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Liberian higher learning institutions want cease-fire Episcopal News Service Issue: Section: 2003-122F Posted: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 Institutions of higher learning in Liberia have renewed calls for the Liberian government and dissident factions to declare an immediate and unconditional cease-fire, ending the vicious circle of violence that continues to ravage the country. The University of Liberia (UL), Cuttington University College (CUC), the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU), United Methodist University(UMU), Don Bosco Polytechnic, the AME Zion University College and the William V.S. Tubman College of Technology said the unrest in Liberia has exacerbated the already slow development of human resources in the country, and parties to the conflict must see the Akosombo peace talks slated for Wednesday, June 4, in Ghana as a window of opportunity to dialogue and restore peace. The educational institutions maintained that the continuous closures of learning facilities and other social service institutions inevitably impede socio-economic and political development and further increase the illiteracy rate in Liberia. Their call was contained in a nine-count resolution issued May 30 following a one-day summit on the search for peace in Liberia held on the main campus of the University of Liberia. The one-day summit was attended by the presidents, faculty and students representatives of the UL, CUC, AMEU, AMEZUC, William V. S. Tubman College of Technology and the Don Bosco Polytechnic. In the resolution, the group lamented that the situation in the country has reached a state where it constitutes a threat to international peace and security, calling on the United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS to assume their charter responsibilities in dictating an end to the carnage. Among other things, the higher institutions of learning pointed to the closure of the College of Health of the United Methodist University in Ganta, Nimba County and the relocation of Cuttington University College to Monrovia as some of the ways in which the crises have affected the educational sector.       © 2004, The Episcopal Church, USA. Episcopal News Service content may be reprinted without permission as long as credit is given to ENS.