Editorial: Heeding to the Calls for Political Dialogue

Liberia’s General and Presidential elections, as well as its Run-Off Presidential election may just be events of the past now. But what remains most cardinal in our existence as a people and growth as a nation is national reconciliation.

Perhaps it was in view of the foregoing that African Union, ECOWAS and other observers Missions, in their preliminary reports, also emphasized the urgent need for a political dialogue among Liberian politicians, including the Congress for Democratic Change or CDC.

Even though the whole world, but the CDC declared the October 11 General and Presidential elections, as well as the November 8 Presidential Run-Off as free, fair, transparent and peaceful, they were of the strongest conviction that bring all of the politicians who participated in the entire electoral process to a round-table to reconcile their differences would help in fostering national renewal and growth.

As a manifestation of her desire and commitment to restoring all that the “locusts had eaten” in time past prior to her ascendency to the Liberian Presidency in January of 2005, Mrs. Sirleaf, in a recent nation-wide address , assured that she would form a government of  inclusion. In furtherance of such endeavor, the President named her fellow Nobel Peace Prize Laurite Laymah Gbowee to spearhead the process of national reconciliation.

While it  is incumbent on the head of state to take the lead in this process-something she has already done, it is also important that our brothers and sisters in the opposition, especially those in the CDC,  put aside their personal egos and heed to this call for political dialogue.

The CDC and its allies-the National Patriotic Party, Liberia Transformation Party, Liberia reconstruction Party and National Democratic Coalition must understand that  no amount of demonstrations/street protests or threats/instigative public utterances can win them political glory or favor, but political dialogue.

The more these demonstrations/protests or instigative public utterances, the more unpopular these political institutions and their leaders would be. Never again must there be any unfavorable situations to bring back memories of the bitter past of our country-difficulties may be better in peace than in pieces.

And so, now is the time to call it a quit and heed to the calls of the African Union, ECOWAS, UN, USA, local civil society organizations and President Sirleaf for a national political dialogue.

After all, it is Liberia that matters most.