Liberia: Coalition Group Rallies Support for WECC
Adama K. Dempster, lead campaigner for the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia
The Coalition for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia, a civil society and justice working group, has called on the United States Ambassador for Global Justice, Ambassador Beth Van Schaack, to rally the international community's support for the urgent establishment of the much-delayed “War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia.”
During a meeting Tuesday at the US Embassy near Monrovia, the group unambiguously urged Amb. Beth van Schaack for the establishment of a Liberian-led court on Liberian soil to prosecute those who bear the greatest responsibilities to account for their alleged crimes related to violations of International Humanitarian Laws (IHL) during Liberia's past two civil wars.
In a press release signed and issued on Thursday, March 7, group lead campaigner Mr. Adama K. Dempster lamented the growing threats against proponents of the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia as well as war survivors, coming from warlords who have become powerful due to delays in prosecuting them for their roles in the murders of over 250,000 Liberian and foreign nationals, as well as for pillaging our national coffers.
The group asked the US Ambassador for Global Criminal Justice for our support in strengthening Liberia's national security apparatus, as a matter of urgency, in the event of the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia.
The group welcomes the bold stance taken by 42 members of the House of Representatives in signing a resolution calling for the establishment of the court in Liberia and calls on the Liberian Senate to follow the good and patriotic example of the House of Representatives.
The group also thanked President Joseph Nyumah Boakai for leading the charge and urged him to live up to his commitment in his inaugural address for the establishment of the court and promotion of the rule of law, thereby ending the culture of impunity in Liberia.
The group noted that the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia is not a witch hunt but a campaign to end the culture of impunity and wanton corruption that continues to deprive Liberians of the quality of life they deserve.
It can be recalled that a majority of members (49) of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, March 5, during the 16th day sitting, affixed their signatures to the instrument, signaling a milestone that, at long last, perpetrators of heinous crimes and plunderers of the Liberian state are on the verge of being held to account for their actions.
The House’s decision is unprecedented, as it marks the first time since the Civil War that such action has been taken by the Legislature. Proponents have long advocated for justice through the establishment of a court to address wartime atrocities.
Despite past delays and diverging proposals, the renewed push for accountability highlights a growing consensus among various stakeholders in Liberia.
The US Government, through the State Department, has been pushing for the establishment of the court and negotiating with national stakeholders for the realization of this effort. Three days ago, Van Schaach and a team from Global Criminal Justice (J/GCJ) had an exhaustive but private meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, J. Fonati Koffa, and some members of the House’s leadership at the Capitol.
The meeting led to the reintroduction of a resolution to establish the WECC. The majority of members of the House have reaffirmed support and called on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to work with the United Nations, international partners, institutions, and civil society organizations for assistance in establishing the “Extraordinary Criminal Court” in Liberia.
The establishment of a WECC is a recommendation contained in the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was established to investigate the root causes of nearly three decades of civil crises.
The Act creating the TRC gave wide powers to the commission, including recommending prosecution. The TRC, in its final report, recommended the creation of an extraordinary criminal court, which would be a hybrid court composed of Liberian and international judges, prosecutors, and other staff with a mandate to try those allegedly responsible for committing serious crimes.