Life in this dusty poverty stricken town is still tensional after one day fierce ethnic violence that left several people dead and properties destroyed. The fighting has seized but there’s no peace here either. Despite the presence of several hundred government security forces and United Nation Peace Keeper, efforts to bring normalcy still seem far away as resident call for the ouster of key government officials.

A source said the main problem is “the level of distrust among the two major ethnic groups, Lorma and Mandingoes, they seem to be angry at each other“.

The city of Voinjama is divided “one side for Lorma people the one for the Mandingoes people. When we arrive this morning at the Voinjama Market, the market women were divided into two groups the Mandingoes people one side the lorma on another side,” said a resident.

A fact finding delegation comprising of members from all the districts in Lofa County started talking to residents about the cause of the recent violence.

Sources said there are many hurdles from both sides that will make the job of reconciling very difficult, if not impossible.

But the main issue of contention for residents is what many called the corrupt and impartial behavior of the County Superintendent, Kalapka Kortimai and County Attorney Auther Sumo both of the Lorma ethnic group. Many residents said they two have been extorting money from Mandingoes business people for no obvious reason. They are also accused of siding with the Lorma group in the recent ethnic crisis.

“Tell Ellen this is dictatorship and if she doesn’t remove these two people from office there will be no peace in Lofa County” said Emmanuel Person, a teacher. Person said the people have no trust in both men.

“I think there are plenty of reasons to warrant the lack of confidence in Kortimai and Sumo to lead this county as chief executives” Morris Kanneh said.

In one meeting with the Interfaith Mediation Committee, the women from the Lorma side walk out for what they called the government failure to arrest Mandingoes people. All efforts to have them return proved futile.

Other said that Superintendent Kortimai is using his office to get even with perceive enemies in Voinjama mostly he’s targeting Mandingoes. Witnesses said he ordered the arrest of the District Commission of Quardu Gboni District, Mamadee Kamara, and a move that has further increased the tension in the County. County Attorney, Auther Sumo also issue warrant for the arrest for youth leader, Boakai Kamara who has been calling for the resignation of Kortimai and Sumo long before the crisis begin.

“Our Message to the president is simple and clear, get these two men off our back, we don’t respect them anymore as our leaders otherwise there will be serious revolt as long as these two individual are posturing as Superintendent and County Attorney. We don’t want trouble but you can’t impose someone on us that’s tearing our people apart and creating confusion all over the place. What we need here is a neutral body for the sake of peace.” A release from the Quardu Gboni Student Association in Monrovia said.