Well done Mr. Commissioner and thanks to the bodies that finacied your project. However i would like to import my strong disagreement with you on the prosecution recommendation of 'persons bearing the most responsibnility 'in the conflict . Without a speck of doubt ,Yumi Johnson ,Taylor Kromah ,and the rest ofthe varied factional leaders should be brought to book to account for their roles ,but from the Sierra leonean experience ,the room for justice to take a course is more than small .And further ,the International criminal justice system dosen't actually dispense justice rather its focal element in the entire process is a mere political weapon. In our system of fraternity it would really serve no one for Liberians to go on any expedition trip which may end up corrosively dividing the country. The war was initiated by Sirleaf ,Sawyer ,Fahnbulleh and co as a last resort effort to get rid of Doe and it didn't go without the prior approval of the United States - the architect and most vocal organizer of the Justice panel. If the International community is that committed to bringing the perperators to Justice ,then what about the elements in the US government that gave its nod of approval ,Sirleaf and co ,who actually facilitated and nutured the Taylor factor and the field commanders who actually executed the dictates of their bosses- these were the individuals whose direct actions actually wrecked havoc on the poor masses. Like Sierra Leone ,eeveryday every moment the amputees sees their amputators passing by them in cars and other spoils of the carnage ,it smoulders their remaining courage to live. In short Liberians would be better served without any sort of Criminal court sitting that will hung over them for decades to come . And the funniest of all is the Sirleaf disqualification inclusion. Here is a Sitting highly popular ( outside liberia) President who , like Ghadaffi and Tejan Kabbah can never be included in any court hearing by any court whatsoever, and she is been asked to step aside . why do we pretend to such a low level .Without Sirleaf and others no true Judicial engagement will ever quiten the guns in Liberia neither will the embers of that tragedy be thrown into the sea. So please think again .

Hashim

Woh! what can one say.Elen is not Better then Taylor. I think taylor is better, cuz taylor known for talking the truth. Elen never thought the trc would have given such a report.She sold taylor for good image, today we are selling her for the same good image. We don't want anyone that took part in the war to rule us........... when taylor is finish given his part of the story, Elen herself will step down.

It saddened my heart to hear comments like Ellen isno different from Taylor. If we were to go on listing the mountainous differences that exists between Madam Ellen and Mr. Taylor, the website could be jam for some time. So we will not go in to that. Madam Sirleaf with the respect of the international community has been able restore Liberia's image from one of a pariah state to respected nation in the comity of nations. She has been able to raised the country's budget from a mere $80 million US to almost $400 million in the space of just ovee 3 years with civil servnts salary rising from $800 Liberian Dollars to $ 80 US now. We are for the first time massive improvement in the our road conditions, in the health sector, educational sector and the list goes on. The leadership ability of Madam Sirleaf has led to a considerable increase in international support fro liberia's rebuilding. Have you seen the new university campus unde construction at Fendell, do you know about the 100 bed room multi million dollar hospital being costructed at Tappita? Do we have to say that the two commonalities that exists between Mr. Taylor and Madam Sirleaf are that of being Liberians first and second as Presidents? Please think about this and know that Mrs. Sirleaf is a dignified and respected President.

what are you talking about here? How do you think that Taylor was going to do those things you talked about? All of those people from the international community that are helping today, are the same people who she got help from to damage taylor's image out there.But you and i know that Elen was the one who mobilize Taylor and the others by the help of some us investors, They even got him out of jail. The 1985 coup was her idea, 1989 war was her idea. Taylor was just the foot soldier. But hold your peace ontil the 13,07 2009 when Taylor will give his side of the story.Taylor had sanctions and travel ban, Elen is free. Nobody is distroying her image. You heared George Bush when he said he desided to help Ellen forfill her dream. So he suppoeted her and she won a free and fair ellection. We know some of you guys are pro Ellen. Oh because it's Ellen? Why You didn't put your hand behind Taylor at the time. You guys was just there supporting lurd rebbel. You should spend your time praying for sekou d conneh to be free. Ellen has allready said he's being treated as a guinean. If it was taylor you guys would have broght war again. Try to be real man!

