• NEC confirms 4,000 duplicated names, Source: The New Dawn
• LP, CDC partisans clash, Source: The New Dawn
• INCHR “Remains Committed to Fighting Harmful Cultures” In observance of International Human Rights Day, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• Police probe woman, 39, for alleged kidnapping, Source: The New Dawn
• Homeless Liberians protest in Accra, Source: The New Dawn

NEC confirms 4,000 duplicated names, Source: The New Dawn

The National Elections Commission (NEC) chairman, Cllr. Jerome Korkoya says prior to the ruling of the Supreme Court this month, the electoral commission had earlier verified the voter listing and discovered over 4,000 duplicated names and has reportedly removed them. Cllr. Korkoya made the disclosure Friday when the NEC Board of Commissioners and the ruling Unity Party (UP) and the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) due to meet in a presidential runoff commenced strategic brainstorming on how the Final Roll Registration (FRR) could best be cleaned up for before the election due 26 December.

The NEC chairman also says ECOWAS technical team on election has regularly visited the technical department to smoothen things if needed, adding that the team has given its findings which allegedly indicates that the listing meets international standard. During the meeting at the NEC headquarters in the Monrovia suburb of Sinkor, the NEC provided an update on the progress made by the electoral house during the meeting. Read more

LP, CDC partisans clash, Source: The New Dawn

Some partisans of the Liberty Party (LP) and the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) clashed Friday morning, 15 December at the LP headquarters, The New Dawn reports. The clash ensued when officials of the two parties agreed to start an endorsement program at LP’s headquarters in Congo Town and later march to the CDC headquarters as a public show of solidarity. But the endorsement activities were opposed by some LP partisans and did not materialize as planned due to the argument from some party stalwarts that their political leader, Cllr. Charles Brumskine was out of the country and had not informed them about the endorsement. Read more

INCHR “Remains Committed to Fighting Harmful Cultures” In observance of International Human Rights Day, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) says it remains committed to fighting harmful traditional practices and cultures. Acting chairman Bartholomew Colley said the organization will go all out to ensure that the veil of traditional and cultural practices that supports discrimination and abuse against children, women, and persons with disabilities are removed. Colley made the pledge during a program in Tubmanburg, Bomi County marking the official closure of the 16 Days of Activism that began on 25 November and the International Day for the Elimination of all Forms of Violence against Women.

The INCHR, which has the statutory mandate to protect and promote human rights, convened the celebration of International Human Rights Day alongside the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the European Union (EU), United Nations Women, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and other national and international organizations. Read more

Police probe woman, 39, for alleged kidnapping, Source: The New Dawn

The New Dawn reports that 39-year-old Lynce Wallace is facing interrogation for allegedly kidnapping an 11-year-old girl identified as Comfort Brown from Yorpu town, Bong County to Maryland County. Police deputy county commander Sampson Wah says the Police received a tip-off from Jeremiah Wee, an employee of the Agriculture Ministry that the victim was being mal-handled by Lynce on a daily basis. Read more

Homeless Liberians protest in Accra, Source: The New Dawn

Hundreds of Liberians have been protesting before the offices of the UN refugee agency UNHCR in Accra, Ghana after what they have known as homes were demolished. But Ghana City FM quoting UNHCR authorities in Ghana say the refugee agency does not recognize the presence of any Liberian refugee in that country. “The UNHCR does not recognize the presence of Liberian refugees in Ghana,” UNHCR Accra’s Edmund Kwofie said.

According to Kwofie, the Liberians are “are not persons of concern to UNHCR,” since the conditions that allowed them to stay in the country have changed.” He said, “In 2012, the UNHCR decided that there was no longer the need for Liberians to stay in the country as refugees because the circumstances that led to their immigration as refugees have changed.” Read more