FARGO, North Dakota – A growing chorus of civic voices from Liberia and the diaspora has formally requested the immediate withdrawal of a peace award nomination for President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, citing documented human rights abuses, state violence, and governance failures. The appeals come as President Boakai is already in the United States to receive the very honor in question.
In a letter dated April 22 to Dr. Ernest Uwazie, Director of the Center for African Peace & Conflict Resolution (CAPCR) at California State University, Sacramento, a group of concerned Liberians based in the United States argued that a peace award is not a ceremonial gesture but a moral endorsement of leadership and conduct. The group stated that President Boakai’s record stands in “direct contradiction” to the principles of human rights, protection of life, and respect for dissent. The letter detailed six grounds for withdrawal, including the U.S. State Department’s findings of arbitrary and unlawful killings by Liberian security forces, excessive force against civilians, the killing of three protesters in Kinjor, suppression of peaceful demonstrations, arbitrary arrests, intimidation of journalists, and efforts to silence criticism.
Separately, The Solidarity & Trust for a New Day (STAND) issued its own statement on April 22 strongly questioning CAPCR’s decision to confer the award. STAND wrote seeking the withdrawal of President Boakai’s peace award, calling the recognition deeply insensitive and accusing the administration of shrinking civic space, due process violations, and brutality by the Liberia National Police. STAND specifically cited the inclusion of Police Director Gregory Coleman in the presidential delegation, noting unresolved allegations of killings of civilians—including a mentally challenged man, Kinjor protesters, and protesting students—that remain uninvestigated. The group warned that proceeding with the award risks damaging CAPCR’s credibility and reducing an academic platform to a vehicle for political validation.
President Boakai departed Liberia on the morning of April 22 for a working visit to the United States from April 22 to April 30, 2026. According to a statement from the Executive Mansion, he will receive the “prestigious Peace Leadership Award” and deliver the keynote address at the 34th Annual Africa Peace Awards, to be held at California State University, Sacramento. The President’s delegation includes Minister of Information Jerolinmek Matthew Piah, Inspector General Gregory Coleman, and other senior officials. In the absence of the President, Education Minister Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah will chair the Cabinet. The President is scheduled to return on May 1, 2026.
The concerned Liberians urged Dr. Uwazie and CAPCR to uphold institutional integrity and conduct a rigorous reassessment, warning that maintaining the nomination would undermine the moral authority of the awarding institution and diminish the global meaning of peace recognition. “Peace is not declared,” the letter read. “It is proven through consistent respect for human life, dignity, and fundamental freedoms.” The letter was respectfully submitted by Success Dennis on behalf of the group. STAND similarly called on CAPCR and California State University, Sacramento to immediately reconsider the conferment, insisting that any engagement with President Boakai must be anchored in truth and accountability, not ceremonial endorsement.
