Monrovia – The Country Representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights says Liberians have the choice to decide how they deal with the report of the erstwhile Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia report.
His Excellency Uchenna Emelonye, Country Representative, says the Office of the High Commissioner on Human rights and other donors are only assisting Liberians but Liberians should make the choice as to what they want to do with the report.
“We are doing this to enable discussions to happen, we are not driving it, the choice is Liberians on how to deal with this report”, Ambassador Emelonye said.
Speaking at a one-day session on update on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report for all government ministries and agencies held in Monrovia, Ambassador Emelonye said the Government of Liberia along with donors spend millions on the Commission to get the report and it has taken several years since the release of the report.
“OCHR is very pleased that the Government of Liberia and the people are beginning to discuss the report and we will support the process to the healing point where the Liberian people will be satisfied with whatever they want”, he added.
He continued “it appears now, there is animosity and dissatisfaction because of the sensitivity of these issues, but we need to keep discussing and come out with the way forward”.
He cautioned Liberians not to only focus on the accountability issues raised in the report but the entire TRC report.
“Let’s not only look at the accountability issues but the report holistically so that one day the country will move forward and put aside what has happened”, noted.
Commissioner Wilfred Gray- Johnson of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights presenting on the TRC report said many of the TRC recommendations are already being implemented.
He said some of the recommendations are being implemented by variously ministries and agencies of government unknowingly.
Commissioner Johnson explained, for instance, the TRC has a recommendation on Free and Compulsory Education which is being implemented by the Ministry of Education. Also a TRC recommendation on nationwide Immunization which falls under the Ministry of Health.
TRC recommendation #38 was exacted implemented when a Democracy Subsistence Bill which calls for support to political parties through the national budget was discussed at the 53rd National legislature.
According to him, many Liberians think the only way to implement the TRC report is the prosecution, public sanctions and economic crimes aspects of the recommendations but he noted that recommendations are being implemented in many ways because they are included in documents, policies of other entities of government.
Commissioner Gray-Johnson said the TRC report is not meant to hunt but have many good recommendations that when implemented will move the country forward.
Before the one day session, the INCHR distributed specific recommendations of the TRC report that are to be implemented by a particular agency of government to the responsible agency to report on what is being done implement the report.
Making individual progress report, senior government officials from the Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Public Works, National Defense, Labour Health and other agencies including the Land Authority, Environmental protection Agency and the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation.
Joseph Todd, Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Public Works said the Ministry is implanting the portion of the TRC report that falls within the purview of the Ministry by working to connect towns and villages across the country.
Also, Wilfred Bangoura, Deputy Minister for Administration presenting for the Ministry of Commerce said the Ministry is working hard on reducing and ensuring the stabilization of prices of basic commodities on the Liberian market including that of the nation’s staple rice which is in line with the TRC recommendation.
Tibli O. Dickson, Deputy Minister for Administration, Ministry Defense said the Ministry has done significant work in implementing the TRC report mainly the issues of Gender Equality in the National Army and also providing some form of protection to widows of former soldier and veterans.
The Defense Ministry official said a Veteran Bureau had been established to drive this process and recruitment for qualified officials to head the Bureau is now in progress.
On Gender Equality, the Ministry of Defense said there are 4 female directors, 2 deputy directors-7 seven with graduate degrees working at MOD
Additionally, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the army is a female and when she traveled out of the country recently for the military program in China she was the only female amongst the many military officials from numerous countries that attended the program.
Discussions on implementation of the TRC report continues. The process is being supported by the OHCR.