Monrovia – As campaigners in Liberia prepare to stage a peaceful march in Monrovia to call for the establishment of war and economy crimes court, some members of the 54th National Legislature have vowed to lobby with their colleagues for the introduction of a resolution in support of the establishment of a war and economy crime court.
Report by Jackson F. Kanneh-077019542 [email protected]
Attending a National Justice Conference Friday in Monrovia, five members of the 54th Legislature expressed support for the establishment of the court in consultation with their constituency.
River Gee County district#3 Representative Francis Dopoh; Rustonly S. Dennis of Montserrado District#4, Hanson S. Kiazolu of District #17, Richard N. Koon of District #11 and Ceebee Barshell of Montserrado County District #3 assured the war crimes court campaigners of their commitment to bring justice to the victims of the civil war.
Speaking to FrontPage Africa after the National Justice Conference, Representatives Dennis and Dopoh pledged their support for the establishment of the economy and war crimes court.
According to them, the establishment of war crimes court is necessary because it will serve as a precedent for future generation.
Justice, according to the two lawmakers, is very important in the developmental agenda of any country.
According to them, Liberia will be more stable and peaceful after the establishment of the court depending it is the will of the Liberia citizen.
“Once the call for the establishment of the court has the desire of our people I will support it even if I am the lone man to take up the revolution once my people support me I will take up the challenge.
“The issue of the court is not about the warlords, it is about what happened during the war so we should not be scare here to establish the court. This country will be peaceful, justice and peace are all part of development so let nobody threaten us here”, Rep. Dopoh said.
“We should not be begging when it comes to justice, we just need to look at the timing and the security. So, again the voice of the people will prevail. And as an individual I stand for justice and I cannot go contrary for what I stand for. So, if any of my colleagues are human right violators when we shall have pass any resolution on the matter he or she will be permitted before the law”, the Montserrado district#4 lawmaker noted.
Speaking earlier at the conference, Uchenna Emelonye, Country Representative of the office of the Higher Commissioner for Human Rights, assured the people and government of Liberia of the necessary support needed in the fight for peace and justice.
He called on the CDC-led the government to implement the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in order to bring lasting peace to the people of Liberia.
“As the office of the higher commissioner for human rights, we commit to supporting the government and people of Liberia in their quest for reconciliation and accountability for past human rights violations. In the same concluding observation, the committee urged the government of Liberia to take all measures necessary to implement the TRC recommendations.
“It further recommends to the government of Liberia to establish, as a matter of priority, a process of accountability for past gross human rights violations that conforms in international standards”, he averred.
At the end of the National Justice Conference, participants from both local and international human rights organizations signed a joint resolution calling on the government of Liberia and her international partners for the establishment of an economy and war crime court in the country.