No More “Lack Of Political Will” When It Comes to War-Related Impunity; President Boakai’s Unsaid Words Bring Hope to Liberians
“We have decided to set up an office to explore the feasibility for the establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC) to provide an opportunity for those who bear the greatest responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity to account for their actions in court.”
WE DID NOT hear these words pronounced by upcoming President Joseph Boakai, as he delivered his inauguration address on January 22 at Capital Building – cut short as the President possibly experienced heat fatigue. However, we read them shortly after, as the inauguration speech was published in its entirety by FrontPage Africa.
WHILST PRESIDENTIAL electoral speeches (all over the world) are no stranger to messages of unity, of hope, and offering panacea-like solutions to often systemic issues, for those who have closely followed Liberia’s struggle to grapple with impunity, these words – even if not physically spoken by the President himself – carry an important weight. Weight currently carried by Liberian victims of war-related impunity, and those individuals who have tirelessly advocated for accountability measures.
INAUGURAL SPEECHES by incoming Liberian Presidents have always mentioned – in a way or another – the civil wars. But Mr Boakai’s words ring with a promise of action, of decisions. And this is unprecedented.
JUST BECAUSE there has been no accountability in Liberia, it does not mean that there has been no justice for Liberians. We at Civitas Maxima and the Global Justice and Research Project (GJRP) have been at the forefront of it, working hard to document atrocities, coordinate with investigators and lawyers, and to provide information to national authorities, so that if there is evidence against an alleged perpetrator residing abroad, this could be tested in a court of law. Almost 21 years have past since the end of the second civil war, and in these years 15 individuals have faced proceedings related to the wars that destroyed Liberia. We have facilitated 11 of these cases, in 6 different countries, and across 2 continents. If not at home, at least abroad some victims found some justice.
BUT WHAT WE DO should not be seen as a substitute for locally administered justice. We want the process to be locally led, to happen where the crimes were committed. This echoes the TRC’s Final Report recommendations, which included, amongst other things, a draft statute for an “Extraordinary Criminal Court for Liberia”. It has now been 15 years since the Final Report has been published, but these recommendations were never followed through.
WHILST IT APPEARS that the majority of people would welcome a mechanism to try those who committed the gravest crimes, “lack of political will” has been the mantra one hears almost every day, when engaging on such matters. With his words, President Boakai has made it so that – hopefully – we will not hear “lack of political will” anymore, when discussing war-related accountability.
WE WELCOME and we applaud President Boakai’s words. We sincerely hope that his commitment to the cause will stay true throughout his presidency, and that he will not waver – those who stand for justice often face many challenges, but they do not do so alone.
JUSTICE IS NEVER TOO LATE, but as time inexorably moves forward, we are fearful that accountability for war-related crimes will never happen, that we will never honour those who died and who suffered, and that the country will never heal. Or, to use words from the President’s speech: “We cannot forever remain unmoved by this searing national tragedy without closure.”
