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Liberian Gov’t: ‘Don’t Use COVID-19 As Excuse For Violating Rights’

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CSO Human Rights Platform Urges

The Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform of Liberia has called on the government not use the outbreak of corona virus as an excuse for not meeting national and international obligations human rights obligations.

In July 2018, the United Nations Human Rights Committee in a meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland gave Liberia up to July 2020 to end the process leading to the accountability for all war crimes and human rights violations committed during the Liberian civil war.

Civil war officially ended in Liberia in 2003, after starting on December 24, 1990.

Adama Dempster

The UN Human Rights Committee also recommended that Liberia ensures that all alleged perpetrators of human rights abuses and war crimes are impartially prosecuted. And the group says if found guilty, convicted and punished in accordance with the gravity of the acts committed.

Speaking at the occasion marking the observance of the International Justice Day in Monrovia’s Paynesville suburb recently, thePplatform’s Secretary General, Adama Dempter said  the date given to Liberia to meet all national and international human rights obligations has expired since July this year.  

According to Mr. Dempster, the Liberian human rights community is tasked with the responsibility  of  doing a follow up on the state whether or not she is undertaking these tasks as spell out by the UN Human Rights Committee.

“It is based on shares obligations,” he said, “the Universal Periodic Review, the CSO Platform, Fin Church Aid with technical support from the Center for Civil and Political Rights based in Geneva resolved to launch its accountability, reparation and reconciliation posters.“

“This is intended to ensure that state implement its obligations to the UN Human Rights Committee, as well as the full implementation of the recommendations of the Trust and Reconciliation Commission,” Mr. Dempster said.

In remarks, the Chairman of the board of the Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Human Rights Platform, Reverend Francis Kollie said the human community will continue to knock on the door of the government to ensure the respect of human rights in the country.

He condemned the high rate of rape and killings in the country in recent times because these devilish acts are creating fear among the ordinary people and foreign partners as well as portraying the country as a gangster paradise.

”Everywhere, people are crying justice especially when the entire nation is engulfed with stringent measure as a result of the corona virus.”

“Government has introduced a number of measures where some security forces have taken on themselves power that is not given them to abuse ordinary people.”

According to him, women, young ladies and boys have been abused or raped, domestic violence is on the increase as a result of the corona virus and the lock down.

For her part, the Human Rights Officer at the United Nations Human Rights Commission, Ebai Ernestine reaffirmed her institution’s commitment in working with the Liberian government and civil society organizations in making perpetrators of human rights violations committed during the war days are held accountable and accelerate reconciliation among Liberians.

She said there can be no genuine peace and development in the absence justice for those whose rights were violated in the society.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Liberia Massacre Survival Association, Peterson Sonyah, disclosed that his organization has recently discovered more than 116 mass graves in two counties.

According to him the 250 mass graves that were claimed to have been discovered by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is an understatement of the mass burial in this country.

According to him, women, young ladies and boys have been abused or raped, domestic violence is on the increase as a result of the corona virus and the lock down.

For her part, the Human Rights Officer at the United Nations Human Rights Commission, Ebai Ernestine reaffirmed her institution’s commitment in working with the Liberian government and civil society organizations in making perpetrators of human rights violations committed during the war days are held accountable and accelerate reconciliation among Liberians.

She said there can be no genuine peace and development in the absence justice for those whose rights were violated in the society.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Liberia Massacre Survival Association, Peterson Sonyah, disclosed that his organization has recently discovered more than 116 mass graves in two counties. According to him the 250 mass graves that were claimed to have been discovered by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is an understatement of the mass burial in this country.

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