4 July 2009
Monrovia — President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, 70, should be barred from holding public office for 30 years for abetting atrocities committed by one of Liberia's armed rebels, according to Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
She is said to have provided "moral and financial support" to the Charles Taylor-led National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), said one of the leading dailies, the News, in its leading story today. Other papers were awash with stories from the TRC's final report submitted to the Legislature on June 30, 2009.
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.
The Liberian President is among 50 Liberian barred from holding public office. The list includes prominent personalities in government, the Legislature, and those in the public who have served previous regimes.
Besides this, the TRC has also served a clampdown for others, recommending them for prosecution for war crimes, crimes against humanity and economic crimes.
Interestingly, this list includes Taylor currently being prosecuted in The Hague for similar atrocities committed in Sierra Leone.
In category for prosecution for war crimes also is Prince Y. Johnson, a seating Senator, who is described as one of the "most notorious violators" and accused of "killings, extortion, massacre, destruction of property, forced recruitment, assault, torture, forced labour and rape".
The implications for the report are far reaching. First of all, if implemented, it practically locks President Sirleaf from running for a second term in the 2011 elections and might put to rest one of the issues that remains the suspect of speculation - whether or not she intends to run. She herself has remained dodgy on this. It will be interesting to see how this debate now evolves.
In submitting the final report whose work took two years, TRC chairman Jerome Verdier expressed the optimism that the report's recommendations will be fully implemented.
"The majority of Liberian people, including members of the TRC who are victims or survivors of the massive wave of atrocities induced by the conflict, expect that all the recommendations contained in the report will be implemented," said Verdier.
TRCs' final report covers the civil conflict in Liberia from 1979 to 2003 and findings on the causes of the conflict and makes recommendations on how the country can move forward.
Some of these recommendations include reparations for groups affected by the conflict.
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What else could any true Liberian say to the TRC of Liberia? As for me, I say thank you and bravo. By being honest and given a report though, may never be implemented, the commission did serve well for the purpose for which it was set up. There is no wich hunting but once the names of the financials and the executors of the war are published and relevent recommendations given there is some high level of fairness. Please forgive some of us who put the cart before the horse by critizing and relegating your work as fruitless. You… [Read Full Text]
You write here "the commission did serve well for the purpose for which it was set up"...Do you think that you really know THE P U R P O S E>? If Hon. President in Office image`s is expired, another Americo Liberian will follow soon, a new and fresh one with the links to the "prosperous past"..Could it be Clrs Tubman? The stuff is that the Americo Political ELITE GROUP must take full controll of a secure country (sooner or later). The TRSs list will clear… [Read Full Text]
It is suspected that the TRIBAL CHIEFS are in the process to be persuaded to cooperate with the TRSs actions and with the election of the future president (It appears that they know the name of the Future president, already).. They will do so, as traditionally they are able to do all kind of bad things " against their own people for the sake of safe community".( or some petty gain...).So they believe!..for exchange of... glass beads, etc...as in the past… [Read Full Text]
Why are Liberians not sincere when they are given a task to perform? Why choose a path of more division over reconciliation when task given you was about bringing people together? The commissioners of the TRC have just misused the huge sum given to them and instead, have plunched the country into more division because of their one sided decision and partial implications of others. Yes, the commissioners misused the amount given to them because they were not working together as a unit and instead, they were divided over making concrete decision and other misused the confused situation to… [Read Full Text]
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!
Dear TonyKona:
I wrote my commentary before reading yours, but we are on the same wavelength. Your commentary was very eloquent and necessary. I liked your saying that "Liberia is an old nation with many young hearts..." and may I still add that Liberia still has many intelligent people capable of resurrecting AFRICA'S FIRST REPUBLIC. What I do not understand however is why no commission (be it the Good Governess under Bryant nor the TRC under Sirleaf), have yet to come up with what I believe will be the only way for Liberia to truly move forward, and that is… [Read Full Text]
What some of you on here are talking is nonsense. In post conflict societies peace and reconciliatation can only be achieve justice is achieve. Look at Rwanda, BurundioAngola, 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 14-year civil conflict and highlights the need for additional measures to deal with Liberia’s difficult past… [Read Full Text]
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