The true essence of reconciliation manifested itself in Belefinia, Bong County on Friday, March 22, 2024 when two sisters took the path of reconciliation to trash out their dispute that lasted for decades. The sisters have reunited for the common good of their community.
Zota District Paramount Chief, Lorpu Kollie and Zota District Chairlady, Garmai Weah participated in CECPAP’s two days reconciliation dialogue session held Kpelleh Town, Belefinia, Bong County.
Paramount Chief Lorpu and Chairlady Garmai conflict started in 1998 as a result of a dispute over a market table. The disagreement intensified in 2019 when Lorpu left for the United States to visit family members. While in the U.S., her sister, Garmai, reportedly engaged in a romantic affair with Lorpu’s boyfriend.
To further fuel the conflict, Lorpu’s daughter, who was in the employed of her then boyfriend (a lawmaker whose name withheld) got fired from the job based on account of Garmai’s influence. The boyfriend in question is a member of both the 54th and 55th Legislature (House of Representatives).
At the first day of the reconciliation dialogue session, Chairlady Garmai and other participants were deeply troubled by the prolonged fuel which, according to them, is undermining peace and progress in Belefinia.
The participants described the dialogue session as pivotal to ending the dispute and forging peace and reconciliation between Paramount Chief Lorpu and Chairlady Garmai. They said the conflict between the two sisters, who are also leaders, has divided residents of the town.
“We are not united but divided in this town. We want the conflict between our two leaders be resolved and peace comes to our town. Several attempts by both county officials, NGOs, and residents of this town to bring peace between our two leaders have failed. So, we want CECPAP to try too to see if it can resolve the conflict,” the participants pleaded.
Based on their request, CECPAP’s Executive Director, Charles Crawford extended invitation to Lorpu to attend the next day session through the town Chief, who was also a participant at the dialogue session. Paramount Chief Lorpu honored the invitation and made an appearance on day two of the dialogue session.
During the discussion that centered around “A Reconciled Society for Sustainable Growth,” Paramount Chief Lorpu Kollie and Chairlady Garmai Weah and their supporters were highly touched by the lecture and subsequently decided to put aside their 26 years of conflict and reunite for the betterment of their community.
Mr. Crawford expressed happiness over the reunification of the sisters. He admonished the participants, the two parties and their supporters, to see the path of reconciliation between Paramount Chief Lorpu and Chairlady Garmai as a seed that needs to be watered every time.
“You guys need to keep talking and preaching the message of peace and unity to Ma Lorpu and Sister Garmai every time you come across them. By doing that, what we did here today will hold firmly and Belefinia and the entire Zota District will once more become a united community,” Crawford noted.
CECPAP’s reconciliation dialogue session is expected to reach to areas identified by the Peace Building Office (PBO) as hotspots during the 2023 presidential and legislative elections. Already, the dialogue has been held in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, Zuo-Zualay, Nimba County and Belefinia, Bong County.
CECPAP is expected to take the dialogue to Foya, Lofa County and Porkpa District, Grand Cape Mount County.
The reconciliation dialogue is being organized and facilitated by CECPAP with funding provided by the UN Peacebuilding Fund. The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) is supervising the implementation of the project.
