ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL Statistics, Liberia bloody civil unrest cost the International Community about Ten Billions United States Dollars (USS10,000,000,000), destroyed the properties of citizens and non- citizens, including the Liberian Economy, which is still struggling.
NOT JUST WITH this financial destruction, the unjustifiable conflict over 250,000 people lost their lives; Liberians and non-Liberians, including the ECOMOG soldiers of the West African Peacekeeping force and Peacekeepers from the United Nations; amongst others.
ONLY WITH THE above consequences it had on the country, its people and the international community, we welcome the ECOWAS Ambassador’s recommendation for the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report on circumstances surrounding the war.
AS PER WHAT we know, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia (TRC) presented its final report containing findings, determinations and recommendations made by the Commission to the National Legislature.
THE REPORT CONTAINS major findings on: the root causes of the conflict, the impact of the conflict on women, children and the generality of the Liberian society; responsibility for the massive commission of Gross Human Rights Violations (GHRV), and violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), International Human Rights Law (IHRL) as well as Egregious Domestic Law Violations (EDLV).
THE REPORT ALSO determined and recommended that Criminal Prosecution for these violations, Reparations and a “Palava Hut” Forum is necessary and desirable to redress impunity, promote peace, justice, security, unity and genuine national reconciliation. The TRC was agreed upon in the August 2003 Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Accra and created by the TRC Act of 2005.
WITH SIMILAR MOTIVE the ECOWAS Ambassador’s call is prompted by, the TRC was established to “promote national peace, security, unity and reconciliation,” and at the same time make it possible to hold perpetrators accountable for gross human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law that occurred in Liberia between January 1979 and October 2003.
SADLY, IT HAS taken about three presidential terms and two different administrations since the report was made availability but it has been implemented.
IT IS EVEN more discouraging to understand that other political parties and governments have used it during political seasons to gain the voters’ interest but they disappointingly don’t act towards it upon ascending to the office.
LIKE WE SAW with forming ruling establishment, it was also used by this current regime during their days in the opposition but since we took office, less effort has been made towards it, amid calls from concerned citizens.
IT’S OF NO secret that some twenty (20) years ago, in December 24, 1989, Liberians and Foreign Residents listened to the most heart-breaking and disturbing news on the BBC, that Mr. Charles G. Taylor, leader of the defunct National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), reported that he and his rebel group had entered Liberia by way of Nimba County, in a Town called Butuo, situated on the Ivorian Border with Liberia to unseat Former President Samuel Kanyon Doe and his NDPL Government. This news went throughout the length and breadth of the Country with fear and terror.
HOWEVER, FROM THAT day on, the rebel war fast spread in the entire Country; resulted to the assassination of Former President Samuel K. Doe by the defunct Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL) at the Freeport of Monrovia, when the former President was in route to leave the Country; also, 250,000 people lost their lives; Liberians and non-Liberians, including the ECOMOG soldiers of the West African Peacekeeping force and Peacekeepers from the United Nations; amongst others.
FOLLOWING MANY ATTEMPTS, to resolve the civil crisis, several Accords were held but to no avail. Accordingly, on June 4, 2003, Eighteen Registered Political Parties, Civil Societies and Interest Groups under the leadership of ECOWAS, AU, UN and the International Community when to Accra, Ghana in order to find a peaceful solution to the Liberian Civil Crisis, through the Accra Peace Agreement on August 18, 2003.
THOUGH IT BROUGHT an end to the conflict, many Liberians, just like the ECOWAS Ambassador, believe that those that masterminded must be held accountable for their actions. Therefore, we too believe it is crucial that findings of the report be implemented.
