COTE D'IVOIRE: MRU Women on the Move for Peace

The Mano River Union Women Peace Network (Liberia Chapter) in collaboration with other women Organizations in Liberia have observed a day of worship, fasting and peace match this week as they prepare themselves for a final peace dialogue between President Laurent Gbagbo and Alhasane Ouattara in troubled Ivory Coast.

The Republic of Sierra Leone's Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia and Cote D'Ivoire, H.E Rev. Dr. Mrs. Marie Jilo Barnett in her words of encouragement to hundreds of women at the St. Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church, in Central Monrovia asked the Lord for Peace, Love, Faith, Hope and Union among the women as they would be used as instruments of the Lords Peace in Cote D'Ivoire and the world at large.

It could be recalled that instability resumed in Cote D'Ivoire immediately after the November 2010 elections which the women are now gearing to the end. Speaking to the Sierra Leone's Information Attaché during the peace match, Mother Mary Brownell ( founding MARWOPNET member) revealed that, if they were brave enough to meet with Heads of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea during time of crises, they will take the same initiative to end the crisis in their sister Country. The Liberian chapter also in collaboration with their counterparts ended a two day tour on thousands of Ivorian refugees now in provincial towns of Lofa County in Liberia.

Statements were also delivered by Madam Amelia a. Ward (2nd regional vice president MARWOPNET), counselor Zero Daylue Bernard (Association of Female Lawyers Liberia), Counsellor Yvette Chesson-Wurehj Esq. (Angie Brooks International Center), Mrs. Linora Howard-Diawana (WANEP) and Mrs. Marpu Speare on behalf of women Non-Governmental organisation secretariat. The MRU women in Sierra Leone and Guinea are said to be Organizing series of programmes before their proposed encounter/initiative for Ivory Coast . Below is a full detail of Ambassador Barnett's statement to the women.