Democracy Under Threat

-As ECC Strongly Condemns Trend of Electoral Violence; Says It Could Undermine Liberia’s Fragile Democracy

 The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) strongly condemns the wave of electoral violence that has continuously marred the Montserrado county by-elections. This trend and pattern of violence and lawlessness has the propensity to undermine the rule of law and the country’s fragile democracy. These trends of violence are an early warning indication that our democracy is under threat.

The ECC calls on the government to move beyond condemnation of the violence and to take concrete actions to ensure that those who perpetrate acts of violence leading to injuries and the destruction of property are held to account. The rule of law begins with the criminal justice system and the police has a critical role to play in building public trust in the manner in which it deals with citizens.

ECC also calls on all political parties and their leaders to demonstrate leadership in the conduct of their activities. Our country must be guided by the experience of the past so that we can never go down that path again.

The ECC calls on the government and security entities to take on strict measures that will prevent subsequent electoral violence.

About the ECC and Observation of the 2017 Presidential and Legislative Elections

The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) is a civil society platform, comprising six (6) organizations that observe elections in Liberia. The members include: Actions for Genuine Democratic Alternatives (AGENDA); Center for Democratic Governance (CDG); Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP); Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD); Naymote Partners for Democratic Development (NAYMOTE-PADD); West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP), and the Women’s NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL).

The ECC works in partnership with the Liberia Accountability Voice Initiative (LAVI) with support from USAID. TNR