|
|
Liberia: The TRC - a Still-Born of the Peace Process
 |
 |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
The Analyst (Monrovia)
OPINION
10 March 2008
Posted to the web 10 March 2008
Abdoulaye W. Dukulé
We were among the first to express our doubts about the effectiveness of the Liberian Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC). These doubts stemmed from the fact that the concept was the result of a compromise between warlords and politicians seeking the leadership of the transitional government in 2003 in Accra. The NPFL-AFL of Charles Taylor, the LURD of Sekou Damate Koneh and MODEL of Yaya Nimley did not want to face a war crimes tribunal. The politicians seeking the leadership of the then up-coming transitional government promised not to call for a war crime tribunal in exchange for consideration to head the transitional government.
Those who opposed candidate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf argued then that she was working with the United Nations to bring a war crime tribunal to put all warlords behind bars like in Sierra Leone. This may have cost her the leadership of the transitional government. The TRC out of Accra was the sweetest of all medications and easily acceptable. When it kicked off in Monrovia a few months ago in big fanfare, there was some hope that after all, the Commission could lead to something great in postwar Liberia: provide a voice and a forum for those whop have been victimized for so long and unearth the truth behind the atrocities of the war.
However, as time passes, it becomes more and more apparent that the TRC will accomplish a little, except bring to the fore a few victims and flamboyant perpetrators, seeking fame or sympathy. We probably misjudged its potentials two months ago after attending public hearings in Monrovia. After the splash of revelations from General Butt Naked, accusations against Sundaygar, and a few teary stories, the TRC seems to have been relegated to the state of still-born infant. Dead with its promises.
General Prince Johnson, certainly the most notorious personality of the 14-year civil war besides Charles Taylor, talked about war if he were ever forced to face the Commission. He later softened his position by saying that he and the family of Samuel K. Doe had reached an understanding and therefore he needed not go to the TRC. The forgiveness of the family of Samuel Doe changes nothing to the actions of Prince Johnson. First he killed a seating president and therefore committed an act of treason. Second he tortured a fellow Liberian and finally, he executed a civilian in the course of war. The family of Samuel Doe may forgive him but that has nothing to do with the laws of the land. Samuel Doe was President of Liberia, not just any private citizen and he was captured as a civilian in a war. Prince Johnson owes the Liberian people some explanation. Samuel Doe being good or bad is no justification of extra-judicial killing.
|
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf dealt the TRC a deadly blow when she said that she would rather talk about her involvement in the war in a book than face the TRC. She said the book was to fund her retirement and she was not ready to jeopardize her future income by talking to the TRC. The President either missed the point or simply decided to de-cloth the Commission of its last layer of credibility. There are millions of ways for a president to legally find retirement money. So far, Liberia only has the TRC to bring out the truth about our culture of lies, deception, violence and humiliation.
We hope both Senator Prince Johnson and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will reconsider their positions so that Liberians may have a chance to hear from others, warlords, financiers of the war and perpetrators of crimes during the years of national madness.
In the absence of the Truth, there can be no Reconciliation.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2008 The Analyst. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make allAfrica.com your home page | RSS Feed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | Subscribe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
