Photo: allAfrica.com

George Weah.

Liberia's Peace Ambassador George Weah says here that he will solicit views from Liberians on recommendations contained in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report to forward such views to the government, cleverly avoiding taking a definite stand on the controversial TRC findings and recommendations.

The TRC, which ended its work in 2009, had recommended series of actions, including prosecution for warring faction leaders and top generals, and a 30-year ban for Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf from active politics.

But the Liberian government has treated the report with lackluster attention as most of the individuals indicted for committing hideous crimes against humanity are current public officials occupying top posts in all three branches of government, the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. When asked on Wednesday during a press conference whether he will consider recommendations advanced by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for genuine peace in the country, Weah said he is businessman, not a lawyer to venture making decision on the TRC report or taking away other people's rights, saying through his peace initiative, he will solicit from Liberians what was getting them upset to inform the authorities.

He said if Liberians pointed to the TRC report as their problem, he would report it, but was not the one to make final judgment. The footballer turned politician said Liberia was lagging behind because the country is not doing what it should with its resources.

Ahead of the launch of the peace and reconciliation initiative here, Information Minister Lewis Brown said indeed the road to avoiding a relapse into conflict- the path to sustaining Liberia's peace has been predictably difficult.

"... While we do have many bumps and hurdles over which we are still to travel, emboldened by what we have achieved together, and encouraged by where we find ourselves as we look back to where we once were, we know we must continue to walk along this difficult path of sustaining our peace," said Brown.

However, amidst difficulty acknowledged by the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf administration in sustaining peace here, mainly reconciling Liberians, the country's Peace Ambassador George Weah says he was performing his peace mission without an office.

Briefing journalists Wednesday at the Ministry of Information on activities leading to the formal launch of a peace and reconciliation jamboree in Monrovia, Weah said he has no time to wait for an office as he was busy creating public awareness

"I don't need an office to carry out peace awareness for my country. The time they told me to wait to get office; I'm taking the time to carry out the message of peace, travelling to other countries," he said.

At the press conference, the former soccer legend presented to the Liberian people France's best football award - Ballon D'OR which he won as both Liberia and Africa's first during the civil conflict here. Weah has invited to Liberia several foreign professionals to successfully grasp huge audience in spreading peace messages here.

He was accompanied to the Information Ministry by Cameroon's Roger Millar, Resia Akina of Brazzaville, Yussuf Fofana, Sekou Kolubali, Patrick Eboma, Prince Weah (George Weah's junior brother), Stephen Domero, Paul Jendo, Omar Dien and Eric, who are expected to be joined by Jayjay Okocha, among others.

Weah said he chose sports as his first reconciliation method by bringing foreign players here, because it was easy to achieve creating a platform where a huge crowd would easily gather to receive messages of peace from the foreign players and musical performers through sports.

Though the Peace Ambassador said some undisclosed entities have refused to join the efforts, he named the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC), Central Bank Governor, the National Port Authority (NPA), and the Government of Liberia as institutions that have supported the initiative.

Weah stressed that without peace, civilization will not exist in the society, saying Liberia is a small country of 3.5m with vast resources and needs to promote peace.

Meanwhile, a peace dialogue is expected at the Centennial Pavilion today, Thursday as part of the ongoing Peace and Reconciliation jamboree to be followed by a grand peace match at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville Saturday, June 22 when Weah is expected to present the Ballon D'OR award to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.