IPNews-Monrovia , Liberia -27 March 2018:Many years may have gone by since the recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission-TRC, that persons playing active part during Liberia’s years of civil conflict face their accusers and face the full weight of the law where culpable, including ban on taking public office for 30 years.
Now, it looks like Liberia’s international partners might just be starting a renew campaign to ensuring those bearing the greatest responsibility for atrocities be prosecuted in keeping with the laws of Liberia.
Addressing a National Peace Conference in the capital Monrovia on Thursday, the Deputy UN Chief said, “It is also critical to implement the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation, and for the legislature to pass key bills that will support local inclusion and reconciliation. These would be timely measures that would assure Liberians that there is strong resolve to see a conclusion to the process.”
Madam Amina Mohammed, who is visiting Liberia as representative of the UN to participate in the official end of the UN Mission in the West African country, told the conference that, “…To ensure reconciliation and a peaceful and prosperous future, it will be crucial to deepen efforts to address the underlying causes of conflict in Liberia” adding that” Prevention is critical in averting a relapse into violence.”
The country was plunged into one of modern day’s most brutal armed conflict beginning December, 1989 with a rebel invasion led by now convicted former President Charles Taylor.
An estimated 250,000 people died and another 1.5 million others were internally and externally dislocated. Neighboring counties also saw a spill-over of the Liberian armed strife on to their territories. Thousands of others were maimed, raped and mutilated by bands of militias.
Following peace talks and cessation of hostilities among warring parties in Liberia, the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was set up after UN Security Council Resolution 1509 passed on September 19, 2003.
The UNMIL office was charged with supporting the implementation of the cease-fire agreement and the peace process; protecting United Nations staff, facilities and civilians; supporting humanitarian and human rights activities; as well as assist in national security reform, including national police training and formation of a new, restructured military.
With the gradual consolidation of peace, the global body, in 2015, ordered the phased drawn down of peacekeepers. Initial troop strength was 15,000. Total UNMIL fatalities in the Liberian there after was 202 peacekeepers.
UNMIL formally ends its mission on March 30, 2018.
In its final report, the country’s TRC recommended the following leaders of warring factions for prosecution for human rights violations, including violations of international humanitarian laws, war crimes and egregious domestic laws of Liberia and economic crimes:
Charles Taylor – NPFL; Prince Y. Johnson – INPFL; Roosevelt Johnson – ULIMO – J, deceased; Alhaji G. V. Kromah – ULIMO – K; George Boley – LPC; Thomas Yahya Nimley – MODEL; Sekou Damate Konneh – LURD; and Francois Masssaquoi – LDF, also deceased.
War lords Roosevelt Johnson and Francois Massaquoi are deceased. LPC militia leader George Boley was picked up by the Federal U.S. authorities in 2010 on immigration charges and subsequently deported to Liberia.
Several alleged human rights violators from the Liberian war have been identified and are facing prosecution in the US and Europe.
Emmanuel “Chuckie” Taylor, son of former President Charles Taylor – sentenced to 97 years in prison in January, 2009 in a major torture case that grew out of a US investigation into arms trafficking in Liberia.
Jucontee Thomas Woewiyu – a former Defense Chief and spokesperson for Taylor’s rebel faction and legislator in Liberia. He was picked up in Philadelphia in 2014 and is facing immigration fraud charges. Trial is pending.
Agnes Reeves Taylor – ex-wife of former President Taylor was arrested in June, 2017 in the UK and accused of torture and war crime offenses and goes to trial in October, 2018.
Martina Johnson – a former commander in Taylor’s rebel militia who was arrested in Belgium in 2012 and is awaiting prosecution.
Colonel Moses Thomas – a former Presidential guard commander who has had civil suit brought against him in Philadelphia by survivors of a church massacre in 1990 in Liberia.
Alieu Kosiah – a ULIMO rebel commander/ fighter who was arrested in Switzerland in 2014 and accused of war atrocities. He prosecution is pending
Isaac Kannah – charged in an October 2012 indictment with perjury and obstruction of justice for lying in deportation proceedings of George Boley. He was arrested on January 10, 2017, by Immigration and Homeland Security in Philadelphia.
