Monrovia – Senator Prince Y. Johnson(MRD, Nimba County) has hit back at Cllr. Tiawon Gongloe, labeling the President of the Liberia Bar Association as a “stupid Man” over the lawyer’s persistent push for the establishment of a war and economic crimes court for Liberia.
Cllr. Gongloe is on record for calling for the prosecution of people who committed crimes against humanity during the Liberian civil conflict. The LBA has in fact, endorsed a resolution for the establishment of the court.
Advocates ‘Wasting Their Time’
“They are stupid, including Tiawon Gongloe because those “Damn” lawyers under Gongloe’s leadership should have kept mute so that if war crime court comes and some of us are implicated, we will look among them to pick lawyers that will represent us. War Crimes Court will not be established; it is a waste of time.”
– Senator Prince Y. Johnson
In an interview held over the weekend, Senator Johnson said those advocating for the war crimes court are wasting their time because the Accra Comprehensive Peace Accord calls for amnesty for people who participated in the conflict.
Senator Johnson, famous for killing Liberia’s former President Samuel K. Doe, said: “Those who talking about having war crime court and amnesty at the same time are stupid. They are stupid because there are legal instruments that prevent that from happening.”
The influential Nimba County lawmaker declared: “They are stupid, including Tiawon Gongloe because those “Damn” lawyers under Gongloe’s leadership should have kept mute so that if war crime court comes and some of us are implicated, we will look among them to pick lawyers that will represent us. War Crimes Court will not be established; it is a waste of time.”
The Nimba lawmaker, often intimidated when the issue of the establishment of a war and Economic Crimes Court is mentioned, believes that lawyers who are calling for such action have already compromised their integrity to represent people who could be indicted if there is a court established.
In Bong County, Cllr. Gongloe presenting on the topic ‘Legal and Constitutional Underpinnings of the TRC Recommendations on Accountability: Human Rights Perspective’, said the Bill will be submitted to the National Legislature for passage into law to start the accountability process for crimes committed during the Liberian conflicts.
Accountability Over Impunity
“As we Liberians dialogue on these issues, we must choose accountability over immunity. So, let me tell you today that the Bar has setup a committee to draft a bill calling for the establishment of a war crimes court in Liberia for submission to the National Legislature” he disclosed.
The Committee, Cllr. Gongloe said, is made of five of the most eminent jurists in Liberia and he is convinced that their work will set the stage of achieving accountability in the country. The Bar Association head said, the group will move onward for the submission of the Bill to the National Legislature for passage into law.
Cllr. Gongloe maintained that dialogue is the best way for Liberians to continue talking until they reach a final conclusion on how to proceed. He however said, that during these dialogues, Liberians must choose accountability over immunity. “Talking is a way of finding solution to problems, but let us stick with one voice on war crimes court, Liberians, let us not be afraid”, he told the gathering.
According to Cllr. Gongloe, the notion by some that a War Crimes Court will threaten Liberia’s peace is wrong. He indicated that impunity will lead to more destruction in the future.
Drawing his conclusions on the events in Rwanda, Cllr. Gongloe said people were killed in the 1960s and 1970s in Rwanda but the people decided to let it go until the situation escalated to a genocide in 1994 when nearly one million people were killed.
The Rwandan genocide, Cllr. Gongloe said is a classic example of how impunity has the propensity to destroy an entire nation.