MONROVIA – Thirty-six years after more than 600 unarmed civilians were butchered inside St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Monrovia, Liberia continues to wrestle with one of the most painful questions left unanswered by its civil wars: Can a nation truly heal without justice? As survivors grow older, many still bearing physical scars, psychological trauma and crushing poverty, the annual commemoration of the July 29, 1990 massacre has once again transformed into a national reminder that remembrance alone cannot substitute for accountability. For the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (OWECC-L), the anniversary is more than a memorial—it is another urgent call for the country to finally translate decades of promises into concrete action by establishing the long-awaited War and Economic Crimes Court. The Analyst reports.
The Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (OWECC-L) has renewed its appeal for justice, accountability, reparations and national reconciliation as Liberia marked the 36th anniversary of the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Massacre, one of the bloodiest atrocities committed during the country’s prolonged civil conflict.
The annual memorial, held Wednesday, brought together survivors, families of victims, government officials, diplomats, civil society organizations, religious leaders and development partners, all united in remembrance of the more than 600 civilians who were massacred after seeking refuge inside the church on July 29, 1990.
Yet beneath the solemn tributes lay an unmistakable message: thirty-six years later, many survivors believe Liberia’s search for justice remains painfully incomplete.
Justice Cannot Wait Forever
Delivering the keynote statement on behalf of OWECC-L Executive Director Dr. Cllr. Jallah A. Barbu, War Crimes Division representative Ms. Charelyn Mulbah reminded the nation that time should never become an excuse for abandoning justice.
She paid tribute to the victims, survivors and bereaved families whose lives, she said, remain permanently altered by one of Liberia’s darkest chapters.
“Justice delayed for thirty-six years cannot become justice denied forever,” Ms. Mulbah declared.
According to her, establishing the proposed War and Economic Crimes Court is not intended to revive old divisions or encourage revenge, but rather to provide an impartial judicial mechanism capable of holding perpetrators accountable while restoring dignity to victims.
“The War and Economic Crimes Court is not about revenge but about accountability, healing, and ensuring that victims and survivors finally receive the justice and dignity they deserve,” she emphasized.
Her remarks reflected OWECC-L’s broader position that lasting peace can only be secured when truth, accountability and justice are pursued together.
Remembering Is Not Enough
OWECC-L also used the occasion to highlight the newly launched Civil War Memorial Photo Gallery, describing it as another important pillar in Liberia’s transitional justice process.
Ms. Mulbah said preserving photographs, testimonies and historical records will help educate future generations, counter efforts to deny or distort Liberia’s wartime history and preserve the memory of those who lost their lives.
She stressed, however, that memorialization should never become a substitute for accountability.
Remembering victims, she argued, must be accompanied by credible efforts to establish the truth, prosecute those responsible for grave crimes and guarantee that such atrocities are never repeated.
She further renewed calls for a comprehensive national reparations program capable of addressing the medical, psychological and economic hardships that continue to burden thousands of survivors and affected families.
Drawing lessons from Rwanda’s recovery after the 1994 genocide, Ms. Mulbah observed that accountability, memorialization, reconciliation and strong democratic institutions have proven essential ingredients for building sustainable peace.
Appeal to the Legislature
Against the backdrop of the anniversary, OWECC-L renewed its appeal to members of the National Legislature to expedite passage of the bills establishing both the War and Economic Crimes Court and the National Anti-Corruption Court.
According to the institution, the two proposed courts would significantly strengthen Liberia’s rule of law while addressing longstanding concerns over impunity for wartime atrocities and large-scale economic crimes.
The renewed appeal comes as Liberia continues to confront recommendations made years ago by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, many of which remain unimplemented despite repeated calls from victims’ organizations and civil society groups.
OWECC-L also acknowledged President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., development partners, faith-based organizations, civil society groups and victims’ associations for supporting Liberia’s ongoing transitional justice agenda.
Survivors Speak of Forgotten Pain
While OWECC-L emphasized institutional reforms, survivors focused attention on the daily realities they continue to endure decades after the massacre.
Marcus P. Quoigoah Sr., Executive Director of the Lutheran Church Massacre Survivors Association (LUMASA), urged the Government of Liberia to make the welfare of survivors a national priority rather than limiting official recognition to annual memorial ceremonies.
He said many survivors continue to struggle with untreated injuries, emotional trauma, poverty and inadequate access to healthcare.
According to Quoigoah, survivors are not asking for luxury or privilege.
Instead, he said, they seek the basic dignity they believe has been denied them for more than three decades through access to medical treatment, psychosocial support, meaningful reparations and justice for those responsible for the massacre.
He commended OWECC-L for sustaining national attention on accountability while encouraging the institution to maintain close engagement with survivors as Liberia advances its transitional justice process.
‘We Survived to Change the Future’
Quoigoah also encouraged survivors to continue documenting and sharing their experiences, describing every testimony as an important contribution to Liberia’s historical record.
Under the theme, “We Survived to Change the Future,” he called on Liberians to reject silence, indifference and historical revisionism while embracing accountability and national healing.
He said preserving survivors’ testimonies is essential to ensuring that future generations understand the devastating human cost of conflict and the importance of protecting peace.
A Nation Still Searching for Closure
The July 29, 1990 massacre remains one of the defining atrocities of Liberia’s civil war. More than 600 civilians—mostly women, children and elderly people who believed the church offered sanctuary—were killed by soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia, according to historical accounts widely documented by human rights organizations.
More than three decades later, the Lutheran Church Massacre continues to symbolize both the horrors of Liberia’s civil conflict and the country’s unfinished journey toward truth, accountability and reconciliation.
For survivors, justice is no longer simply a legal question. It has become a moral obligation owed to those who never left the church alive and to those who survived carrying memories that time alone has never been able to heal.
As another anniversary passes, Liberia once again confronts a familiar challenge: whether remembrance will remain an annual ritual—or finally become the foundation upon which lasting justice is built.