Liberians need to sit back and evaluate what the TRC report findings means for our young democracy. In my opinion, the TRC process should've been untaken during the Bryant transitional administration and completed before heading into the last elections. Coming out with a prosecutorial slant at this time is taking the country back to acrimony and strife. Is the result worth risking the fragile peaceful democracy that the country now clings onto? Is it worth diverting so much international assistance that should continue going toward development and poverty reduction? Is placing the country in several lengthy periods of expensive legal tussles and halt the redevelopment process to settle scores worthy it? And then after all that is done, will we as Liberians experience true peace? Will we ever finally be satisfied? After they got rid of Tolbert and tried and executed 13 of his officials, did it bring peace and satisfaction to Liberians? Did it lead to lasting stability? Look where we are after all those years. The level of hatred and vennom even amongst some persons who blogg on these websites is very frightening! The TRC did not include vivid recommendations that would reunite and reconcile Liberia other than penalizing former warlords and citing a highly selective list of names of those to be banned from politics for 30 years. We all can remember that it was not too long ago that some Liberians were saying to Charles Taylor, "you kill my Ma, you kill my Pa, but I will vote for you". And they voted in the thousands, electing Charles Taylor as president of Liberia. The same Liberians also voted Prince Johnson into the Senate to represent Nimba, the second most populous county in Liberia. The information of Sirleaf's initial support for Taylor was out long after the war, and yet Liberians in a free and fair elections, voted her as their president. Now, should the TRC recommendations be allowed to reverse the results of democratic elections or elect whom ever they see fit? Because lets face it, as the Bible saids, "let he who has no sin, throw first stone". Can we say that the TRC process itself was without political influence and wrangling since some of its members were in constant disharmony leading to all of them not signing the final document? Did they recommend solutions to tribal conflicts or religious intolerance? Did they deal with and recommend corrective policies toward the lingering cleavages between the Congau vs Country man divide? The TRC also placed the penalty of a 30 year political ban on politicians and non-politicians alike. This is somewhat unbalanced. Some of the qualifiers (private businessmen) included in the 30 year ban, could care less if they are included in such a ban from politics in Liberia. Those guys have nothing to loose sitting in America or elsewhere. Others would have more to loose since they are career politicans. There should've been other forms of penalties recommended...such as fines for those who provided financing to the waring factions or confiscation of properties and businesses to those who allowed their business interests to be in collusion with warlords. The report's recommendations are very shallow because the TRC allowed itself to become politically compromised. Unfortunitely, the TRC did a major disservice to Liberia by opening up old wounds, and creating more divisions. Is this why the TRC was constituted?

Wow are we forgetting about our former rebel leader's for LEAD he should be the first on the TRC table because that guy is pain in the flash for all Liberian.

What some of you on here are talking is nonsense. In post conflict societies, peace and reconciliatation can only be achieve when justice is achieve. Look at Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, and even south Africa. As a master student studying politics and international studies with emphasis and peace and conflict studies at Uppsala University in Sweden, the Liberia Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s public release on July 2nd of its final report is an important, necessary step in Liberia’s efforts to confront the legacies of its 17-years civil conflict and highlights the need for additional measures to deal with Liberia’s difficult past must be commended and the recommendations are the right steps in the right direction.

Ellen Johnson played a pivotal role in the civil war that killed so many of her country men and women. During her testimony at the TRC's public hearings, President Sirleaf admitted to allegations that she supported Taylor and his rebel movement during the civil crisis. She help planted the seed of instability in the country for supporting the War Crime Criminal Charles Taylor and cohorts. Are your telling me Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Pro tempore of the Liberian Senate, Isaac Nyenebo , Former Transport Minister Jackson E. Doe, Liberia Produce Marketing (LPMC) Managing Director, Nyan Mentan, Former Police Director, Paul Mulbah and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Kabineh Ja'neh, Prince Johnson, Alahaji. Kroman among others are indispenable when it come to punishing those pepetratorss that destroyed our country?

Post conflict societies are prone to conflict and the peace Liberia presently enjoyed is a fragile peace because we depend on the UN peacekeeping force to provide security for the entire country. What happen if they leave? Liberia is one of the few post conflict countries that allow people that committed horrible war crimes, crimes against humanity, economic crimes etc to ply the street with impunity and it sad. I strongly beleive TRC recommendations if implemented will serve as deterent factors for would be pepetrators.