Mohammed “Jungle Jabbah” Jabbateh – former Liberian rebel fighter convicted of immigration charges in October, 2018 in Philadelphia and accused of horrific crimes during the war.
An international investigator based in Washington DC says they are pursuing other alleged perpetrators around the world for arrest and prosecution.
Among several recommendations advanced in the 370-page TRC report, several Liberians associated with warring faction leaders, their leaders, political decision makers, financiers, organizers, commanders and foot soldiers were recommended for public sanctions.
These individuals were to be barred from holding public office; elected or appointed for a period of thirty (30) years when the TRC Final Report was issued in June, 2009.
Allen Brown Sr.; Randall Cooper; Ethelbert Cooper; Toga McIntosh Gayewea; Jackson E. Doe; D. Bob Taylor; Dew Mason; Nyan Menten; Clarence Simpson; Harry Yuan; former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; Isaac Nyenabo; Kabineh Ja’neh; Archie Williams; Tonia King; and J. Apollo Swen.
Gayewea is a senior adviser to current President George Weah. Mr. Nyenabo was appointed by former President Johnson Sirleaf in February, 2015 as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary accredited to the Kingdom of Belgium with accreditations to the European Union, Luxemburg and the Netherlands. Associate Justice Ja’neh currently serves on Liberia’s highest court, the Supreme Court.
A current and close advisor in the orbit of President George Weah is Liberian businessman Mr. Emmanuel Shaw who was named in the TRC Report for further investigation.
Also listed for investigation is the current Liberian Ambassador to the United Nations Mr. Lewis G. Brown. Both men are associated with convicted warlord and former President Charles Taylor.
A prominent Taylor associate and militia combatant during the civil war Robert R. G. Bright was this week appointed by President Weah as a Cabinet Level Economic Advisor.
A prominent international war and economic crime investigator and source says they are concerned about the resurfacing of Taylor associates in the Weah Administration and want to know whether Taylor is still involved in the Liberian political theater.
An ex-wife of Taylor is the current Vice President of Liberia. Madam Jewel Howard Taylor was handpicked by President Weah as his running mate in the 2017, Presidential election. Although President Weah has denied any on-going communication with Taylor, observers say they are puzzled by the stocking of the Weah Administration with Taylor linkages.
A diplomatic source says international partners have privately warned President Weah about any connections he may be entertaining with Taylor.
Diplomatic and international pressure are being ramped up on the new Weah Administration to be decisive and commit to implementing the TRC recommendations.
The Sirleaf Administration and prior Legislature failed to implement the recommendations, citing risk to national cohesion following years of back to back wars. Observers and activists, however, say, failure to fully implement the recommendations is not an option since they represent the only sure way of holding war perpetrators accountable for their roles and genuine reconciliation.
A former warlord and from the northeastern political sub-division of Nimba County Prince Johnson is a sitting legislator who has vowed to resist any attempt to prosecute him for alleged war crimes. Johnson who led the erstwhile rebel militia known as the Independent National Patriotic Front (INPFL), is responsible for the capture, torture of former Liberian President Samuel K. Doe and civilians in September, 1990 at the height of the conflict.
Main rebel leader Charles Taylor who won controversial Presidential elections served between 1997 – 2003 but was forced to step down from office by sustained rebel attacks and international pressure. He fled to Nigeria under a brokered deal but was eventually indicted by the U.N. Special Court for Sierra Leone.
Nigeria, under pressure from the U.S., agreed to turn Taylor over to the Court.
He was subsequently arrested and tried in Netherlands and convicted of” aiding and abetting, as well as planning, some of the most heinous and brutal crimes recorded in human history” and sentenced in May, 2012 to fifty years in jail.
Taylor who is serving his sentence at a UK facility, may die in prison due to his age and length of the sentence.
In 2017, the former head of Liberia’s TRC and human rights lawyer Counselor Jerome Verdier, who fled Liberia for fear of his life, after issuance of the TRC Final Report released a statement in which he said, “…We are glad that the international arrests, detentions, deportations and travels ban of these war and economic crimes perpetrators will continue until they are eventually prosecuted for their heinous and egregious crimes against human kind. There will be no hiding place. Not anymore.”
President Weah has not indicated if he will fully implement the TRC recommendations.
