Open Letter: Establishing the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia

Dear President Boakai:

                  The Coalition for Justice in Liberia (CJL) welcomes you and your delegation to the United States of America.  The CJL is a group of Liberian expatriates and war victims living in the United States, who are seeking justice for the victims of Liberia’s civil wars. 

We are writing to express our deep gratitude to you for your work toward establishing a war and economic crimes court in Liberia.  As you are aware, such a court is greatly needed in Liberia.  Your Executive Order establishing an Office of War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (the “Office”) and commitment to establishing a war and economic crimes court are important steps forward in bringing justice to Liberian war victims.  The CJL strongly encourages you to take further swift action in this direction.   

                  To be specific, the CJL requests that you ask the United Nations for support in establishing and operating the war and economic crimes court. The United Nations has resources that can greatly assist our nation in the operation of the new tribunal. 

In the recent past, the United Nations has helped establish special courts to deal with war crimes in Rwanda, former Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Cambodia, and Lebanon.  Thus, the United Nations has knowledge, experience and resources that can greatly help Liberia with the tribunal.  We should take advantage of the lessons learned in these other jurisdictions.  Doing so will enable Liberia to establish a respectful, impartial, and effective court, that can lay the foundation for a stronger society.  

It is possible to act on this immediately.  Your delegation can approach the United Nations while you are here in the United States.  As you know, the United Nations sits in New York City — merely a phone call away from your current visiting locations in Dallas, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia.  We recommend a call to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Office of the Legal Advisor at the United Nations, to get their advice on the next step. 

It is imperative that this project continues to move forward. Crimes committed against humanity are not a victimless crime. Liberia’s war victims are real people — they are your fellow citizens who have been forced to live with the scars, agony and sorrow of the civil wars that devastated Liberia.  The victims’ prolonged quests for justice have for the most part been ignored.  Mr. President, as you are aware, justice delayed is tantamount to justice denied.  Peace, political stability, and economic development are undermined by the absence of justice.

For these reasons, the CJL implores you to approach the United Nations for guidance, direction, and expertise in establishing and operating Liberia’s war and economic crimes court. The time for acting on this matter is now.

                  In addition to involving the United Nations, the CJL strongly recommends that your government staff the Office with international experts and ordinary Liberian citizens, whose characters are above reproach. Specifically, we entreat your office to look beyond the Liberian Judiciary and Bar Association. As you know, the Liberian Judiciary is plagued by corruption, incompetence, and pervasive bribery. The Liberian people do not have faith in the judges and most lawyers who practice law in Liberia.  As a process, this important office needs to be credible, impartial, and driven by the highest moral and ethical considerations. This cannot be done solely on the age-old political and economic connections. If necessary, the CJL encourages your administration to consider staff for the Office and the court from outside of Liberia, including persons in the Liberian diaspora.

Finally, Mr. President, the CJL encourages you to include Liberian war victims in the Office and the court.  The victims of the Liberian civil wars should have a place at the table, have voice in the process, and take ownership of the court.  We are concerned that certain persons are attempting to undermine the work of the Office and the eventual court, for political and/or financial reasons.  Mr. President, the CJL calls on you to reject these outside efforts, and to embrace the concept of victims’ participation in this process.  

                  Mr. President, we hope you have had an enjoyable and productive trip to the United States.  Once again, the CJL welcomes you and your delegation to the United States. The CJL looks forward to a favorable response from your office.