Ex-Pro Temp wants colleagues to look at many issues On War Crime Court Establishment on Liberian Soil

MONROVIA: As the imminent establishment of the War and Economic Crimes in the country gets traction, the immediate past President Pro Temp of the Liberian Senate, Albert T. Chie has advised his colleagues to learn from history during the leadership of former President George Manneh Weah in which while his government was desirous of setting up a War and Economic Crimes Court, he had sought the advice of the national legislature to guide his thought and to ensure that Liberians fully support the process.

In a letter addressed to Pro Temp Senator Nyonblee Kangar Lawrence, Senator Chie suggested that while the Senate awaits “”His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai to seek its opinion on the feasibility of establishing a criminal tribunal for us to have our say for the second time, my communication is intended to draw our attention to the expediency and imperativeness of the Presidential apology, the setting up of the Reparation Trust Fund, continuation of the Palava Hut and other national healing and reconciliation programs and the implementation of activities which will bring economic benefits to victims and worst affected communities in the civil crisis”.

The Pro Temp emeritus said with respect to his suggestion, his colleagues should request the plenary which is the highest decision making body in the senate to authorize the Secretary of the Senate “to communicate to the President of Liberia, to within a reasonable timeframe and offer said state apology, set up the Trust fund, restart the palava hut program and commence the implementation of development projects in the highly victimized communities.

“Madam President Pro-tempore and Distinguished Colleagues, I further request plenary to mandate the requisite budgetary appropriations, beginning with the 2024 National budget, to facilitate the implementation of the above tasks by the President of Liberia”, Senator Chie said.

While making reference to the response from the Senate to former President Weah’s request of September 19, 2018 seeking the advice of the body on how to proceed with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Senator Chie said the Senate then advised Weah and was contained in a twenty two page report, among of which included but not limited to  “that the call for the establishment of an extraordinary criminal tribunal for war and economic crimes committed during the period of the civil conflict must ‘examined within the context of the implication of our constitution, laws and processes to determine their compatibility and feasibility of establishing such a tribunal”.

“That Constitutional and other legal prohibitions may not easily permit the establishment of said criminal tribunal for war crimes on Liberian soil, most especially that Liberia acceded to the Rome Statute after the end of the civil war;

“That domestic economic crimes committed during the period of the civil crisis can only be adjudged and litigated in domestic criminal courts under Liberia’s domestic jurisprudence, and cannot be a subject of an international criminal tribunal. This is besides the fact that statute of limitations have since tolled, in accordance with the laws”.

Others taken into consideration include, that in line with one of the recommendations of the TRC, the President of Liberia should offer an apology on behalf of the State to the many victims and the people of Liberia in general for its role in the conflict and for the injuries and losses sustained by individuals and communities; “That also as recommended by the TRC, the Government should without further delay set up a Reparation Trust Fund for victims and communities worst affected by the conflict, to benefit through direct financial assistance or through development programs and projects; and “That the National Palava Hut Program and other programs for national healing, peace building and reconciliation aimed towards restorative justice, started by the Government of former President Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, should recommence”, the Grand Kru Senator said.