MONROVIA: The President of a group, styled: “Campaigners against Statelessness in Liberia (CASL)” Mohammed Alieu Bah, has called on the Government of Liberia to provide citizenship to Fulani people in the country.
He disclosed that many Fulanis were born in Liberia but cannot be identified as Liberian citizens, describing such Fulanis here as “stateless people”.
Mr. Bah, said Fulanis who were born in Liberia without any birth certificates have been discriminated against due the 1972 ” Alien and Nationality Law of Liberia which, he said, needs to be reformed or amended.
Mr. Bah made the call recently at a program, styled: “Know your Rights” which was held in Monrovia.
He indicated that more Fulanis who attained the age of 18 years or above were denied voters registration for the 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections, as a result of their lack of documents to prove their Nationality.
He maintains that Fulanis in Liberia are faced with discrimination during national events, such as their exclusion from the Liberian VR process.
According to him, although all ethnic groups in Liberia migrated from somewhere, Fulanis who were born in Liberia were requested to present documents to prove their citizenship during the BVR process conducted by the National Elections Commission (NEC).
” Realizing from many experiences during the course of our national existence which culminated into the revolution of the April 12, 1980, when our constitution of July 26, 1847, was suspended, that of all our people irrespective of history, tradition, ethnic background,00 are of one common body politic” President Bah said.
He stressed that the objective of the campaign is to facilitate access to justice by making it easier to educate and protect the rights of Fulanis in Liberia.
He maintains that statelessness are affecting Fulani’s children who born in Liberia due to lack of knowledge from their parents about obtaining birth certificate at various hospitals of birth in the country.
President Bah emphasized that the Campaigners against Statelessness will create the necessary awareness to ensure that Fulanis who in Liberia obtain citizenship through the legal means.
He said it is unfortunate that the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is not advocating against non-statelessness around world, as Liberian laws are denying Fulanis who are born in the country citizenship.
He noted that versions of Liberian laws including the Citizen and Nationality Law of 1972 that promote discrimination should be amended.
The Campaigners against Statelessness insists that Fulanis have been existing even before the establishment and independence of Liberia 1847.
He said Fulanis have immensely contributed, and continue to contribute towards socio-economic growth and development of Liberia.
According to en.m.wikipedia.org, the Fula, Fulani, or Fulbe people is an ethnic group in Sahara, Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region.
