Today, we join human rights defenders and enthusiastic justice advocates everywhere in welcoming the historic conviction of former Liberian, ULIMO – K warlord infamously known by the name “Jungle Jabbah” in a US Philadelphia Court on account of his role and participation in war crimes related atrocities from murder to torture, sexual slavery, cannibalism, rape, revealing the barbaric horhors of the Liberian civil war endued by countless of its unarmed and defenseless victims.
This trial signals that the wheels of justice will not stop rolling until victim’s justice becomes a living reality in Liberia. We extol the heroic efforts of the US Government and prosecutors who assembled bundles of credible evidence and witnesses victimized by the convicted perpetrator and his war machine.
We also extend appreciation to other advocates and Governments in Europe who share the aspirations of the Liberian people for justice for the horrendous crimes against humanity committed against the people of Liberia by numerous heartless perpetrators, yet to face justice. Lasting peace is never guaranteed for Liberians if justice is made an elusive aspiration. We are praying that Jabbateh receives the maximum sentence of 30 years.
Liberia War and Economic Crimes Perpetrators enjoying impunity are a serious threat to Liberia
There are numerous alleged perpetrators in Liberia who are shielded from justice by their war-time allies and fellow perpetrators in high offices of public trust in Liberia who aided and abetted them prosecute the two “wars of infamy” in Liberia, during which an estimated 250, 000 innocent civilians, non war actors, lost their lives.
We encourage the courageous International Community to remain engaged with justice advocacy in Liberia, emphasizing that the poor and hurting people of Liberia have been waiting just too long for justice as the many ring leaders and renowned perpetrators benefit from the atmosphere of impunity in Liberia and are now amassing illegal wealth, with which they hope to continue shielding themselves from justice and destabilize the fragile state if a future government of their liking is not surrogated to power – continued impunity is therefore, a threat to lasting peace and security in Liberia!
Justice is Sure – Everyone will face justice
Our efforts to bring justice to War and Economic Crimes perpetrators have yielded much fruits and will continue. Already, several Liberian perpetrators around the world are awaiting trials for several egregious crimes they are alleged to have committed in the past. Already, an ally of Former President Charles Taylor also with ties to RUF in the “blood diamond” trade, during the Sierra Leonean war (Michel Desaedeleer) of American and Belgian nationalities has died in Belgian Custody while awaiting his trial.
Justice Roll Call
- Charles Taylor – Former President of Liberia, convicted on several counts of war crimes by the ICC; sentenced to 50 yrs in a UK prison
- Charles Chuckie Taylor – Son of Charles Taylor, convicted of torture in the US; He is serving a 97 yr sentence in the US
- Isaac Kannah – Of ULIMO Lied in his testimony that George Boley was never a warlord; he is awaiting trial in the US
- Jucontee Tom Woweyu – of the NPFL is awaiting trial in the US for lying about his NPFL status, role and participation in the war
- Alieu Kosiah – ULIMO rebel commander, arrested in Switzerland is awaiting trial for murder, rape, systematic killings, etc.
- Martina Johnson – NPFL commander, arrested for brutal ethnic killings, and others in Belgium; awaiting trial
- Agnes Reeves Taylor – Taylor’s Ex wife, arrested in London on torture charges; awaiting trial
The New Government In Liberia
Speaking onbehalf of all human rights and justice advocates around the world we expect that:
The new government in Liberia will compliment global human rights and justice advocacy efforts by:
- Adopting progressive human rights and anticorruption policies by firstly incorporating a plan for the full and comprehensive implementation of all the recommendations of the TRC of Liberia;
- Reconstituting the Independent Human Rights Commission of Liberia and strengthening the Anti- Corruption Laws of Liberia to include modelled and enhanced Economic and Financial Crimes Laws relevant for combatting criminals in this arena who have become more sophisticated and awaken the Anti-Corruption Commission in Liberia which is as good as dead!
Justice is Peace
This quotation of Jane Addams as our motto, embodies our mission, beliefs and philosophy: “True peace is not merely the absence of war, it is the presence of justice”.
We are a nongovernmental organization organized last July to continue and buttress peace advocacy for justice in Liberia and combat contemporaneous human rights issues (for example, pretrial detention, pervasive poverty, economic crimes, education) in Liberia as a major focus to ensure that other war and economic crimes perpetrators come face to face with the justice they deserve.
Cllr. Jerome J. Verdier, Sr, Contributing Writer