MONROVIA – Survivors of the Peter’s Lutheran Church massacre have made a renewed call on the Government of Liberia and international partners to set up mechanisms for those who committed the heinous crimes against them and their deceased relatives to face justice.
By: Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected]
On top of their request this year, the survivors called on the Armed forces of Liberia to take responsibility for the action committed by the army 33 years ago during Liberia’s first civil war.
“That we recognize that there has been a change and restructuring of the Armed Forces of Liberia, transforming them into a force for good. It is with this recognition that we call upon the current army to shoulder responsibility for crimes the institution committed. We believe that it is of utmost significance that the army, as a symbol of protection and justice, take the lead in acknowledging the pain and suffering endured by victims,” said the Lutheran Church Massacre Survivors’ Association, LUMASA, in a statement delivered by its executive director Marcus Paye Quoigoah.
The Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church massacre, according to Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), was one of the worst single atrocities of the First Liberian civil war. An estimated 600 people including women, children and the elderly who had sought refuge at the Church designated by the Red Cross and the United Nations as shelter, were murdered allegedly by the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) loyal to then President Samuel Doe.
As rebel forces gained strength, the AFL grew more brazen and increasingly attacked civilians, specifically targeting members of the Mano and Gio tribes, who they believed were loyal to Charles Taylor’s rebel movement- the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL). By late July, as many as 2,000 civilians—mostly Manos and Gios—were sheltering in the Lutheran Church compound, sleeping in the church, its courtyard, and the school building. On the night of July 29, 1990, as NPFL forces closed in on Monrovia, AFL soldiers stormed the crowded St. Peter’s Lutheran Church compound and attacked the approximately 2000 civilians taking shelter inside.
Men, women, and children were gunned down as they attempted to flee. Many who survived the initial rounds of shooting were hacked to death with machetes as soldiers spread out over the compound, ensuring the slaughter was complete. Some people survived by hiding under piles of dead bodies until the soldiers left. Most sources estimate that over 600 civilians died over the course of that night. But some survivors say the number may be far greater than that.
LUMASA said it is now time that the current Armed Forces of Liberia imitate the good role played by the Rwandan army. In the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, the national army of Rwanda took a proactive step to restore the dignity of victims and survivors. Through its army initiative, the army constructed homes and other facilities. This initiative was aimed at identifying with victims and survivors of the genocide and alleviating some of their suffering.
‘Where is justice?
Despite the atrocities, no one has held accountable for the massacre in Liberia. However, in August 2022, a U.S. Court found Moses Thomas, ex-commander of the defunct Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SATU), guilty of ordering the massacre and ordered him to pay US$84 million to four victims of the massacre. But before the ruling, he fled the U.S. and it is believed that he is in Liberia.
Thomas, speaking to New Narrative and FrontPage Africa from hideout, angrily dismissed the judgment.
“Look Sir, I am having a good Saturday. I don’t want to be bothered with nonsense! Nonsense!” Thomas said in a phone call. “Stupidity! Quote me in any way you want to. Let them go to hell and kiss my a…!”
“I will ship $84 million and put it in a mail and send it to them to pay for nonsense! To hell with their decision and everything!” Taking aim at the judges he said, “You think I have time for corrupt judges who make stupid decisions without any evidence?”
In a set of recommendations, the group reiterated the call for justice. “Again, in closing, as an organization committed to upholding human rights and humanitarian values, we solemnly demand that the responsible parties be held accountable for their actions. said Quoigoah.
Continuing, he said: “The memories of those lost in this horrific event deserve justice and recognition. We call upon the authorities to pursue a just and robust effort with every necessary legal means, ensuring that those responsible for this merciless act face the consequences of their actions.”
The group also called for the exhumation of the remains of their loved ones buried in mass graves at the entrance of the Church.
“As a survivor of this unimaginable atrocity, I stand before you with a wounded body, yet fortified by truth and the hope that we can work together to ensure that the memory of our fallen loved ones is never forgotten. On behalf of the survivors of this massacre, I respectfully request that the remains of those buried in mass graves on the grounds of the church be exhumed and reburied for proper memorialization.”
The group said it is a profound tragedy that these innocent victims were denied the dignity and respect that they deserve in death. Therefore, the utmost urgency is required to rectify this injustice.
“As the head of the survivor group of this massacre, I strongly advocate for the establishment of a memorial site or a site of consciousness, such as a museum, to eulogize the lives lost. The cardinal reason why proper memorialization is crucial for our loved ones buried in mass graves is that it serves as a means of healing and reconciliation for the families and communities affected. It also serves as a reminder for future generations of our collective responsibility to ensure that such atrocities do not reoccur.”
The group also implored the government and international community to use its positions to bring this heinous crime to the attention Keeping victims and survivors healthy and provided for represents the first line of justice. It is essential to restore our inherent dignity as human beings, rebuild shattered lives, and give us hope for a better future. By uplifting our spirits and addressing our physical and mental well-being, you enable us to find solace, strength, and purpose, and to testify impartially in the pursuit of justice.”
The memorial for the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Massacre over the weekend was expected to be solemn, and the graphic, mournful narratives of survivors could only deepen the grief of congregants of the horrible event that turned the church into a slaughterhouse.
The survivors recounted the horrors on that fateful night. Esther Dahn explained she lost her husband and four children, adding, she and her only surviving daughter suffered a severed bullet wound.
“They shot me in my hand and my legs. They cut my foot. My children were three boys and two girls. Only one survived. And they cut her hand. All my children and my husband left here. I am living in pain,” Esther recounted as she cried out.
Ivan K. Newall, now in his 70s, also explained that he lost his sons and wife, and was badly wounded. Another survivor said she is living with bullets in her spine. Doctors advise that any operation to remove them may lead to her death.
Why successive Liberian governments continue to ignore the TRC recommendations to prosecute those accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, several Liberians, under international laws have been tried outside of Liberia – in the U.S. and Europe.
As the survivors await justice which for now appears elusive, they are never shy to tell their stories, no matter how painful it is, with optimism that someday those voices will be heard as summed up for them by Quoigoah.
“For the past 33 years, we have been abandoned and left to grapple with our challenges by ourselves. Our physical injuries, financial burden, emotional pain, and psychological trauma have been ignored and overlooked with impunity. We are told to pick ourselves up even with our amputated arms and legs. We are expected to run at life again even with these unfair odds imposed on us. We are dying the death we survived 33 years ago without the screams in our ears this time, even outside the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church compound. Where is justice?” Where is fairness?… We are left to navigate through life with untreated wounds and unhealed trauma, enduring a nightmare of stonewalling attention to justice, unfulfilled promises, ignored pleas and deaf ears.”