The Coalition for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia (CEWAECCL) has expressed concerns about the apparent waning delay of political will on the part of the Presidency to expedite the establishment of the court, since President Joseph Nyumah Boakai vowed to establish the War and Economic Crimes Court during his inaugural speech.
The Lead campaigner of the coalition, Adama Dempster, admonished the office of the President to make good on his proclamation that he would end impunity and promote the rule of law, as manifested in the ARREST agenda of the Boakai-led regime.
In a press conference read from the United States, Dempster maintained that the Coalition is appalled by the misinformation that some former warlords, politicians, and their surrogates are spreading by asserting that the establishment of the War and Economics Crimes Court in Liberia will spur unrest and plunge Liberia back into war.
According to him, this negative propaganda, which is unsupported by any evidence, is a means to perpetually instill fear in the minds of the people of Liberia, and thereby escape justice for their role in the atrocities of the civil wars, which resulted in over 250,000 deaths.
The continuous delay in the establishment of the War and Economics Crimes Courts in Liberia is emblematic of the failure of the Liberian State to provide justice for the thousands of Liberians who suffered countless abuses, including torture, rape and other sexual violence, and murder, during what many consider to be a senseless civil war.
Dempster said CEWAECCL notes with interest the enthusiasm of the House of the Representatives of the National Legislature for the establishment of the War and Economics Crimes Court in Liberia to end the culture of impunity and enhance the rule of Law in Liberia.
According to him, the Coalition welcomes the recent resolution of the House of Representatives of the Legislature calling for the establishment of the court, and admonishes the Liberian Senate to enact the appropriate legislation required to fast-track the long-awaited establishment of the War Crimes and Economic Crimes Court.
“The open show of support demonstrated by 42 members of the House of Representatives at the opening session of their recall to the Capitol, further supports the call by war crimes campaigners for the establishment of the court,” he said, adding, “The resolution also sends a message to our international partners that Liberians are making conscious efforts to hold to account those bearing the greatest responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the civil wars,” says Dempster.
However, Dempster went on, “The coalition is profoundly concerned by the apparent waning delay of political will on the part of the Presidency to expedite the establishment of the court since President Joseph Nyumah Boakai vowed to establish the War and Economic Crimes Court during his inaugural speech.
The Coalition admonishes the office of the President to make good on his proclamation that he would end impunity and promote the rule of law, as manifested in the ARREST agenda of the Boakai-led regime.”
