UN urges 'restraint' for Liberian election

UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council on Sunday called upon "all Liberian stakeholders to exercise maximum restraint" as the voters in the West African country are expected to cast their ballots in the November 8 presidential run-off election.

The appeal was contained in a press statement issued here by Jose Filipe Moraes Cabral, Portugal's UN ambassador who holds the rotating Security Council presidency for November.

"The members of the Security Council call on all Liberian stakeholders to exercise maximum restraint and work together to maintain confidence in the electoral process," the statement said. "The members of the Security Council urge all parties to use existing appropriate national mechanisms to resolve any complaints about the elections."

Liberian President Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf has called on her compatriots to turn out in large numbers and vote in the Tuesday presidential run-off election while criticizing the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) for its decision to boycott the polls.

Winston Tubman, head of the main opposition party CDC, on Friday announced that his party would not take part in upcoming run-off election against Johnson-Sirleaf.

CDC, which came second in the first round of election on October 11, is demanding replacement of members of the current National Elections Commission (NEC) and recount from the ballots in the first round before they take part in any run-off.

James Fromayan, the former NEC Chairman, has resigned the post.

"The members of the Security Council are following closely recent developments related to the second round of the presidential elections in Liberia, scheduled for November 8, and are deeply concerned over statements urging a boycott of the election, " the Security Council statement said. "The members of the Security Council express particular concern over threats received by NEC personnel."

"The members of the Security Council reiterate their strong support for the constructive role that the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)...continues to play in accordance with its mandate," the statement said.

UNMIL said that it is closely monitoring developments in the country relating to the pending run-off election.

Also in a statement on Saturday, UNMIL urged all Liberians not to resort to violence, despite political disagreement, and urged all to ensure that peace reigns.

"The secretary-general stresses the importance of peaceful, credible, transparent elections and reaffirms the readiness of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to support the Liberian authorities, in accordance with its mandate," the UNMIL statement said.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their support for UNMIL's contribution to advancing the Liberian electoral process until its successful completion, and the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), and others to provide observers for the elections, the Security Council statement said.

"The members of the Security Council express their full support for the efforts of ECOWAS in promoting dialogue in Liberia, and concur fully with its recent statement urging all Liberian stakeholders not to miss this historic opportunity of consolidating democracy and peace in the country, and to actively participate in the 8 November poll," the statement added.