By M Neywon Mengonfia, mmenginfia@gmail.com
Another member of the Liberian Senate has added his voice to many other voices that have been crying out loud and pressing government for the establishment of War Crimes Court in Liberia.
Former Liberian Speaker of the House of Representatives and now Senator of Bong County, Prince K. Moye said the only way Liberia will not go back to its dark days is when a court that will bring perpetrators of crimes against humanity are brought to account for their actions.
Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission came out with its reports and as part of the requirement, the Liberian government was asked to ensure the implementations of the recommendations therein.
As part of the TRC recommendations, a court should be established to ensure that justice is served duly to all those who families were victimized by the war that was fought in Liberia for many years.
It is in this direction that many Liberians including Senator Moye, Representatives Rustonlyn S. Dennis, Larry Younquoi among others lawmakers who have given their consents to the establishment of the War crimes court in Liberia. Lincoln Bainda, a Liberian who grown up in Ivory Coast during the civil unrest of Liberia says, “I see no reason for the establishment of a war crime court in Liberia.”
Mr. Bainda said, “What benefit will it bring to the people of Liberia? What good will it be for our leaders to be taken in other countries to be jailed?” he inquired.
Also Speaking, on a live phoned in program in Monrovia, Moses Peters said, “When you people discussing the war it brings fresh memories to some of us who lost our parents.
Mr. Peters like Mr. Bainda says he does not see why they scar of the wars will always be made fresh every year.
He wants for bygone to be bygone [let sleeping dogs lie] and that Liberians should focus on how to develop the country instead of taking about the establishment war and economic crimes court in Liberia.
FLASHBACK; Liberian civil war images
“The money they want to use for lawyers, building of the court and other things needed for the establishment of the court could be directed towards other things that will benefit us” he said on the phone in program on April 6, 2021.
Contrary to Lincoln , Moses and others views that it makes no sense to have said court establish in Liberia, Senator Moye said the only way Liberians can be sure of not going back to the back days is by setting up of war crimes.
The former Speaker intoned that those that committed the bigger of crimes are passing around freely beating their chest for their actions.
During the third sitting of the Liberian Legislature, over fifty members of the House of Representatives affixed their signatures to a resolution seeking for the establishment of the war crimes court in Liberia, but the document is yet to be tested in an open plenary for onwards crossing over the Liberian senate for concurrence.
When the signing process was ongoing, this is what Representative Larry Younquoi said, “We are supposed to have 49 signatures but we have 51 now – with still an opportunity for a few to be added before we close Friday. So, we didn’t feel we needed to sneak it under the floor of the House; we wanted to publicize the work that we have done especially in the wake of ambivalence of the President who haven’t told the Liberian people that he was prepared to take action by writing the plenary to advise him as to the implementation of the TRC report, including the establishment of the war crimes court.”
Moye who signed the resolution calling for the war court during his days at the lower House hopes that the Speaker of the House of Representatives sees it as an issue of priority to introduce the instrument in an open plenary to test wither or not it will pass the House of Representatives to make its ways at the Liberian Senate.
The Bong County Lawmaker believes that the only way bigger deterrent can be made is by those who committed those killing face the law.
Since the end of the 14 years civil unrest in Liberia which took away lives and properties, those who relatives became victims of the war have cried out to the Liberian government seeking for justice for their dead relatives.
At the time former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf lead Liberia, those who were in the opposition including present President, George M. Weah called on her to ensure that war and economic crimes court is established in Liberia to serve as deterrent for perpetrators crimes.
President Weah whose during his days in opposition sought for said establishment has been in leadership of Liberia over two year now, but is yet to muster the courage to establish what he requested during his days as one of the opposition leaders who wanted by all means the establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia under the Ellen’s two terms regime.
Till date, not a single person has been tried for crimes committed during the war years in Liberia apart from efforts made by international partners who have made to bring some of the actors to face the law with the most recent being Gibril Massaquoi who is currently on trial by the Finnish court.
Some of those names that are listed in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations have been awarded top government positions in Liberia in apparent appreciation for their roles played in during civil unrest in the country.
Senator Prince Y. Johnson, one of the major actors has been elected twice by the people of Nimba while George Boley is representing the people of Grand Gedeh as their representative in the that august body.
But as Senator Prince K. Moye said if those victims of the war who still yearning for justice voices are not listened, the healing process is far from being achieved.
This was witnessed recently on Thursday, March 26, 2021, during the House of Representatives plenary sitting when a member of the House of Representatives, Dixon Wlawlee Seboe openly confronted his colleague, Representative George E. S. Boley of Grand Gedeh County for allegedly killing members of his family during Liberia’s bloody civil war. In an emotionally tone, Seboe said, “This man killed my family members; He needs to face the war crimes Court.”
His statement was responded to by the Grand Gedeh County lawmaker days after wherein he referred to his colleague as a “Pathological liar,” denying all of the accusations levied against him, Representative Boley and others who were shortlisted in the 2012 Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report as one of the individuals whose warring faction –the Liberia Peace Council (LPC) committed heinous crimes and crimes against humanity.
The million dollars question now is that if a lawmaker (Seboe) could not hold back his emotions despite the both being members of the House of Representatives, what becomes of ordinary Liberian who became a victim during the ways day?