A group of Muslims under the banner of “Liberians United for the Adherence and Preservation of Chapter III, Article 14 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia” on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 stormed the Capitol Building in opposition to a campaign to ‘Christianize’ Liberia. The Capitol Building is the seat of the Liberian Legislature.
The group of Muslins petitioned the Liberian Legislature not to accept a proposal from a group of Christians under the banner- “Liberia Restoration to Christian Heritage Committee (LRCHC)” to amend Article 14 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia.
In their counter petition to the Liberian Legislature, the group of Muslims strongly questioned the motive behind the action of the LRCHC. They described the call by the LRCHC as “anti-democratic”, saying it has the propensity to undermine national peace, security and social cohesion.
The presentation of the petition to the lawmakers by the Muslims was occasioned by a peaceful demonstration throughout the principal streets of Monrovia. But their demonstration temporarily interrupted the free flow of traffic in Monrovia and its environs. However, state security, including the riot police of the Liberian National Police (LNP) later moved in swiftly to control the huge crowd from causing the interruption of traffic.
It can be recalled that recently, the LRCHC petitioned the Liberian Legislature to ‘Christianize’ Liberia from its current secular state status by amending Article 14 of the 1986 Constitution and replace the preamble of the same constitution with the 1848 Constitution Preamble.
The Constitution is the organic law of the country. Article 14 of the 1986 Constitution states: “All persons shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment thereof except as may be required by law to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. All persons who, in the practice of their religion, conduct themselves peaceably, not obstructing others and conforming to the standards set out herein, shall be entitled to the protection of the law. No religious denomination or sect shall have any exclusive privilege or preference over any other, but all shall be treated alike; and no religious tests shall be required for any civil or military office or for the exercise of any civil right. Consistent with the principle of separation of religion and state, the Republic shall establish no state religion.”
On the other hand, Article I of the 1848 Constitution states: “We, the People of the Commonwealth of Liberia, in Africa, acknowledging with devout gratitude, the goodness of God, in granting to us the blessings of the Christian religion, and political, religious, and civil liberty, do, in order to secure these blessings for ourselves and our posterity, and to establish justice, insure domestic peace, and promote the general welfare, hereby solemnly associate, and constitute ourselves a Free, Sovereign and Independent State, by the name of the REPUBLIC of LIBERIA , and do ordain and establish this Constitution for the government of the same.”
“Any attempt to amend article 14 of the 1986 Constitution of the Republic of the Liberia and establish the country as a Christian State constitutionally is vividly associated with high national security risk and political danger that must be rejected. This action by the LRCHC does not only replicate discrimination and marginalization amongst religion, but has the propensity to create chaos,” the Muslims stated in their petition.
“A secular state endeavors to treat all of its citizens equally regardless of religion and avoid preferential treatment from a particular religion/non-religion over other religions/non-religions. It advances political pluralism, minimized the risk and potential for conflict amongst contending religious sects thereby enforcing the need for harmony and peaceful co-existence amongst all. It creates the environment for different religious sects to respect the core value and principle of each other religion which is one of the fundamental requirements necessary to sustain the democratic nature of any state,” they pointed out.
“We are therefore we are calling on this Honorable Legislature, the Executive, Judiciary and the Constitutional review committee not to tamper with Chapter III, Article 14 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia which sets the legal framework that nurture our diversity as a nation and people to be retained, preserved so as to avoid the many possible repercussions it may cause us.” The group of Muslims among other things added.
