-UN Diplomat wants political actors to educate their supporters against electoral violence.
By: Jerromie S. Walters
Leonardo Santos Simao, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, says Liberian political actors have a paramount a responsibility to educate their supporters to act accordingly and campaign peacefully, during and after the elections.
During a recent media engagement, Leonardo Santos Simao said amid the international community involvement in the pending elections, Liberians; especially the youths and political actors have a crucial role to play in maintaining the existing peace.
“The international community continues to be mobilized to support the country toward continuation of the peace of this country, but Liberians themselves as citizens, as political actors, they have to play their role also,“ he articulated.
With this, he appealed to Liberian politicians to commit themselves to the Farmington Declaration. “Our appeal is that the commitment made by the candidates, through the Farmington Declaration, should be fully implemented.” In his opinion, it is the fairness and transparency of the process that will reflect the people’s decision in the elections results.
As disclosed by him, elections are often attacked with risks, and this is something all institutions he met with in Liberia, clearlyreferenced. But he noted that it is upon the political actors, their supporters and Liberians in general, to confine in the most civil way (s).
Specifically, he referenced the youths, and said that there’s an existing fear that they can be used to instigate violence. With this, he said politicians must provide the needed education to them, as well as the significance of keeping the peace, in order to avoid a repeat of the past.
As stated by Mr. Leonardo Santos Simao, the youth are part of society, as such, they must be educated, and be a part of the solution of the country, and not a part of the problem.
According to Mr. Leonardo Santos Simao, Liberia has been confronted with troubling days, and at this point, the country has a crucial challenge, which he said is to maintain the peace, in order to void a reoccurrence of the past.
“The main challenge is to maintain the peace, straighten the peace, so that the problem of the past don’t repeat themselves,” he said.
Following his engagements with the different institutions here in Liberia, he said there were several concerns about risk attacked to the process, judging from what political parties have displayed so far during the campaign period. He believes campaign should not put in danger the peace and security of any country.
At the same time, he said the media has a responsibility to spread the needed positive messages, in an effort to maintain the peace. Mr. Leonardo Santos Simao emphasized the role of the media in educating the public and strongly condemned hate speeches.
When quizzed about what he sees as a challenge for the conduct of the electoral process, he pointed out the issue of logistic, which he described as a major challenge.
Leonardo Santos Simao, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel’s three days trip to Liberia was part of his inaugural visit, following his election on May 2, 2023.
According to him, his visit was also intended to give him a proper understanding of the social, political and economic environment of the country.
During his visit, he met with President George Weah, National Elections Commission (NEC), CSOs, Security, and the diplomatic community which he said gave him a picture of the attention that’s being given to the election.
