Liberian elections turn violent - DAWN.COM

Liberian elections turn violent

Dawn.com Published November 8, 2011

Women react as they see the body of a young man reportedly killed during clashes between Liberian police and opposition party supporters, at opposition party headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. Violence broke out at the headquarters of the country's opposition party and at least one person was killed Monday, less than 24 hours before Liberia's presidential runoff that is being viewed as a test of the country's fragile peace after a devastating civil war. ? AP Photo

A voter marks his ballot during Liberia's presidential election run-off at a polling station in the capital Monrovia November 8, 2011. ? Reuters photo

Polling agents prepare ballots and ballots boxes for Liberia's presidential election run-off at a polling station in Monrovia November 8, 2011. Tension, a planned opposition boycott and fresh memories of a day of deadly clashes hang over Liberia's presidential election run-off on Tuesday, which incumbent leader Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is poised to win. ? Reuters photo.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, front, walks with Prince Johnson, right, as they arrive for a rally at the Stephen Tubman Estates, in Monrovia, Liberia, on the final day of campaigning, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011. Liberia's president has urged voters to go to the polls this week and to ignore a boycott by the opposition. Opposition presidential candidate Winston Tubman announced Friday he is pulling out of the November 8 presidential runoff election, a move that would guarantee victory for the country's ruling

Warlord turned pastor and politician Prince Johnson gestures to supporters out the window of Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's bus as they leave the Stephen Tubman Estates after staging a rally on the final day of campaigning, in Monrovia, Liberia, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011. Liberia's president has urged voters to go to the polls this week and to ignore a boycott by the opposition. Opposition presidential candidate Winston Tubman announced Friday he is pulling out of the November 8 presidential runoff election,

Opposition leader Winston Tubman, who on Friday pulled out of Liberia's presidential runoff, is fanned by a friend as he takes refuge in a nearby house after Liberian police fired tear gas into opposition party headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. Violence broke out at the headquarters of the country's opposition party and at least one person was killed Monday, less than 24 hours before Liberia's presidential runoff that is being viewed as a test of the country's fragile peace after a devastating

Campaign flyers dropped from a helicopter rain down on the Red Light neighborhood as Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf makes a campaign stop in the area on the final day of campaigning, in Monrovia, Liberia, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011. Liberia's president has urged voters to go to the polls this week and to ignore a boycott by the opposition. Opposition presidential candidate Winston Tubman announced Friday he is pulling out of the November 8 presidential runoff election, a move that would guarantee victory for th

Liberian police advance toward fleeing opposition party supporters on a main road outside opposition party headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. Violence broke out at the headquarters of the country's opposition party and at least one person was killed Monday, less than 24 hours before Liberia's presidential runoff that is being viewed as a test of the country's fragile peace after a devastating civil war. ? AP Photo

United Nations soldiers from Nigeria and Liberian police chase down a Liberian police commander who had been firing live rounds in clashes with opposition supporters, at opposition party headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. Violence broke out at the headquarters of the country's opposition party and at least one person was killed Monday, less than 24 hours before Liberia's presidential runoff that is being viewed as a test of the country's fragile peace after a devastating civil war. ? AP Photo

Opposition supporters set up a burning barricade after Liberian riot police stormed the compound of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change headquarters firing tear gas and live rounds in the capital Monrovia, November 7, 2011. Liberian police stormed the headquarters of presidential challenger Winston Tubman before being repelled by United Nations peacekeepers, who have set up a cordon around the building, a Reuters journalist at the scene said. ? Reuters photo.

Opposition supporters carry a man wounded after Liberian riot police stormed the compound of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) headquarters firing tear gas and live rounds, in the capital Monrovia, November 7, 2011. Liberian police stormed the headquarters of presidential challenger Winston Tubman before being repelled by United Nations peacekeepers, who have set up a cordon around the building, a Reuters journalist at the scene said. ? Reuters photo.

