A pro-democracy social justice and sensitization institution, the New Vision for Liberia (NeVOL) has called on the Justice Ministry to refrain from politicizing the crisis that erupted in Bong County as the result of land dispute.

The group said in a release that it is prejudice and unjust to term any party in the crisis perpetrators without going into investigation to ascertain and establish the nitty-gritty of the episode, leaving the other party involved to still carry on its laceration spree.

NeVOL is cautioning some individuals in the hierarchical pyramid of Government not to be sentimentally ethnic driven and unidirectional in their thinking, noting that we must do away with this divisive politics “Congo and Indigenous” which has engendered our society to be pillaged but see one another as Liberians.

According to the release issued yesterday, NeVOL said it wants the government to ensure that all parties associated with the crisis are brought to justice. It can be recalled some part of last year, citizens of Diakpansue acted under the guise devil vandalized properties belonging to one E.E. Dennis that worth some US$22,000 (Twenty-two thousand USD).

The release is quoted as stating that the episode led to the intervention of the Internal Affairs Ministry who accordingly banned such traditional practices for ten years.

The group in their release alleged that the same group upon orders of one Samuel Kollie, brutally beat the Clan Chief and the Justice of the Peace. Such incident was reported to the Office of the County Superintendent but fell on futile grounds.

NeVOL wondered why group of men would take laws into their own hands without seeking legal redress. “This act does not only undermine the security of the State, but also sends a negative signal to would-be investors that this nation is still volatile”, the group noted.

NeVOL said it is worried that lawlessness has become the order of the day for certain unscrupulous individuals who “continue to create unrest for other people without punitive measures taking against them.”

NeVOL said it is time that Government acts swiftly to ensure that such diabolical behavior of lawlessness be curbed in order to restore some level of sanity and harmony with the area.

Meanwhile, NeVOL is requesting the Government through its prosecuting arm to arraign all parties involved before a court of competent jurisdiction free of biases and ethnicity to reflect jurisprudence of our legal system.

PUL Submits Three Bills To Legislature

A press statement from the Press Union of Liberia under the signature of its Secretary General Peter Quaqua says the Liberia Media and Policy Reform Working Group, under the auspices of the Press Union of Liberia, will today, 17 April submit three sets of bills to the National Legislature for enactment.

	• Press Union of Liberia

Media professionals, civil society actors and interested individuals are accordingly requested to assemble today at the Union’s Clay Street office in the morning to march to the Capitol Building to present the proposed laws to the lawmakers.

The bills submitted include Freedom of Information Act, an Act to establish the Independent Broadcasting Regulatory and an Act establishing the Liberia Public Broadcasting Service to replace the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS).

The Union says it feels fulfilled that the laws are finally drafted with the help of its partners after three years. According to the PUL, it is counting on the combined efforts of the public and government for the passage of the bills to ensure greater openness and accountability in Liberian society.

PUL says though the Liberian media will be credited for initiating the reform of the media landscape in the country, the laws are to the general benefit of the state and the entire population. The Union has therefore called on the public to join the media as they petition the National Legislature.