Monrovia, Liberia – The National Council of Chiefs and Elders of Liberia is proposing what it believes is a remedy to ending rape in Liberia.
The Head of the Council Chief Zanzar Karwor wants those found guilty of rape to be turned over to the Traditional Council for appropriate actions.
Chief Karwor believes to end rape in Liberia, traditional leaders and chiefs must be more actively involved in the Country’s fight against rape.
“When anybody rape, send that person to us. We the Traditional Council will deal with him according to culture. That person will feel the weight of the culture. We will deal with you. Anybody rape, your send them to my office. In our area, no pressman there, no human right there, so we will tell them that to rape is not good” Chief Karwor speaking in his usual Liberian English added.
According to Chief Karwor such cultural involvement will help minimize or completely put an end to rape in Liberia within four to five months.
He was speaking Tuesday, September 8, 2020 in Monrovia at the start of two day conference organized by the Inter-Ministerial Task Force Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
His address followed a recent circular from the Ministry of Internal Affair warning Traditional Leaders and Chiefs to stay off and stop interfering with rape cases in the country.
The Chief Traditional Leader also called on the government to strengthen its approach to the enforcement of the anti-rape laws of Liberia.
The conference, taking place at the Ministerial Complex in Monrovia, comes on the back of a series of protests in Monrovia and other parts of Liberia by Campaigners calling for an end to uncontrollable rape and rape impunity.
It was part of several steps announced by the Inter-Ministerial Task Force on Rape set up by President George Manneh Weah to address the rape scourge in Liberia.
The conference is expected to come to an end Wednesday, September 9,2020 with a list of key recommendations which organizers believed, is a road map to minimizing or ending rape in the country.