Women react as they see the body of a young man reportedly killed during clashes between Liberian police and opposition party supporters, at opposition party headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. Violence broke out at the headquarters of the country's opposition party and at least one person was killed Monday, less than 24 hours before Liberia's presidential runoff that is being viewed as a test of the country's fragile peace after a devastating civil war. ? AP Photo

Polling agents prepare ballots and ballots boxes for Liberia's presidential election run-off at a polling station in Monrovia November 8, 2011. Tension, a planned opposition boycott and fresh memories of a day of deadly clashes hang over Liberia's presidential election run-off on Tuesday, which incumbent leader Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is poised to win. ? Reuters photo.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, front, walks with Prince Johnson, right, as they arrive for a rally at the Stephen Tubman Estates, in Monrovia, Liberia, on the final day of campaigning, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011. Liberia's president has urged voters to go to the polls this week and to ignore a boycott by the opposition. Opposition presidential candidate Winston Tubman announced Friday he is pulling out of the November 8 presidential runoff election, a move that would guarantee victory for the country's ruling

Warlord turned pastor and politician Prince Johnson gestures to supporters out the window of Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's bus as they leave the Stephen Tubman Estates after staging a rally on the final day of campaigning, in Monrovia, Liberia, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011. Liberia's president has urged voters to go to the polls this week and to ignore a boycott by the opposition. Opposition presidential candidate Winston Tubman announced Friday he is pulling out of the November 8 presidential runoff election,

Opposition leader Winston Tubman, who on Friday pulled out of Liberia's presidential runoff, is fanned by a friend as he takes refuge in a nearby house after Liberian police fired tear gas into opposition party headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. Violence broke out at the headquarters of the country's opposition party and at least one person was killed Monday, less than 24 hours before Liberia's presidential runoff that is being viewed as a test of the country's fragile peace after a devastating

Campaign flyers dropped from a helicopter rain down on the Red Light neighborhood as Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf makes a campaign stop in the area on the final day of campaigning, in Monrovia, Liberia, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011. Liberia's president has urged voters to go to the polls this week and to ignore a boycott by the opposition. Opposition presidential candidate Winston Tubman announced Friday he is pulling out of the November 8 presidential runoff election, a move that would guarantee victory for th

Liberian police advance toward fleeing opposition party supporters on a main road outside opposition party headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. Violence broke out at the headquarters of the country's opposition party and at least one person was killed Monday, less than 24 hours before Liberia's presidential runoff that is being viewed as a test of the country's fragile peace after a devastating civil war. ? AP Photo

United Nations soldiers from Nigeria and Liberian police chase down a Liberian police commander who had been firing live rounds in clashes with opposition supporters, at opposition party headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. Violence broke out at the headquarters of the country's opposition party and at least one person was killed Monday, less than 24 hours before Liberia's presidential runoff that is being viewed as a test of the country's fragile peace after a devastating civil war. ? AP Photo

Opposition supporters set up a burning barricade after Liberian riot police stormed the compound of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change headquarters firing tear gas and live rounds in the capital Monrovia, November 7, 2011. Liberian police stormed the headquarters of presidential challenger Winston Tubman before being repelled by United Nations peacekeepers, who have set up a cordon around the building, a Reuters journalist at the scene said. ? Reuters photo.

Opposition supporters carry a man wounded after Liberian riot police stormed the compound of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) headquarters firing tear gas and live rounds, in the capital Monrovia, November 7, 2011. Liberian police stormed the headquarters of presidential challenger Winston Tubman before being repelled by United Nations peacekeepers, who have set up a cordon around the building, a Reuters journalist at the scene said. ? Reuters photo.

Women react as they see the body of a young man reportedly killed during clashes between Liberian police and opposition party supporters, at opposition party headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. Violence broke out at the headquarters of the country's opposition party and at least one person was killed Monday, less than 24 hours before Liberia's presidential runoff that is being viewed as a test of the country's fragile peace after a devastating civil war. ? AP Photo

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Tension, a planned opposition boycott and fresh memories of a day of deadly clashes hang over Liberia's presidential election run-off today, which incumbent leader Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is poised to win. The vote is due to gauge the West African state's progress since a devastating civil war ended in 2003 and pave the way for new investment, but fears are rising it could instead open the door to open-ended political turmoil. – Text by Reuters, photos by agencies.

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