By Frank Sainworla, Jr. fsainworla@yahoo.com
The former Chairman of Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Cllr Jerome Verdier has restated his call for former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and others to be brought to justice for their alleged roles in perpetrating the 14 years brutal civil war in this West African country.
“She aided and abetted the commission of war crimes and mayhem in Liberia, of course, they supported her,” Verdier wrote to www.newspublictrust.com on Thursday in reaction to the defense given by one of ex-President Sirleaf’s son, James Sirleaf of the good record of his mother regarding the now-ended civil war in Liberia.
Reports from the US said the Federal District Court of Boston in Boston, Massachusetts, USA on Monday (March 26, 2018( issued summons in a civil lawsuit against Defendants, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, International Fundraiser for the National Patriotic Front, (NPFL) and former President of the Republic of Liberia, former President Charles G. Taylor, NPFL and others.
The Honorable Judge Denise J. Casper has been assigned to the case which bears the Civil Docket Number: 1:18-cv-10574-DJC.
But in a phone interview with a local radio station this week, former President Sirleaf said she did nothing wrong during the Liberian civil war to be charged with war crimes or crimes against humanity, denying knowledge of any law suit against her in the United States. She said up to Wednesday (March 28, 2018) she has not been served with any writ.
Former President Sirleaf challenged her fellow compatriots who claim she must be held for war crimes not to sit abroad and tell lies but to bring their case against her back home in Liberian courts, as she’s not afraid.
James Sirleaf told www.newspublictrust.com on Wednesday that, “There are many lies and blame being foretold and I stand ready to defend her at all times. I would even fly to the US overnight if need be.”
But in reaction, Cllr. Jerome Verdier wrote:
“Of course, James supports every actions of his mother, Former President Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf,” says the former TRC Chairman.
“Why shouldn’t he and every other member of the Ellen Clan. They are bound to continue that support. She is the shining star of the Clan, the darling of the world and the Destroyer In – Chief f Liberia, they supporter support her, of course!”
The former TRC Chairman said in the 1990s, “She went to the US Congress and testified in her support for the war, glorified Taylor’s onslaught, recruiting “child soldiers” in the mayhem, she said Taylor was the most significant figure in Liberian history, Mr Sirleaf and the clan supported President Sirleaf.”
Cllr. Verdier went on to detail the extent of the alleged involvement of Africa’s first elected woman President in the horrors of Liberia’s 14 years civil war, which lasted from December 24, 1989-2003.
“Her hand are stained with the blood of over 250,000 of the innocent, prematurely departed. Mr Sirleaf and the rest of the clan supported her, why not!
They are all beneficiaries of the fame and glamour as much as the loot and booty from the war and 12yrs of unbridled, unaccountable rampant corruption which left JFK dilapidated and the debt portfolio significantly more than what she got “waived” at the incumbency of her ascendency.
Of course, they support her, James Sirleaf and the Clan,” the former Head of the TRC said.
Cllr Verdier continued:
“Liberia is poorer than when President Sirleaf took over. Inflation is skyrocketing, the exchange rate with the US Dollar has taken a deep three digit fall as all natural resources have been mortgaged with the Clan heavily vested and endowed in almost all of these deals. James and the clan, understandably stood by all then and now, without doubt.
“A highly polarized society, war and economic crimes perpetrators shielded by her without and consideration of the massive victims of her war machine and yet they heartlessly support her – WOW!
“The killings, maiming, looting and brutal destruction of the country and the youth’s future is not excuse for killings and assembly of the worst war machine ever unleashed on poor and innocent people in Africa.”
Concluding, Cllr. Verdier said: “The pains and sufferings of Ellen, James Sirleaf is no justification of Ellen’s war and the ravaging of the nation by President Sirleaf’s war efforts and consummate misrule, corruption
and poor governance.”
In its final report in 2010, Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) “also included a list of individuals recommended to be barred from holding public office for thirty years (including President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf).”
For the benefit of our readers, we publish below a summary of the findings of the TRC:
“Findings:
Conclusions
- The major root causes of the conflict are, according to the TRC, attributable to poverty, greed, corruption, limited access to education, economic, social, civil and political inequalities; identity conflict; land tenure and distribution; the lack of reliable and appropriate mechanisms for the settlement of disputes; as well as the “duality of the Liberian political, social and legal systems which polarizes and widens the disparities between the Liberian peoples – a chasm between settler Liberia and indigenous Liberia (Consolidated Final Report, Vol. II, p. 16).”
- All factions to the Liberian conflict are responsible for abuses, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
- The massive wave of gross violations and atrocities assumed a systematic pattern of abuse.
- All factions committed gender based violence against women and recruited children to participate in acts of violence.
- “External state actors in Africa, North America and Europe participated, supported, aided, abetted, conspired and instigated violence, war and regime change for political, economic and foreign policy advantages and gains (Consolidated Final Report, Vol. II, p. 18).”
Recommendations
- The TRC advised for the establishment of an Extraordinary Criminal Tribunal for Liberia and named individuals, corporations and institutions recommended for prosecution or, in some cases, for further investigation.
- The commission also included a list of individuals recommended to be barred from holding public office for thirty years (including President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf).
- The commission urged the Government of Liberia to guarantee the full enjoyment of social, economic and cultural rights, in addition to civil and political rights.
- The TRC’s report called for the establishment of a National Palava Hut Forum as a complementary tool for justice and national reconciliation. The commission recommended that the Palava Hut process be based on traditional dispute resolution mechanisms. Persons recommended for prosecution in the TRC Report for the commission of international crimes would not be entitled to be pardoned through the Palava Hut process.
- The TRC recommended that the Government of Liberia assumes its full responsibility under international law to provide reparations for all those individuals and communities victimized by the years of instability and war, especially women and children. The commission recommended a reparation program of approximately US$500m over 30 years. The commission recommended general amnesty for children, and amnesty for lesser crimes in an effort to foster national healing and reconciliation if individuals admit their wrongs and express remorse.
- The commission recommended that institutional reform must be implemented to promote good governance and human rights, and to prevent the recurrence of abuses.
- The TRC recommended to the international community to continue its engagement with Liberia and the sub region.”