Muslims to support a single candidate

Muslims in Lofa County representing its nine (9) political subdivisions have resolved to support a single candidate or political institution in consolidating their political strength in the coming 2017 elections.

At the end of a two-day conference in Voinjama, Lofa County recently, held under the auspices of the Islamic Solidarity for Peace and Democracy, Lofa Muslims also frowned at call to Christianize Liberia. The two-day conference brought together over five hundred (500) Muslims from all nine districts of Lofa County to discuss issues affecting Muslims and how to handle the upcoming referendum and elections next years.

Head of delegates provided suggestions as to how to move about tackling issues confronting Muslims in the country. The conference resulted to a six-count resolution, one of which empowers the Islamic Solidarity for Peace and Democracy, headed by Mohammed Massally, to push the agenda of Muslims.

The resolution adopted at the end of the conference is titled: “The way forward for peaceful co-existence in Liberia and strengthened Islamic Community.” Chairman Massally, addressing over 5000 delegates from the 15 subdivisions of Liberia, earlier during the first day of the conference promised to implement whatever mandate his people would give him, vowing to demand the rights of Muslims.

He made the statement during the second national Muslim annual conference held in Vionjama City. Meanwhile, Massally has told a NewDawn interview that his group will not accept the transformation of Liberia to a Christian state, noting that due to the division within the Muslims Community, some Christians have taken advantage of the situation to Christianize Liberia.

According to him, Muslims have been living in peace with Christians since Liberia was founded, saying, some Christians are trying to bring discrimination among Liberians by calling for the Christianization of Liberia.
‘’This Christian nation land will bring problem because we live together with non-religious conviction since then and no problem has been happening in our country,” he stated. “But history told us that Islam was the first group of people to arrival on this soil”, said Chairman Massally, disclosing: “the truth should be said to the people of this Land; we are tired with this kind of treatment from the Christians.”

The nine district heads that were in attendance at the conference, and attached their signatures to the document are Salayea, Vionjama, Kolahun, Foyah, Zorzor, Quadu Gboni, Lukambeh and Wahasah Districts. The resolution reads, “Now, therefore, we as Liberian Muslims represented within the 9 political subdivisions of Lofa County, having sufficiently deliberated for two working days have resolved to the following counts; ‘that we as delegates at this conference have reaffirmed our commitment and resolved to mandate the leadership of the Islamic Solidarity for Peace and Democracy (ISPD) to pursue the cause of Islamic Liberia, that we the delegates at this conference have agreed to consolidate our political strength into a single political constituency for a proper political representation.”

The resolution also calls for the 1986 Constitution of Liberia to be updated and interpreted as the organic law of the land; stating that Muslims will categorically reject any attempt that will give rise to a referendum, proposing Christianization of Liberia.

The Muslims in their resolution said the Government of Liberia through the National Legislature should ensure the immediate inclusion of more Islamic institutions, especially schools in its annual budgetary allocations in terms of subsidy as it is in the case of Christian institutions.

They also want the Government to at all times recognize and protect the political, social and economic rights of Muslims across the country, vowing to support a political institution that will have equal representation of all Liberians both Muslims and non-Muslims.

By Ethel A. Tweh