Dugbe River Union seeks peace in Sinoe

The Dugbe River Union of Liberia is appealing to elders, citizens, and residents of Sinoe County to redirect their focus to achieving lasting peace, unity and development in the county.

The Union also called on investors, local authorities and national government to help the people of Sinoe County to achieve peace, unity and development. Dugbe River Union Secretary General Aaron Manneh, said the land crisis between aggrieved Sinoe citizens and Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL) in the county was inflamed by local and national authorities allegedly fronting on behalf of the company, using police powers to silence the people without any sincere effort to build peace for the betterment of all parties.

Mr. Manneh said using police brutality and other State powers to silence the people is a recipe for more trouble in the county, which is against the investment interest of GVL.  “The way forward now is to unconditionally release and compensate all persons in detention to ably commence the needed peace building dialogue with all parties involved in the crisis,” he suggested.

Speaking with reporters recently in Greenville, Sinoe County during celebrations of the 168th Independence of Liberia, he said peace building, promotion of social justice, rule of law, respect for culture and human/people’s rights, as well as transparency, accountability and inclusion of citizens in decisions making and developmental undertakings should ne the foundation for lasting peace, unity and development in Sinoe.

Mr. Manneh, who led the Union’s delegation to the 168th Independence anniversary jointly held in Sinoe and Grand Kru counties, observed that the people of Sinoe are angry and grieving because they feel neglected.

Mr. Manneg, who once served as Assistant Minister for Operations at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, noted that Sinoe County is backward in terms of socio-economic, political and infrastructural developments, noting that it is one of the third original counties of Liberia that lacks basic social services, including roads network, safe drinking water and electricity, among others. Editing by Jonathan Browne

Dugbe River Union seeks peace in Sinoe