Supt. Herbert Stresses Religious Tolerance

Bong County Superintendent Lucia Herbert, has stressed the need for religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence among Liberians as the country heads on the path of holding its second post-conflict democratic elections this year.

Addressing   hundreds of Muslims at programs organized to mark the official end of the holy month of Ramadan recently in Gbarnga, Superintendent Herbert said religious tolerance should be considered a cornerstone to the attainment of peaceful and violent free elections in Liberia, to continue to propel the prospects for development.

She urged Bong County citizens to resist temptations of politicians, who will try to exploit their religious and ethnic difference during this critical electioneering period for their personal political gains, which will not reflect a true sense of oneness among the people.

The Bong County Superintendent praised members of the  Muslim community  for their tolerance  and support to the county administration,  which she noted has helped  to  maintain  peace   and tranquility  in the county unlike other counties that have witnessed  friction between the Muslim  and Christian  communities at some given point.

Herbert assured the local leadership’s firm commitment to protecting the rights and religious faith of everyone regardless of which sector of the county they may belong. She then called on the Muslim community to remain peaceful in accordance with Islamic principles.

Speaking earlier, the chief Imam of Bong County called on his fellow Muslims to consider total submission and loyalty to Islam as the hallmark of every Muslims wanting to be blessed by the Almighty Allah.

Alihaji  Amadu   Swaray said adhering to the Muslim faith means being peace loving  and ready to  stand in the gap to promote peace  by  continuously upholding those basic Islamic virtues.

He also pleaded with politicians in the county to exercise restraint in the pending elections by avoiding acts that have the propensity to create division among the people.

The Muslim cleric said election is an event that will come and go while the citizens will continue to live together despite the outcome of the process so there is no need for people of the same county to go against one another because of mere political difference.