There is a perception that majority of Liberians have forgiven the war atrocities and impact on their lives. This context is predominantly linked to the notion that sustaining the peace is fundamental to Liberia’s progress. However, the other side of the coin presents the unacceptable positioning that supports the promotion of a culture of impunity, allowing it to thrive, on the backs of a country affected by trauma, loss of more than 200,000 people and a blatant lack of accountability over four decades.
By Gregory O. W. Coleman, Director General, National Bureau of Concession
The question remains, how long can this belief hold? If this notion is supported by the fear of future armed conflict, then the administration of justice is no doubt the lesser of both evils because the culture of impunity is the hottest bedrock of conflict. As a matter of fact, the culture of impunity should be of absolutely no basis to any discussion at this point in the global and collective action to achieve social justice and equality. Centuries ago, the Greek made it emphatically clear that justice was the fundamental pillar of good governance and that assertion has been proven and yet holds strong even today.
The promotion and adherence to the rule of law strengthen the foundation of any society and epitomizes its existence to reflect a modern civilization, disregarding the myth of superiority of civilization, but rather its uniqueness from culture to culture.
There are very few situations that support ‘doing things right’ (law dictates) and doing ‘the right thing’ (situation dictates) and the administration of justice can perfectly relate to both. However, in fulfillment thereof, we must consider the fact that the hurt is not mutual, therefore the support for timing and ripeness, which we can not ignore, will become the prevailing argument. ‘If,’ being omitted herein, ‘when’ should this happen? Now? Never? The quest for justice surrounding crimes committed during our civil war, must not be treated as another unspoken of unresolved. It has no place in the future of a Liberia that respects the rights of its citizens.
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