Violence Erupts in Lofa

MONROVIA – Violence erupted in the towns of Voinjama and Kornia in Lofa County over the past week, resulting in several deaths and the destruction of property including two mosques, one church and a school.

Information coming in to the Daily Observer from Lofa County indicates that it all began on Tuesday when a 14-year-old girl of the Lorma ethnic group (not Mandingo as previously reported) was found dead near a mosque in Kornia, a town 55 miles from Voinjama (capital of Lofa) on the Voinjama/Zorzor/Salayea highway.

Reports say the teenager, Korpo Kamara, who was a student at the Lutheran school in Kornia, had gone to a local cassava patch to dig cassava at about 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. When evening came and the child did not return, her parents informed the local townspeople.
The following day, police dispatched from Voinjama found her dead near a mosque in Kornia.

Witnesses said the parents of the deceased teenager became furious when the owners of the mosques claimed to know nothing about the incident.

“We don’t know anything about it, but you can do anything you want,” the owners of the mosque are quoted as saying.

Reports say the exchange between the Muslims and Christians in the town resulted in a fight, during which houses were vandalized and other private property destroyed.

When violence erupted, witnesses told the Daily Observer, members of the Mandingo ethnic group called their fellow tribesmen residing in Voinjama to report that mosques in Kornia had been burned down. Muslims in Voinjama then mobilized on Friday, February 27, and broke into the local Pentecostal and Catholic churches, vandalizing them.

Reports say peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission (UNMIL) in Liberia intervened and prevented the other party (Christians) from retaliating, which infuriated church goers.

Witnesses told the Daily Observer that a United Nations Pakistani battalion deployed to Voinjama but only protected the three mosques in the city. This gave Christian residents the impression that the peacekeepers, being Muslims, were sympathetic to the Muslims in the conflict. Reports say the two groups continued fighting in another part of town, vandalizing and burning houses. The Voinjama Multilateral High School was broken into and looted, and computers belonging to the institution were reportedly stolen.

An Emergecy Response Unit reportedly arrived at about 5:30 p.m. Friday to assess damage. Vice President, Joseph N. Boakai, who happened to be in the county, was reportedly able to intervene. Some of the news coming in to the Daily Observer concerning the situation in the county also came from members of the Liberian Bar Association, who were in Lofa for their annual convention.

Latest reports from Voinjama say the situation is relatively calm but fluid. The Superintendent of Lofa County, Galakpai Kortimai, told the Daily Observer that with the exception of government officials, many residents have fled the towns for the villages.

Voinjama, being the capital city of Lofa County, has a large concentration of Muslims, more so than Kornia (where the incident occurred), which is also a smaller town. While the county is predominantly Lorma, it is also home to several other ethnic groups. The Mandingoes, however, constitute the largest non-Lorma ethnic group in Voinjama. The Lormas are predominantly Christians and traditional worshippers. A small percentage of Lormas, roughly five percent, are Muslims by way of intermarriage.

An Executive Mansion press release issued Friday afternoon said President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has noted with grave concern and regret the development in Kornia and Voinjama in Lofa County that led to the deaths of some citizens and the destruction of religious edifices and private property.

The dispatch added that an investigation into the incident will be undertaken, while those identified as the perpetrators will be arrested and prosecuted in keeping with law.

Meanwhile, a joint delegation from the Liberian Council of Churches and the National Muslim Council will proceed to the County to initiate a mediation effort.

The Government of Liberia has denied the existence of a religious conflict and has called upon all citizens in Lofa County and beyond to remain calm as the matter is addressed.

Meanwhile, the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia (IRCL) has expressed profound concerning the developments in Lofa County, which, the organization says, has the propensity to undermine the peace and security and have adverse effects on the entire sub-region.

“We express our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during this unfortunate incident,” the IRCL said, adding that a high-level team consisting of Christians and Muslims has been dispatched to the area. The team is expected to assess the situation and collaborate with the government and other stakeholders in mediation efforts in order to find a way forward.

“The Council therefore appeals to the citizens and residents of Lofa County to prayerfully exercise calm and restraint,” the IRCL said. “We also call on all [communities of faith], particularly Christians and Muslims, as well as the entire citizenry of Lofa, to remain law-abiding and give our team the opportunity to positively transform the situation through dialogue and other strategic engagements.

“We call on all Liberians to remain in solidarity with the citizens and residents of Lofa and support the efforts of the IRCL in restoring normalcy.”

The IRCL release was signed by the Secretaries General of the National Muslim Council of Liberia and the Liberia Council of Churches.

Voinjama is located in northern Lofa County, while Kornia is about 55 miles southeast of the capital, on the Voinjama/Zorzor/Salayea highway that connects into Gbarnga, Bong County.