By Bill W. Cooper
Margibi County Senator, Nathaniel McGill, has disclosed that the Liberian Senate will not establish a joint resolution for the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC) in Liberia.
He said the Senate would rather create two separate courts, revealing, “Because Economic crimes are not international as compared to War Crimes. Yet, I do support the establishment of the courts, but they should be separately established.”
McGill’s assertion comes in the wake of calls from both local and international organizations, including the United States Government and Liberians, for the establishment of the WECC, aimed at ending the culture of impunity in Liberia.
Recently, members of the House of Representatives signed and forwarded to the Senate for concurrence, a resolution ensuring that the long-awaited WECC, as recommended in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report, be established in the country.
Also, the signing of the resolution by the Representatives was triggered following a meeting of House Speaker, Cllr. Fonati Koffa, and the visiting United States Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, Beth Van Schaack.
McGill is amongst the seven government officials of former President George Weah’s administration that were sanctioned by the United States Government for rampant corruption and abuse of public office.
But amidst the call from the public for the Senate to concur with the House’s WECC resolution, McGill stated that the Senate will carefully consider the issue and decide as to whether establishing the WECC is in the best interest of the country at this time or not.
The Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Senator also cited concerns about the potential impact on national reconciliation and stability, as well as the high cost of setting up and maintaining such a court with the country’s fragile economy.
“The Senate will take into account the views of all stakeholders, including victims, civil society organizations, and international partners, but I believe that it is not the right thing to do by establishing the War and Economic Crimes Court together.
And let me make this clear that I do support the War and Economic Crimes Court because people need to account for their actions, but my thing is that we need to separate the courts because economic crimes are not international but local,” he noted.
McGill furthered, “So, you cannot have the both be done together. Let those who committed war crimes be made to pay for their actions at the international tribunal, while those who committed economic crimes be made to pay for their actions separately.”
However, the issue of accountability for past crimes committed during Liberia’s civil wars has been a contentious one, with many arguing that justice must be served in order to prevent future conflicts and ensure that victims receive the closure they deserve, while others have raised concerns about the potential for the court to reopen old wounds and further divide the country.
McGill, acknowledging the importance of addressing the legacy of the civil wars and ensuring that those responsible for atrocities are held accountable, said the Senate would work with stakeholders to explore alternative mechanisms for achieving justice and reconciliation.
“We are committed to ensuring that justice is served and that the victims of the civil wars are not forgotten, and we will continue to work towards a peaceful and prosperous future for all Liberians, while also respecting the need for national unity and reconciliation,” he added.
Meanwhile, the issue of accountability for past crimes committed during Liberia’s civil wars remains a sensitive and complex one, as it is clear that the debate over how best to address the legacy of the civil wars will continue to be a contentious issue in Liberia for years to come.
