Sources close to the Liberia Human Rights Civil Society Organizations have hinted that several national and local civil society organizations involved in human rights protection and promotion in Liberia are calling on the country representative of the United Nations Officer for the High Commission on Human Rights to implement human rights activities in line with the host country agreement.
According to a well-placed source, the national CSOs are accusing the OHCHR boss, Christian Mukosa of diverting several human rights-related projects intended to boost the capacity of key national human rights institutions such as the National Independent Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), the Civil Society Organizations Platform, the Liberia National Civil Society Organizations, National Commission on Disabilities to other govern functionaries that are not human rights friendly.
On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, the groups and the OHCHR Country Representative Mukosa met at the Ministry of Justice in Sinkor where the CSOs openly spoke against the conduct of the OHCHR country Rep. and alleged that during a retreat between CSOs and the INCHR, sometime in February of this year, the OHCHR promised to support the CSOs to undertake critical human rights activities including advocacy and drafting of human rights legislations and policies, but unfortunately, after this retreat, not much was heard again from Mukosa.
The group alleged that OHCHR is working with other non-human rights groups to implement human rights activities that national human rights organizations and human rights institutions should have been working on and observed that such conduct by the OHCHR Country Representative does not support national ownership and capacity-building of national institutions.
Speaking to reporters following the meeting, one of the CSO leaders, who spoke on anonymity, said the behavior of Mukosa in doing business with non-human rights groups is not sustainable and undermines the Host County Agreement between the OHCHR and Liberia.
The Agreement allows OHCHR in Liberia to exercise the mandate of the High Commissioner to protect and promote human rights; contribute to national efforts in promoting respect for and observance of human rights; observe the human rights situation and inform authorities; provide capacity building to national.
He informed journalists that the OHCHR boss has begun hiring consultants for prison monitoring across the country, which falls under the preview of the INCHR, Prison Fellowship-Liberia monitor prisons.
“See how this gentleman wants to usurp the function of INCHR which is the key human rights institution in the country. This completely undermines the role of the INCHR and other CSOs involved in prison monitoring,” he expressed.
He added, “This is a total disrespect to the institution. They have monitors in counties who monitor the activities of all government functionaries including the courts and prisons. This is a grave disrespect to the INCHR and other CSOs for which they want him out of here.”
Even though Mukosa has agreed to cooperate with the CSOs and other national institutions, CSOs said they are skeptical, considering their experience working with him, since he is not a man of his word.
At the end of the meeting, the group promised that they would never compromise national ownership and that the Country Rep. is expected to act in the spirit of fairness.
