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STATEMENT TO THE NATIONAL MUSLIM
COUNCIL OF LIBERIA By: Charles Walker Brumskine 11 March, 2010  The
National ChairmanOfficers and Members National Muslims Council of Liberia Fellow Liberians Ladies and Gentlemen (I ask that we stand and observe a moment of silence for all those Liberians – Christians, Muslims, Lorma, Mandingo, and others – who lost their lives during the recent violence in Voinjama.) I would like to thank the National Chairman of the National Muslim Council of Liberia, my friend and brother, Sheikh Kafumba Konneh, and the officers and members of the Council for kindly consenting to meet with me and for arranging this interactive forum. To a number of you I am no stranger. For some, I am a friend. For those of you who do not know me, I hope this meeting marks the beginning of a sustained dialogue and a cordial relationship, as we move towards building a better, more cohesive and tolerant Liberia. Indeed, I am a born again Christian; one to whom the Golden Rule—do unto others as you would have them do unto you—was taught at the knees of my mother. I have also learned that, “If a man says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” I have been informed by some of my Muslim friends that the Islamic faith teaches that Muslims regard Christians as their friends. So it is in reliance on the tenet of friendship that I appear before you today. But I requested this meeting not to speak about the similarity in our respective religions or whatever difference may exist in our relationships with God; we leave those to the experts and teachers of religion. I, however, stand before you with a humble appeal that we reason together about our humanity, our common destiny, reassuring ourselves of our commitment to live together, as one people, as we have done in the past, sharing this indivisible space called Liberia. And I should add that on February 16, 2010, when I requested this meeting with the National Muslim Council there was no premonition of another outbreak of violence in Liberia with religious under tone. My request for this meeting was primarily for making the case that Christians and Muslims can live together, and that our differences notwithstanding, we must. There are those who exploit our differences, because that is the only way they can remain relevant. But we must not allow them! They sow seed of discord and not harmony, they incite violence because they know no peace; they plant in the minds of Liberians that Christians and Muslims cannot live together, and that strangers to faith—people who do not believe in God—should be preferred as national leaders. The adverse effect on our national psyche of the seed of hatred, fear, and distrust can never be measured in terms of a single person or any one group of our people. It affects us all! The venom that disinformation, rumors, and lies engender cannot be directed with a laser. It has the tendency to permeate the entire society, eventually leading to violence that even the source of such ill will might not have intended. Most of our disagreements and conflicts are fueled by rumors, not religion. Economic inequality, political ambition of selfish individuals, feelings of neglect and exclusion, as well as ethnic, cultural, or social differences are also sources of tension and problems. Regrettably, too many tend to frame our national debate in religious terms, using religion as the reason for disunity in our country. The recent outbreak of violence in Voinjama, Lofa County may be an example. What gave rise to such violence that has caused the loss of lives and destruction of properties, burning of religious shrines—Churches and Mosques—looting of homes and business places? We still do not have an official government pronouncement as to the cause of the situation, so I must be careful not to start another round of rumors. But I asked, is it true that a rumor that originated in Zorzor escalated to the level of violence that besieged Voinjama for days? Could that situation have been avoided? Certainly, it could have been avoided. And we, not only the people of Voinjama and the greater Lofa, but all Liberians must resolve anew that such incident will not occur again in Liberia—the land of Liberty. It becomes more and more evident every day that we have not done much about reconciliation since the end of the war. Notwithstanding, perpetrators of the violence and the criminals must be punished so that potential trouble makers can be deterred. And to ensure that we move ahead as a people we will have to stop the assignment of collective guilt, while demanding a sense of individual responsibility— ensuring that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. And whenever one commits a crime, violates public policy, or simply offends our sense of decency, it is he, and he alone, not his family, religion, or ethnic group, that should be held responsible for his transgressions. When we take the time to get to know each other, we begin to build trust and the spirit of fear and distrust disappears. When we establish mechanisms to communicate, the effect of rumors will be mitigated. We must commit to interact not just at meetings like this, but in our various communities and associations. By talking with each other and not at each other, we become friends and brothers and sisters, and the teachings of the Holy Bible and the Holy Koran are fulfilled. To think of religion as the root cause of the problems in our country is to do a disservice to our respective faith, considering the many ways Christians and Muslims have worked together, promoting our national interest, now and historically. From Chief Sao Boso/King Boatswain to Sheikh Kafumba Konneh, and from Jehudi Ashmun to Bishop Arthur Kulah, Muslims and Christians have always worked together to speak the truth, reconcile our people, and preserve the body politic. We must, therefore, challenge each other and all of our fellow Liberians—Christians , Muslims and others—to faithfully subscribe to the spirit and letter of Article 14 of the Constitution of our Republic that speaks of religious freedom and tolerance. But as organic and fundamental as the Constitution is, its provisions are only as good as we decide to make them. You and I will decide whether we speak the truth, reconcile our differences and live together, creating the space for our children to grow and bear love in their hearts. We will decide whether we pass on to our children something better or worse than what we our forebears. We are one people, blessed by God, victimized in our recent history by our own vices, prune to manipulation by those who seek to divide us. But we must resolve to carve a life of peace and prosperity for our children and children’s children. We are much too vulnerable now, much too weak as a nation state to go on being divided one from another. We have to turn to each other, not at each other, choosing the noble path for ourselves and posterity. It is in that spirit that I come to you today to extend that hand of friendship and brotherly love, and say, let us begin anew. For, as we say in Liberty Party, together we can do better. May God bless us all and save our nation! |
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