Monrovia – Mr. Adama Dempster, General Secretary of Civil Society Organization (CSO) Platform, wants the Liberian Government honor its commitment it made to the United Nations concerning the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
Report by Mae Azango, [email protected]
Speaking recently on Carey Street in Monrovia, Mr. Dempster, who formed part of the CSO delegation to Geneva few months ago, said in Geneva, the Liberian government representative assured the UN that upon their return, the government was going to make full implementation of the TRC’s recommendations.
According to him, since their return, the government has not said anything and is tight-lipped on the issue.
“Unfortunately, since we returned, the government has not shown any commitment in implementing the TRC report. It is very much frustrating to see the government not living up to her international commitment,” said Dempster.
According to him, the issue of the TRC recommendations did not just come out of space but was part of the government’s initial report written to the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
He pointed out, that the report was written for the full implementation on the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, for which the implementation of the TRC recommendations was put forward.
“Therefore, it is the government’s obligation to implement the TRC recommendations. If this government fails to comply, the UN and the international community, could come up with other recommendations that could bring about sanctions to restrict government’s participation in international affairs and there may even be sanctions of international funding,” he indicated.
Dempster also used the occasion to think that Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson, who is one of the main perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity, is using “scare tactics to put fear in people like him who are opting for war crimes, and the implementations of the TRC recommendations.”
Sen. Johnson, who headed one of the fiercest warring factions, Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL), is always bragging about committing mayhem in the name of defending his kinsmen and women from Nimba County.
“Senator Johnson should be honest and sincere because he committed so many atrocities against the Liberian people. He is the man who murdered our former President, Mr. Samuel K. Doe. Why would he want to celebrate himself when he knows that society does not embrace him?” Dempster asked.
In a related development, the Civil Society Human Rights Platform of Liberia has launched its resolutions on the United Nations Human Rights Committee’s 3519 meeting held in Monrovia.
Whereas: the CSO members recognize that the recommendations from the UN Human Rights Committee on Liberia are fundamental for the advancement for the Human Rights in Liberia.
The resolution which further stated that it acknowledges human rights violations are prohibited globally by the various international human rights instrument which Liberia is a party to also called for several human rights violations to be adjusted by the government, which includes the following: The implementation of the TRC recommendations’, Death penalty, strengthening of the judicial system, and the security sector, conduct of police officers, the over congestion of the prisons, the prevalence of Sexual Gender Based violence, ritualistic and suspicious deaths among other crimes.
Therefore we the fifty delegates representing CSO Platform members and counties Human Rights Chapters representatives do hereby affix our consent through our participation and attendance to the two-day consultation dialogue s affirmation to our commitment thereto.
