Monrovia — Renowned human rights lawyer and former presidential candidate Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe has called for the establishment of a National War Victims Relief Fund to provide medical, economic and welfare assistance to Liberians still suffering from the physical, emotional and economic consequences of the country’s 14-year civil conflict.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
Gongloe, in a commentary titled “We Must Not Forget the Victims of Liberia’s Civil War,” said that although Liberia’s civil war ended years ago, many victims continue to live with bullets and fragments in their bodies, lost limbs, impaired vision, chronic pain and emotional trauma.
Others, he noted, remain trapped in poverty after losing homes, farms, businesses and family members during the conflict.
“Many feel abandoned and forgotten by the country for whose conflict they paid such a terrible price,” Gongloe said.
He argued that Liberia has a moral obligation to address what he described as a historic imbalance in post-war assistance.
The Liberian civil wars (from 1989 to 1997, and from 1999 to 2003) became notorious for extreme brutality against civilians, including widespread massacres, torture and systemic sexual violence. Factions widely used and forcibly recruited children, often giving them drugs and arming them with cheap, accessible automatic weapons. About 250,000 people lost their lives, and hundreds of thousands were displaced.
According to Gongloe, former combatants received organized disarmament and demobilization packages, including financial assistance, vocational training and other support aimed at facilitating their reintegration into civilian life.
While acknowledging that such assistance was necessary to secure peace, Gongloe said many civilians who were injured, widowed, displaced or economically devastated by the war received little or no comparable support.
“Liberia must correct this historic injustice,” he declared.
Proposed Five-Year Relief Fund
Gongloe proposed that the National War Victims Relief Fund initially operate for five years, financed through contributions from Liberians and a substantial government counterpart contribution.
Under his proposal, every unemployed adult Liberian who is able to contribute would pay L$100 annually, while every employed Liberian would contribute US$1 per year.
Liberians living abroad, he added, should also be encouraged to contribute at least US$1 annually.
The Liberian Government would then match national contributions at a ratio of US$5 for every US$1 contributed under the scheme.
Gongloe said the fund should prioritize victims with severe disabilities and provide assistance including medical treatment, medication, prosthetic devices and modest welfare support.
It should also provide interest-free microloans to victims capable of engaging in farming, petty trading and other small businesses.
He said the objective should not simply be financial assistance, but to help victims regain independence and restore hope.
Separate Victims’ Relief From War Crimes Court
The Liberian Government is in an advanced stage in establishing a war and economic crimes court. Currently, two draft legislations are before the Legislature for passage.
Gongloe stressed that the proposed relief fund must remain completely separate from the establishment of Liberia’s War and Economic Crimes Court.
He said the two initiatives would serve different purposes: the court would address accountability for crimes committed during the civil conflict, while the relief fund would respond to the immediate needs of victims still suffering today.
“A wounded victim who needs medicine should not have to wait for a prosecution, and a widow living in poverty should not have to wait for the creation of a court before receiving assistance,” he said.
According to Gongloe, Liberia can simultaneously pursue accountability for wartime atrocities and provide practical support to victims.
Calls for Transparency
Gongloe also warned that the proposed fund must be insulated from political interference and managed transparently.
He called for the establishment of a credible national registry of qualified war victims and annual audits by the General Auditing Commission.
He further proposed that administrative costs—including salaries, offices and operational expenses—not be deducted from money intended for victims.
Instead, he said such expenses should be financed through a separate appropriation in the national budget.
“Why Now?”
Anticipating questions over why such a fund should be created decades after the war, Gongloe said the passage of time has not erased the suffering of victims.
“Delay is not a reason for continued neglect; it is a reason to act now,” he argued.
For Gongloe, the proposal goes beyond providing financial assistance.
He described it as a national declaration that Liberia remembers those who suffered during the conflict, recognizes their continuing hardships and accepts responsibility for helping them rebuild their lives.
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