By William Harmon,
MONROVIA Liberia
In a bid to ensure the integrity and fairness of the upcoming elections, the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), in collaboration with the Joint Security, has taken the decision to temporarily close the country's borders as Liberians go to the polls on Tuesday, October 10.
This precautionary measure,
according to Danny B. Sartee, LIS Director for Operations, aims to prevent any
potential influx of aliens who may seek to manipulate or interfere with the
voting process. The move underscores the commitment of the government to uphold
democratic principles and protect the rights of its citizens.
The borders are officially
closed from 6 p.m. Monday, October 9, to noon on Wednesday, October 11, the
Joint Security Committee has said.
“We want the public to know
that the borders are secured. We have men at the borders that are on joint
patrols with our counterparts from neighboring countries,” Sartee said at a
dialogue on electoral security organized by the Center for Democratic
Governance (CDG) in Monrovia on Monday, October 9. “Must time there is an
influx of aliens who come into the country to take advantage of the electoral
process, and we have been working assiduously to avert this.”
He said the LIS is
collaborating with its Sierra Leonean, Guinean, and Ivoirian counterparts to
ensure that the country’s borders are secured on Election Day. “We have been
collaborating with our counterparts to ensure that the borders are secured as
we conduct the elections tomorrow,” the LIS Director, who is responsible for
border management, said.
In any democratic nation, free
and fair elections are vital to maintaining the integrity of the political system,
and the closure of the borders during this critical period acts as an
additional layer of security to safeguard the electoral process against
potential external interference.
By preventing the entry of
other nationals, Joint Security is working to reduce the risk of unwanted
manipulation and ensure that the voice of the people remains untainted.
The decision to close the
borders on the eve of elections is not taken lightly, Sartee noted, as it is
done to prevent undue influence. During the 2020 senatorial elections, there
were acts of violence in the border county of Grand Cape Mount, reportedly
triggered by reports of people crossing over from neighboring Sierra Leone to
partake in the elections.
“We have been talking to the
chiefs, elders, and youth leaders of the neighboring towns and villages against
allowing their people to interfere in our electoral process,” the LIS boss told
the CDG forum. “We don’t want them partaking in our electoral process.”
He said the Joint Security
Patrols have also been educating people along the borders about the status of
the borders—when they will be closed and when they will be opened, especially
before, during, and after the elections.
He said the collaborative
efforts with the neighboring countries have been enhanced by a sisterly
relationship. “We share information that is germane to the operations of both
countries. He said.
Meanwhile, the temporary
border closures in the lead-up to elections are not unique to any single
nation. They are commonly employed globally to ensure the security and sanctity
of electoral processes. This practice aligns with international norms and
demonstrates a commitment to protecting the nation's democratic values. It
sends a strong signal to both domestic and international stakeholders that the
government places a high priority on preserving the integrity of its electoral
system.
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