The National Chairman of the Elder Council Movement for Peace and Reconciliation, G. Moses K. Dorbor, has launched the Elder Council Movement for Peace and Reconciliation in Liberia. Speaking at the official launching ceremony on June 9, 2023, Elder Dorbor attributed years of conflict in Liberia to “poor handling of election processes over the past years.” He cited unequal access to services, assets, and justice as some of the principal domestic conflict dynamics.
Elder Dorbor spoke about key historical events that have been limiting factors to Liberia’s democracy development, including the 1927 General Elections, the 1985 election, and the 1989 National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) uprising against the government. Mr. Dorbor listed the establishment of an early warning system to avoid a repeat of these events as the reason for founding the Elder Council Movement.
According to Elder Dorbor, the institution was established a few months ago by concerned elders of the fifteen political sub-divisions of Liberia to help prevent and mitigate potential peace-threatening conflicts in the country. The council believes that election malpractices, poor governance, and bad leadership over the past centuries are key drivers that hamper Liberia’s democracy and development.
“The council envisages that together, we can right the wrongs thereby attaining, Maintaining and sustaining sustainable democracy and development,” he said.
The Elder Council Movement will serve as an advisory engagement body to resolve and push for non-violent means of solving conflicts or potential threats through an early warning system. The group of elders will advocate for issues intended to mitigate potential threats and will engage with political actors, including government, political parties, electoral bodies, NGOs, civil society citizens groups, and concerned individuals, among others.
The organization will serve as a neutral body in conflict resolution and will give early warning through press releases, radio talk shows, and direct engagements with political stakeholders. To ensure they look out for potential issues and maintain peace, coordinators will be set up in fifteen counties. The program was graced by the Chairperson of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia, Loreta Peo-Kai. The CSOs boss called on Liberians to take into consideration forgiveness which stands as a dialogue and inclusivity justice that must be the pillow on which general reconciliation can be obtained. Liberia must cease to be a breeding ground for troubles in the West African Sub-region. Therefore, elders must begin to champion a cause for the creation of a level playing field for all if Liberia is to continue to enjoy peace.
