Pastors Travel to Africa to Ensure a Fair Election, Requesting Prayers for Peace and Protection
Non-denominational pastors from the United States travel to Ivory Coast at the request of President Laurent Gbagbo to ensure a fair and balanced election.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) August 15, 2005 -- Upon request by Ivory Coast
President Laurent Gbagbo for the United States to send support to ensure a fair
and balanced election, the U.S. State Department recommends Reverend Louis P.
Sheldon and the Traditional Values Coalition to oversee and validate the Oct. 30
election.
Ten pastors from non-denominational churches will travel to
Africa August 13th - 19th to meet with President Gbagbo, Prime Minister Seydou
Diarra, the Election Commission, leading businessmen in the region, and all
presidential candidates. The coalition will assist in validating the
pre-election process and ensure measures are in place to prevent election
tampering.
During the previous election, presidential candidate Robert
Guei blatantly rigged the 2000 election. Falsifying polling results, he declared
himself the winner. Popular protest forced Guei to step aside permitting
runner-up Laurent Gbagbo into power.
"With 4,000 French troops still
occupying the region, and two of the presidential candidates residing in France,
there is concern that foreign influences and rebel forces may try to sway the
election," said Sheldon. "Our role is to monitor and assist with the validation
of votes and ensure an accurate count."
The country, predominately Muslim
in the north and Christian in the south and west, is in a state of unrest.
Rebels who seized the north after a failed 2002 coup refused to abide by a
mutual agreement to move into cantonment sites for disarmament by August 10th in
preparation for the election. Diplomatic efforts are underway to stabilize the
situation.
"We need prayers for peace and protection," said Pastor
Richard Salazar, Senior Pastor of New Harvest Christian Fellowship. "This is the
first time in history that a foreign country has requested ministers from
faith-based groups to monitor elections."
Salazar and Sheldon will be
joined by pastors from across the United States as part of the initial
coalition: Phillip Aguilar, San Diego; Owen Alston, New Jersey; Landis
Bradfield, Washington D.C.; Danny Daniels, Florida; Edwin Melendez, Chicago;
Debra Seaton, Chicago, Roger Skeen, Indiana; and Tom Watson, California.
Prior to the election, the coalition will return to the Ivory Coast with
a total of 100 pastors and church leaders from across the nation to complete the
validating process and ensure a fair and balanced election.
ABOUT
Traditional Values Coalition is the largest non-denominational, grassroots
church lobby in America. Founded in 1980, TVC has sought to empower people of
faith with truth. TVC's membership of over 43,000 churches bridges racial and
socio-economic barriers and includes most Christian denominations. www.traditionalvalues.org
# # #
Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/8/prweb272654.htm