TUBMANBURG, BOMI COUNTY – People who played major roles in the Liberia Civil War should be barred from participating in elections in Liberia and occupying any positions of public service, traditional leaders from western Liberia have urged.
The Chiefs, elders and tribal governors of Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, and Gbarpolu and Bomi, in a recent resolution at a regional consultation on a war crimes court for Liberia, called for an amendment of the elections law to bar ex-warlords from running for posts, and the creation of other laws to bar them from public service. The consultation was organized by the Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform and the National Council of Chiefs and Elders of Liberia.
The chiefs said their call was in fulfillment of an earlier resolution at the close of last year’s National Economic Dialogue, where they pledged full support for the court and the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report. They included Chief Siafa M. Barmadia, Chief Koisee Gahn and Chief Haji A. Sombai, chairpersons of the Chiefs and Elders Council of Bomi, Gbarpolu and Cape Mount. Chief Momo Kiazulu, Vice Chair for Chiefs Affairs of the Council, attested their resolution.
An estimated 250,000 people were killed in Liberia’s 14-year civil war, one of Africa’s bloodiest conflicts.
TRC listed 50 people it recommended to be barred from public office, more than a hundred ex-rebel leaders and former fighters to face prosecution as well as scores of politicians to be investigated over economic crimes in its 2009 report. and However, those—like majority of the commission’s recommendations—have not happened. A number of former rebel commanders still hold key positions in the Liberian government, including Senator Prince Johnson of Nimba, and Representative George Boley and Superintendent Kai Farley of Grand Gedeh County.
The 17 chiefs, elders and tribal governors gave a 90-day ultimatum—beginning March 5—to lawmakers representing their counties to push for the passage into law of a resolution already before the House Representatives for the court and a separate court for economic crimes. Fifty-two lawmakers have already signed that resolution.
Despite majority of the House supports the court, the chiefs’ call for the law barring those who bear the greatest responsibilities of the war is expected to face opposition, with a large portion of the TRC report having gone more than a decade unimplemented.