My attention is drawn to the fact that In an effort to enhance performance and gain additional knowledge about transitional justice execution, the Executive Director of the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (OWECC-L), Dr. Cllr. Jallah A. Barbu, is leading a five-member Liberian delegation to Rwanda on a study and engagement mission focused on strengthening Liberia’s transitional justice efforts.
In my mind, I think by now we should have completed collecting experiences, analysis and samples of transitional Justice execution from regional institutions and sovereigns that experienced the hash realityof humanrightsabuses.
Going to Rwanda to do what at this time? What is the mondule you think Rwanda used that is applicable to Liberia’s situation?
Interestingly, the TRC had already laid the ground work as to how transitional justice should be in the case of Liberia, so can't we study the possibilities and impossibilities to determine which one is applicable in the Liberian context? Why go Rwanda at this time?
I feel that going to Rwanda is not needed at all because we need to manage the little allotment allocated to the court. Resources are limited and we need to put money into tangibles and manage the ones available at our disposal.
Taking group of people to go for a visit aimed at gaining insights from Rwanda’s post-genocide accountability process, particularly its experience in establishing judicial mechanisms to prosecute individuals responsible for genocide and other serious international crimes is not necessary for now because the Office should have been done with that ever since.
Even though the travel, accordingly, was organized through collaboration between Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice, we expect the Office of the court to gather every necessary facts from secondary sources that will lead to effective performance.
We understand, and accept the fact that during the visit, the delegation will engage with Liberian students and members of the Liberian community in Rwanda and the wider region, but our concern is, will the idea used in Rwanda be accepted by Liberians? We hope so, because the higher rate of illiteracy and hypocrisy is eating the fabric of our society.
The delegation is also expected to participate in two transitional justice symposia involving representatives from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and senior Rwandan government officials.
The discussions will focus on justice, accountability, reconciliation, and lessons from Rwanda’s experience.
Members of the delegation include Dr. Barbu; Atty. Vivian Neal, Head of Gender and Youth Development at OWECC-L; Peter K. Sonyah, representing victims’ groups; and Edmond Karmei, Officer-in-Charge of the OWECC-L Bomi County Regional Office, who previously studied in Rwanda.
The visit forms part of OWECC-L’s broader public outreach and stakeholder engagement initiative aimed at educating Liberians about the office’s mandate and efforts toward establishing a War and Economic Crimes Court and a National Anti-Corruption Court.
We, as Liberians will support your effort to seek Rwanda’s experience in addressing the legacy of mass atrocities through judicial and institutional reforms because it would provide valuable lessons for Liberia as the country continues its transitional justice process, but mind you, more emphasis or focus must be placed on reaching out to rural communities.
Granted that Rwanda has confronted the legacy of mass atrocities through judicial and institutional reforms, but massive awareness for Liberians is needed inorder to avoid misperception about the work of the court.
Of course the Rwanda’s experience will help inform Liberia’s own transitional justice process as the country continues efforts to address past human rights violations and strengthen the rule of law, but if Liberians do not understand the mission of the court, there will be no gains.
