Jonathan Browne
8 August 2007
BBC World Service Trust in collaboration with the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) started a two-week training program on communicating transitional justice for 20 Liberian journalists in Monrovia.
Participants have been drawn from both the print and electronic media, which include managers of several community radio stations outside the capital.
Another partner of the program is the Liberia Media Center Inc. a local media consultancy and training group.
The Project Director for the Communicating Justice program, Julia Crawford, said the program is supported by the European Union, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an American-based Ngo, Humanity United.
Ms Crawford said the two-year project aims to raise public awareness and debate around transitional justice issues in five post-conflict countries in Africa including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.
The training in Liberia, which runs from August 6-17, comes at the time when the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) prepares to begin public hearing of victims and perpetrators of atrocities committed during nearly three decades of political unrest which left about half million people dead.
A BBC World Service Trust survey conducted in conjunction with Search for Common Ground recently in Monrovia indicated that eight out of ten adults in Liberia are aware of the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, but less than half are aware of its powers to recommend amnesties, prosecutions, and reparations.
"The household survey, carried out in June 2007 with Search for Common Ground, explores levels of knowledge and attitudes surrounding transitional justice issues in the wake of the civil conflict that ended in 2003.
The survey is based on a random sample of 1,600 adults (18-59 year olds) in eight diverse counties in Liberia", said a press release issued on July 31st.
It is also expected to empower working journalists to properly report on the pending trial of former president Charles Taylor in The Hague by the Special Court of Sierra Leone on 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
According to the survey, whilst 94% of respondents are aware that former Liberian President Charles Taylor is on trial, 1 in 5 is not aware that the trial is conducted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
The Special Court indicted Mr. Taylor in 2003 for allegedly supporting the defunct rebels Revolutionary United Front (RUF) during its 10-year terror campaign against armed less civilians in that country, but the former Liberian president has denied.
She disclosed that a follow-up online training course will come up after the exercise in Monrovia and subsequently a website will be dedicated to enable journalists to post articles and news stories on transitional justice issues, which relatively is a new concept in Liberia.
The Project Director is being assisted by a trainer from South Africa, Karen Williams, who extensively covered the South African Truth and Reconciliation process as a journalist.
BBC World Service Trust is a charity which works with civil society, local media and governments to build long term development solutions.
"We produce creative programs to inform and engage audiences, strengthen the media sector by building professional capacity and skills, and measure the impact of our work using rigorous research", according to a mission statement.
Speaking on behalf of the International Center for Transitional Justice, an official, Paul James-Allen, said the ICTJ main focus is to assist societies coming out of conflicts by giving them tools that will enable them to properly handle justice in transition.
"By addressing the abuses of past regimes and establishing an historical record of what occurred, transitional justice can break this cycle of violence and impunity and set a country on a new path towards sustainable peace, democracy and the rule of law", said Mr. James-Allen.
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