Gbowee Quits Reconciliation Role

Nobel laureate, Leymah Gbowee has resigned as head of an adhoc reconciliation commission.The Government of Liberia has accepted her resignation.

In 2011 upon receiving the prestigious award along with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Government of Liberia appointed her to head a special reconciliation taskforce.

According to a Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) release issued Monday October 8, 2012 in Monrovia, Madam Gbowee claimed that sufficient progress has not been made by the Government of Liberia in promoting reconciliation for which she felt guilty and called it a day.

President Sirleaf, according to the release, has accepted her resignation and thanked her for her services to Liberia.

The Government of Liberia, at the same time, according to the release, has expressed disagreement over Madam Gbowee’s assertion; saying a lot have been done in fostering genuine peace and reconciliation.

Among other things, the release named the allotment of US$5 million in the 2012/2013 fiscal budget followed by the demonstrated will of dialoguing with Liberians over reconciliation.

The establishment of the Independent Human Rights Commission (IHRC), according to the release, is key evidence in the commitment to reconciliation by the Government of Liberia.

The peace and reconciliation roadmap, whose chairmanship Madam Gbowee has quitted, will be launched in November, the release added.