Liberia News: ‘War Criminals Losing Sleep, Appetite’

Gongloe; Dismisses Falsehood About The Court

Liberia-Human Rights lawyer and former Solicitor General, Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe has provided deeper insight on the establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia by the President Joseph Boakai and the responsibilities of all Liberians, survivors and eyewitnesses, in the effective realization of the core objectives of the court.

He first hailed the President Boakai’s decision to take the risks of establishing the court against all odds, saying that the President has passed the test by taking such decision which is long overdue and protracted, and will go down in history for such a milestone decision.

The former Solicitor General remarks were contained in an address at a Public Engagement Forum organized by the Liberian Massacre Survivors Association supported by the Africa Transitional Justice Legacy Fund, September 12, 2024 at a local hotel in Paynesville

Cllr. Gongloe pointed out that the decision to finally establish the Court is an outcome of sustained pressure bore on the Government of Liberia by the people of Liberia led by the civil society organizations of Liberia such as Liberian Massacre Survivors Association (LIMASA), noting that war criminals, including warlords and fighters, are having sleepless nights and losing their appetites as efforts progress to get the Court of grounds.

“President Joseph Boakai will go done in history for mustering the courage to initiate the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia. He passed the test of being a good president by making this very important decision. Making tough decisions no matter the personal risks, including the risk of losing ones life, friends and associates, is what is required of the office of the president,” Cllr. Gongloe stated.   

By the single decision of establishing the WECC, he said the President has now played his part of the bargain, but said the onus is now on citizens to fully support the President’s decision in every way possible.

He contended that the work of the War and economic crimes court will not succeed without the full cooperation of victims and eyewitnesses, and called for full cooperation of survivors and all others affected by the conflict.

He said: “Therefore, I want to focus my keynote address on the topic: Victims Cooperation: A necessary condition for the success of the War and Economic Crimes Court. Let me first clarify the confusion and false information that some suspected war criminals are spreading that everyone who participated in the civil conflict is being considered a war criminal and will be prosecuted.”

Cllr. Gongle’s comments are in reaction to claims by former warlords, like Thomas Yaya Nimely, formerly of the Movement for the Development of Liberia (MODEL), a notorious armed faction blamed for the destruction of lives and properties in the southeast where it operated, that pursuing war crimes court establish will reverse the country’s peace and cause everlasting setback to the country’s development goals.

He said: “This is not true. It is fake news. If you go to the battlefront and kill even one hundred fighters every day, you have not committed war crime or crime against humanity. But when kill one armless person, you have committed war crime.”

He told the gathering and Liberians at large that the court is established for those who killed armless persons during the civil conflict, adding that the role of every well-meaning Liberian and friends of Liberia is to explain to the people of Liberia what is a war crime, crime against humanity, or economic crime.

Cllr. Gongloe indicated that “For the War and Economic Crimes Court to truly succeed, it requires the active participation and cooperation of those who suffered the most during the dark days of our civil conflict.”

According to him, it would be very difficult for the court to fulfill its mandate without the testimonies, evidence, and accounts of the victims and survivors, noting that “It is through their courage to come forward and tell their stories that justice can be delivered. Without their voices, the truth remains hidden, and the healing of our nation will be incomplete.”

The former Labour Minister during the Ellen administration insisted that victims’ cooperation is not just a legal necessity, but a moral imperative, arguing that by standing up and sharing their experiences, victims help to ensure that those responsible for war crimes and economic crimes are held accountable.

 “This cooperation is not about revenge or retribution, but about justice, closure, and the restoration of dignity to those who were wronged. It is also about preventing the recurrence of such atrocities in the future, ensuring that Liberia does not repeat its painful history,” Clrr. Gongloe opined.

According to him, the cooperation is advocating for must be met with protection, urging the government, civil society, and the international community must work together to provide security and support for victims and witnesses who come forward.

He asserted that “We must create an environment where victims feel safe and empowered to participate in the judicial process without fear of intimidation, threats, or further harm. In fact the burden of fear that was carried by victims during war such as the fear that fighters are coming, the fear of fighter raping girls and women, the fear of all the evils that were being perpetrated during the civil war has not shifted now to the suspected war criminals.”

Now some of them are having sleepless nights, losing appetite and experiencing restlessness as the establishment of the war and economic crimes court progressive. Justice is already being done as the process of attaining  justice is now irreversible. Yes, the burden of fear has now shifted to the suspected war criminals.

He reminded Liberians that the success of the War and Economic Crimes Court hinges on the active participation of victims and survivors.

Cllr. Gongloe noted: “Their stories will shape the pursuit of justice, and their courage will pave the way for a lasting peace in Liberia.”