance of human rights and the rule of law. The new government
should interact productively with citizens as represented by civic, religious
and human rights organizations. Anything less could subject Liberia to
renewed chaos and the condemnation of the international community.
For its part, Friends of Liberia will continue its dedication to the
rebuilding of Liberia. We will watch closely and critically the performance
of any new government. We will speak out when we see evidence of abuse
of fundamental freedoms. As in the past, we will advocate that the United
States government adopt policies toward Liberia that support good governance.
Friends of Liberia
Founded in 1986, Friends of Liberia (FOL) is dedicated to helping Liberians
achieve peace and democracy. Its eight-hundred members include returned
Peace Corps volunteers, Foreign Service officers, missionaries, development
workers, expatriate Liberians, and others who care deeply about Liberia.
The organization has conducted fact-finding missions, provided relief and
medical assistance, brought the warring factions together in public forums
and conflict resolution workshops, and advocated for effective U.S. government
policies. FOL is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is
recognized and registered by the U.S. Agency for International Development
as a private voluntary organization (PVO). It is a member of Interaction,
the association of international humanitarian organizations, and affiliated
with the National Peace Corps Association. Funding for the FOL election
observation project came from the U.S. Agency for International Development
in a grant administered by the International Foundation for Election Systems.
Note: Presented at a press conference, aired live on Radio Monrovia,
on July 23, 1997 at St. Theresa Convent, Randall Street, Monrovia.
This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the Africa
Policy Information Center (APIC), the educational affiliate of the Washington
Office on Africa. APIC's primary objective is to widen the policy debate
in the United States around African issues and the U.S. role in Africa,
by concentrating on providing accessible policy-relevant information and
analysis usable by a wide range of groups and individuals.
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