Gibson W. Jerue
5 July 2006
Monrovia — Three pressure and/or civil society groups are expected to stage a peaceful "16 symbolic caskets" march today to coincide with the arrival of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, in further solidification of their campaign for the establishment of a war crimes tribunal in Liberia.
The Forum for the Establishment of a War Crimes Court in Liberia, headed by Mulbah K. Morlu, Jr., the Citizens United to Promote Peace and Democracy in Liberia, headed by Prince Kreplah, and the Liberia New Vision, headed by Reekie Doe are summoning all their members and supporters to join them in a march starting from the B.W. Harris High School on Broad Street.
The pressure groups' concern has been that there are people who bear the greater responsibilities of crimes against the people of Liberia that should not go scotch free. They say the way to discourage recurring violence and wanton destruction of lives in Liberia is to punish the perpetrators of heinous crimes.
According to the groups, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission does not possess the necessary legal mechanism to deal squarely with alleged criminals and that it would not institute justice and restore sanity.
Supporters of TRC are arguing that the Commission is imbued with the moral and legal mechanisms to ensure peace, reconciliation, security and justice in that it reserves the right to recommend the prosecution of persons whose crimes are unpardonable, but the campaigners for war crimes tribunal think that is a farce.
But a press issued by the three groups is intended to hammer home their petition to the UN SG Kofi Annan that there is need to establish war crimes court to end the culture of impunity in the country.
"We have come to yet another great moment in our struggle for justice for all Liberians that were victimized after almost two decades of fratricidal civil upheaval that saw the deaths of hundreds of thousands of our people, the pillaging and looting of resources and, the perpetration of heinous crimes too numerous to be counted," said the groups.
In the mind of Morlu, Doe, Kreplah and others, warlords and other ruthless battlefront commanders who sent their fellow compatriots to their early graves and walking around free should be made to answer for their actions so as serve as deterrent to those who might be contemplating taking the path of war and violence, although their campaign runs counter to some Liberians who believe bygones should be bygones to give everyone a chance to start and live a decent life in the new dispensation of democracy.
Morlu and others believe that the establishment of a mix-domestic (hybrid) court for Liberia to try individuals who bear the greatest responsibility for crimes against humanity and other violations of international humanitarian law not pardonable under amnesty is the way to end impunity in Liberia.
They are in fact calling all Liberians who subscribed to their struggle to wear black t-shirt as a symbol of mourning for war victims.
According to the pressure groups, the 15 of the 16 symbolic caskets represent the victims of the 15 counties of Liberia and one casket represent foreigners or other Africans who were victimized by the forces of evil in Liberia.
The procession/march is designed to give a befitting funeral rite to victims of "our past bloodbath", and will be followed by a petition to Annan for the need for the establishment of a war crimes court in Liberia.
The groups have announced the arrival of the head of the West Africa team of Human Rights Watch, Ms.
Corrine Dufkar also today which coincide with the arrival of the UNSG. "The arrival of Ms Dufkar is to formulate ways in which the Human Rights Watch, International can provide a strong basis of support for the establishment of a war crimes court in Liberia," the pressure groups said.
They said, "Our attentions are drawn to an IRIN's recently held interview with President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf at which time the President's statement suggested that the creation of a war crimes court for Liberia was a decision left to accusers after going through a TRC process." The groups made reference to a letter of January 31, 2000 written by the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, in which reportedly said, "the International Commission of Inquiry found that the United Nations and the International Community had a particular responsibility to the people in connection with investigating the violations, establishing responsibilities, punishing those responsible and promoting peace and reconciliation "
They are confident that the creation of a mix-domestic court for Liberia is a national and international responsibility, arguing that "it is not just individual rights that were violated during our senseless war days but, domestic and international laws were equally infringed upon thereby creating a legitimate premise to bring to justice those bearing the greatest responsibility for such acts whether a TRC exists or not." They took cognizance of the Article 26 of international law states that anyone below the age of 18 at the time of the commission of a war crime is not liable for prosecution before a criminal tribunal, which they claim negates the fear raised by President Sirleaf that most of our young men could be taken to the court if established.
All that the group is asking President Sirleaf to do is to "go a step further in committing herself to making an official request to the United Nations Security Council for the establishment of a war crimes tribunal as soon as the petition is passed into law".
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