The Independent National Commission on Human Rights of Liberia (INCHR) has expressed concern over what it termed as a snail pace of support to the War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC) Secretariat.
According to a release the Commission avers that by now the Secretariat should have had the requisite support to speed the process of engaging the Liberian People on the modalities of the war and economic crimes court.
However, the Commission has learned that the secretariat has not received reasonable financial and logistical support to start the process.
It can be recalled that in May 2024, the President Boakai, through Executive Order 131 established the Secretariat of the War and Economic Crimes Court with the sole purpose to end impunity for war and economic crimes, while promoting national reconciliation and sustainable peace.
“The step is hailed as a major historic and courageous step to bring justice and accountability for the atrocities committed in line with recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission established in 2005”, the acknowledged.
The Commission reminds the Government of Liberia that the duty to ensure the prosecution of war crimes is an erga omnes obligation, which according to international law, is an obligation owed by a state towards the community of states as a whole. Thus, the Government owed to the Liberian people and the international community to investigate and prosecute those who commit war and economic crimes.
The Commission, according to its release, requests clarification from the Ministry of Justice/Attorney General on reports from the WECC Secretariat that security detail assigned to the Executive Director and the premises of the WECC has been withdrawn without explanation, thus posing serious security risk to the officials and the premises of the Secretariat.
The Commission therefore asserts that this seeming retrogression leading to the delay in the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court undermines the hopes and aspirations of all Liberians who are seeking accountability for relatives and friends who became victims in the hands of warlords.
The release under the signature of the Chairperson of the INCHR, Dempster Browne, recalled that the TRC Act of 2005 in Article 46, bequeathed the INCHR the responsibility ‘to ensure the implementation of all recommendations of the TRC including conducting Palava Hut Hearings, Memorialization, Reconciliation and social cohesion and criminal accountability-notably the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court.’
The Commission will remain engaged with the Government and international community to ensure support to the work of the WECC’s Secretariat to combat impunity.
