4 September 2008
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Liberia (CABICOL) said its attention has been drawn to recent statements that the Catholic Church in Liberia is supportive of the establishment of a war crime court/tribunal in Liberia.
A press release issued by CABICOL in Monrovia said the statements were attributed to two clergy persons of the Catholic Church without naming the clergy persons, without saying when the attributions were made, or indicating who made the attributions.
The release however noted that one of these statements gives the impression that the Catholic Church of Liberia is supportive of the establishment of a war crime court/tribunal in Liberia, which it said is not true.
"On the contrary, the position of the Catholic Church of Liberia is very clear and unambiguous. At the end of the peace conference in Ghana, which produced the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Liberians settled for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission instead of a War Crime Court," the release quoted the Catholic bishops as saying.
The release then clarified that the Catholic Bishops' Conference at its annual conference in 2006 held in Gbarnga, Bong County, reaffirmed its commitment and support to the TRC process.
"Accordingly, the Bishops' Conference instructed the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) to undertake programs at both the National and Regional levels to enhance the work of the TRC through both human and material support," the release noted further.
It said the position of the Catholic Church has not changed, noting, "For the record, let it be made clear that the Catholic Church of Liberia is not divided on critical internal or on national issues.
"As a matter of policy and tradition, the Catholic Church of Liberia is represented by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Liberia (CABICOL), which comprises the Bishops of the three Dioceses in Liberia."
The Bishops' Conference of Liberia is presently headed by a president, Most Rev. Lewis J. Zeiglar, who is also the Bishop of the Diocese of Gbarnga.
The day to day affairs of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Liberia is run by a Secretary General, the present Secretary General of the Bishops' Conference of Liberia is Rev. Fr. Patrick M. Kabba, who is also the Parish Priest of Christ the King Catholic Church in Gaye Town, Old Road.
"By this arrangement, all official statements of the Catholic Church of Liberia are made by the President of the Bishops' Conference or if authorized by the Secretary General.
Accordingly, the Catholic Church Bishops' Conference of Liberia wants to make it clear that statement of individual Catholic, whether laity or religious should not be taken as the official statement or position of the Catholic Church of Liberia," the release said.
In conclusion, the release said the Catholic Church Bishops' Conference of Liberia firmly believes that the Liberian people have given the TRC a serious national task.
"The Catholic Church also believes that the TRC must be given the task to do its work, present its and recommendation to the Liberian people. The Catholic Church in Liberia has given that body a helping hand and the Church will continue to do so," it said.
It can be recalled that on July 15, 2008, a special commemoration program for victims and survivors of the July 29, 1990 St. Peter's Lutheran Church Massacre was held with calls by the administrator of the Catholic Church in Liberia for the establishment of a war crimes tribunal after the TRC.
Monsignor Andrew Karnley, the Apostolic Administrator of the Catholic Church in Liberia, said Liberians must come to terms with issue of reconciliation and justice as there can be no reconciliation without justice.
"We must ensure that those who bear the greatest responsibilities for the horrors in Liberia must be held accountable for the crimes committed," Reverend Father Karnley said, attracting a thunderous applause from worshippers who jammed packed the scene of the massacre to commemorate the killings.
He called on Liberians to see massacres committed by various factions in the civil war as lessons, saying they must vow they will never be repeated.
Father Karnley, at the time, said those who committed economic and war crimes during the country's years of conflict must be held accountable for their actions.
"What happens after the TRC? Let's stand for justice. Let us stand up for righteousness. If we fail to hold them accountable for their crimes, some of us will become victims again one day," he added.
The Catholic prelate said the church will lobby with its partners for the establishment in Liberia of a hybrid of the war crimes court in Sierra Leone.
He lamented the massacre of the defenceless citizens who had sought refuge in the St. Peter's Lutheran Church.
"They had come to the house of God to seek refuge under his watchful eyes but wicked men came and murdered them right in the presence of God."
Father Karnley then also called for the erection of special memorials for all victims of the conflict at strategic locations around the country.
"The truth telling process in a therapeutic one, we believe that special memorials must be constructed at the approaches to our major cities to serve as remembrance for all those who lost their lives during this national horror," he said.
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