Liberia: In First Address to UN General Assembly, President Boakai Seeks Support for War and Economic Crimes Courts

In his first address to the United Nations General Assembly since coming to office eight months ago, President Joseph Boakai has called on the body to support Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts.

The president talked about the courts’ significance to Liberia’s long term-peace and stability. He called the move “a major step in confronting” the country’s “conflict past” and expressed his government’s commitment to “ensure accountability and justice for crimes and other human rights violations committed during the war and promote healing and national reconciliation.”

But the Liberian leader was clear that his government could not do it alone.

“As we embark on the process and acknowledge the enormity of the task, my government seeks the support of the United Nations, partners, stakeholders in the pursue of justice for victims, peace and reconciliation,” said President Boakai. “The rule of law is fundamental for peace, justice, strong institutions and dignity for human persons. Liberia is taking significant strides towards openness, transparency, accountability by empowering and supporting transparency institutions.”

President Boakai’s request underpins a move towards transparency for the administration which had started out the process to establish the courts under a cloak of transparency. International diplomats, the Liberian lawyers association and human rights activists condemned the president’s rushed and quiet appointment of Liberian corporate lawyer Johnathan Massaquoi to head the office of the courts earlier this. The president later withdrew the appointment. And in a move that has baffled observers, the government has also yet to openly acknowledge that the president requested support for the courts from the U.N. in a letter sent to the Secretary General in May.

The president’s speech follows similar requests to the U.N. in August by Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti and Justice Minister Oswald Tweh. The request have been well received within the human rights community.

“I do agree and support President Boakai for his position on the war and economic crimes courts for Liberia. I believe this will bring a closure to the damage done by Liberia’s two bush and banditry wars,” said Hassan Bility, Director of the Global Justice and Research Project, which together with its Swiss partner, Civitas Maxima, have been behind the investigations and prosecutions of accused perpetrators of Liberia’s civil wars in the past decade in Europe and the United States.

Mr. Bility said while it was important for the president to seek the support of the U.N. and other stakeholders for the courts, it was important for his government to own the process and move faster.

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“I, however, do have to warn the government to take more concrete actions aimed at realizing this dream,” said Mr. Bility by text. “The international community, specifically the UN, will only support this dream if Liberia takes the first concrete steps to make this happen. We must rally around Boakai’s effort. We’ll be watching.”

Liberia’s push for the courts has taken a leap under Mr. Boakai’s presidency. The Legislature, through a joint resolution, approved the courts in April, with the president setting up the office for the courts in May–a decision he highlighted in his speech.

Last month the president withdrew Cllr. Massaquoi’s appointment and setup a special committee comprising the Bar Association and civil society organizations among others to vet three candidates for the job and submit their names to him. The committee has since begun work. President Boakai’s speech coincides with the visit to Liberia of a US justice delegation. Comprising investigators and prosecutors, the team is here to “to strengthen U.S.-Liberian cooperation across the justice sector and contribute to Liberian efforts to establish a War & Economic Crimes Court,” according to the US embassy in Monrovia. The team has been meeting with Liberian justice, law enforment offcials and transitional justice advocates.

This story is a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project. Funding was provided by the Swedish Embassy in Liberia. The funder had no say in the story’s content.

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