By J. Peter S. Dennis, dennisrealone@gmail.com
SANOYEA, Liberia- The Independent National Commission on Human rights with support from UNDP has officially launched the Palava Hut Hearing mechanism here in the central Bong County.
The launching ceremony under its “Peace building, Reconciliation and Social Cohesion project” brought together chiefs, elders, paramount chiefs, county officials, among others in Sanoyea town, Bong County recently (Wednesday, August 10, 2022).
Welcoming the delegates, Bong County Superintendent Madam Esther Nyamah Walker described Liberia’s peace as ‘sustained” rather than fragile as insinuated.
Madam Walker termed the process as laudable with its intent of sustaining Liberia’s peace after 14 years of civil unrest.
The Bong County Superintendent charged citizens of maintaining the peace by making use of the Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism (Palava Hut dialogue) rather than engaging in acts that undermine the peace.
“Let me pledge my support to this project that all of us want to sustain the peace. We will stand up and work with you because the Liberia we want can only be achieved through us (Liberians). We need to encourage people to reconcile as dialoguing is very important to the tenets of our democracy,” she averred.
Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report years ago recommended the Palava Hut hearings are a traditional restorative justice and accountability mechanism as a complementary mechanism to recommendations to establish a war crimes court to render justice for war crimes, including genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the civil war.
Apart from this, the TRC report also recommended prosecution for the war actors who bear the greatest responsibilities for the war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated during the carnage, an action that is yet to be taken by Liberia.
According to United Nations, an estimated 250, 000 people were killed in the 14 years fratricidal Liberian civil war with thousands of others wounded.
Giving an overview of the project, INCHR Transitional Justice Officer Mr. Joseph T. Blamiyon said the program intends to reconcile both the victims and the perpetrators in a harmonious manner.
Mr. Blamiyon clarified that the program doesn’t intent to document names for future prosecution, stressing that there is no retributive justice.
“Let me tell you, we are not here to document names to prosecute people who participated in the war; but [we] are here to stage a dialogue where there will be peace-our focus. This is not a court! There is no retributive justice into this program,” he announced.
The INCHR Transitional Justice Officer disclosed that the INCHR has conducted Palava Hut hearings in five counties – Grand Gedeh County, Lofa County, Grand Cape Mount, Rivercess County, and currently Sanoyea, Bong County with support from UNDP.
Speaking earlier, the Country Representative of UNDP-Liberia, Stephen Rodrique called on Liberians victimized by the country’s 14 years of civil war to put away their differences and reconcile with those who mistreated them in order to live together.
He said the TRC recommendation on a Palava Hut Hearing mechanism, like such, is aimed at seeking a stage for Justice.
Mr. Rodrique added: “before peace can exist in society, it must first exist in the heart of men and women. This is the reason the Palaver Hut Hearing is very important. This is not about pushing or forcing people, but reconciliation so that at the end of the day, people must unite and work together again as one.”
The UNDP Country Rep. emphasized that the war has ended in Liberia and there could be no point for any Liberian citizen to harbor grudge against their fellow compatriot; adding that “peace should exist in the minds and hearts of everyone, who have been affected some ways.”
Mr. Rodrique called on the international community to come to the aid of Liberia in buttressing a partnership that will address other recommendations of the TRC.
The UNDP Country representative to Liberia noted that other mechanisms will be put in place to protect the 2023 general elections under the peacebuilding, reconciliation and social cohesion project that runs from 2020 to 2024.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rodrique reveals that the current hearing is the 5th Edition that promises Justice to war victims in the quest to handle circumstances and challenges from the war in which thousands of people lost their lives and millions worth of properties were destroyed.
Launching, the Chairperson at the Independent National Commission on Human Rights Cllr. T. Dempster Browne openly accused unnamed government officials of undermining the government in the establishment of the war crimes court in Liberia, although he did not explain how and in what manner, stressing that “We will not rest until the War Crimes Court is fully established in Liberia.”
Cllr. T. Dempster Brown warned, “We can’t continue to remain like this.”
He lamented that people are killing and there is no redress to the pains of the victims.
The head of the INCHR further assured participants at the Sanoyea palaver hut hearing that the Human Rights Commission is determined to go ahead with its objectives- promote and protect the rights of the citizens.
According to him, where there’s no peace, there’s no reconciliation.
“Where there is no justice, there is no reconciliation. Victims will only reconcile their differences when those who committed crimes are punished. We will lobby for this to happen,” the independent human rights commission Chairman warned.
Cllr. Brown recalled that during the 14 years of civil crisis in Liberia, numerous crimes were committed, taking aback on all massacres that took place in the country during the civil unrest- an international crime.
75 massacred in Sanoyea alone
In Sanoyea, Bong County alone, Cllr. Browne said the record indicates that 75 persons including women, children and elderly people were massacred during the war. He begged for support to construct memorial for them.
Sanoyea District Palava Hut Committee Chairperson Isaiah Harris, explains the mechanism will be put in place to create an enabling environment to have Liberians victimized by the civil war reconcile their differences for peaceful coexistence.
Mr. Harris says the hearings will ensure justice is given to those who deserve it, adding the Hut will be used for everyone in its environment to maintain the peace in Liberia.
The Palava Hut mechanism has to date resolved 277 war-related cases of human rights violations involving more than 500 people – 275 victims and 244 perpetrators.
The INCHR was established by an Act of Legislature in 2005 as a National Human Rights Institution mandated to promote and protect human rights in Liberia.
The Department for Complaints, Investigation and Monitoring (DCIM) is one of five (5) departments established by the Act.