Liberia: Far From Home, Still Part of the Journey: Liberians in The Gambia Seek a Voice in Transitional Justice

BANJUL, THE GAMBIA — Thousands of miles from Liberia, the country’s painful history remains close to the hearts of many Liberians living in the diaspora.

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By Patience M. Jones,[email protected]

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For members of the Liberian community in The Gambia, Liberia’s ongoing transitional justice process is not a distant national conversation. It is a process they say they want to understand, participate in, and help shape—even while navigating the realities of life away from home.

That message emerged on September 30, 2026, when the Office for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (OWECC-L), in collaboration with the Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) and the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), engaged Liberians in The Gambia on the proposed establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court and National Anti-Corruption Court.

Held at the Liberian Restaurant in the Senegambia area, the engagement brought together representatives of the three organizations and members of the Liberian community to discuss Liberia’s transitional justice process and explore how Liberians abroad can participate more meaningfully.

For OWECC-L, the engagement was part of a broader effort to ensure that Liberia’s diaspora is not left outside a process intended to address the country’s history of conflict, accountability, reconciliation and national healing.

OWECC-L said it has conducted similar engagements with Liberian communities in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Guinea, South Africa, Great Britain and Côte d’Ivoire.

“We are still connected to Liberia”

The meeting offered members of the Liberian community an opportunity to raise questions, express concerns and share their realities.

Tommy Zoker, Acting Vice-Chair of the Liberian Community in The Gambia, welcomed the engagement, saying such initiatives help Liberians abroad feel remembered and connected to their homeland.

But he also pointed to a reality that can make participation difficult.

According to Zoker, many members of the community are preoccupied with economic and livelihood challenges, particularly the high cost of living in The Gambia.

He encouraged organizers to sustain the engagement while considering practical issues such as transportation and refreshments to make it easier for more community members to participate.

Zoker estimated the Liberian population in The Gambia at about 200 people and said the community often comes together around major Liberian national holidays and significant national occasions.

A Process That Must Include Liberians Abroad

WONGOSOL stressed that transitional justice cannot be treated as a process belonging only to those living inside Liberia.

The organization emphasized that the voices and perspectives of Liberians in the diaspora are equally important, particularly as the country considers legislation to establish the proposed courts.

WONGOSOL also highlighted the role of civil society in advocating for the consideration and passage of the legislation needed to establish the courts.

For FLY, the conversation must also reach young Liberians.

The youth organization called for greater inclusion of young people in the transitional justice process and encouraged the Liberian community in The Gambia to create opportunities for youths to understand and participate in discussions about justice, peacebuilding, reconciliation and national responsibility.

“Will the Courts Really Happen?”

Behind the broader discussion was a question that reflected the uncertainty surrounding Liberia’s long-awaited transitional justice process: Will the proposed courts actually become a reality?

Members of the community questioned the progress of the process and whether the expectations being created would ultimately be fulfilled.

In response, the delegation explained that OWECC-L has completed nationwide public outreach on transitional justice and developed two draft bills relating to the proposed courts.

The bills, according to the delegation, have been submitted through the appropriate channels and are currently before the National Legislature for consideration.

WONGOSOL said civil society remains engaged in advocating for the consideration and passage of the legislation while keeping transitional justice on the national agenda.

A Diaspora Voice for Justice

The discussion also moved beyond information-sharing to what Liberians in The Gambia can do themselves.

WONGOSOL encouraged the community to consider developing a statement expressing its support for the passage of the transitional justice bills.

Such a statement, the organization said, could demonstrate that Liberians outside the country remain interested in accountability, justice, reconciliation and lasting peace.

Zoker welcomed the proposal and said it would be discussed with the leadership and wider Liberian community.

The community also received an invitation from OWECC-L to participate virtually in meetings of the National Transitional Justice Coordination Committee (NTJCC), creating another avenue for Liberians in The Gambia to remain connected to developments at home.

Bringing Young Liberians Into the Conversation

The engagement further explored ways to reach Liberian students attending high schools and universities in The Gambia.

OWECC-L described young Liberians as an important constituency in building awareness around transitional justice, civic participation, peacebuilding and reconciliation.

Although the number of Liberian students in The Gambia has reportedly declined in recent years, the community confirmed that Liberian students remain present in both high schools and universities.

For organizers, engaging them could help ensure that Liberia’s younger generation understands not only what happened in the country’s past, but also its role in shaping the country’s future.

Beyond Borders, One Liberia

The meeting ended with a commitment to keep the conversation alive and explore opportunities for a larger engagement with the Liberian community.

Participants discussed organizing future activities around major Liberian national holidays or other significant occasions to attract wider participation.

For the Liberians gathered in The Gambia, the engagement was more than a discussion about two proposed courts.

It was a reminder that distance does not erase belonging.

Whether in Monrovia or abroad, Liberians continue to carry the weight of the country’s past—and many want a place in determining how that past is confronted, how justice is pursued, and how reconciliation is achieved.

OWECC-L, WONGOSOL and FLY say they remain committed to strengthening diaspora participation and ensuring that Liberia’s transitional justice process is nationally owned, inclusive and participatory.