• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ManoReporters.com
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Business and Economy
    • Politics
    • Health
    • Sci-Tech
    • Regional
    • Culture
    President Julius Maada Bio, photo credit, Media Foundation for West Africa.

    President Bio is new ECOWAS chairman

    President Bio arrives in Abuja, Nigeria on 20th June, 2025. Image, State House, Freetown.

    Yenga: Bio to raise disputed border issue with fellow West African leaders – Presidency

    Mpox: Africa CDC IMST delegation on second Sierra Leone assessment tour

    Mpox: Africa CDC IMST delegation on second Sierra Leone assessment tour

    “We take our enemies seriously” – Israeli Ambassador

    “We take our enemies seriously” – Israeli Ambassador

    Students from schools in and arrond Kabala, the dsirtcit headquarters of Koinadugu, attend a symposium at the Koinadugu College in commemoration of the Day of the African Child on June 16, 2025. Image, Koinadugu College.

    Koinadugu College, Project 1808 celebrate Day of African Child with symposium

    NPHA officials attend press conference alongside represnettaives from WAHO and IP Dakar on June 11, 2025. Image, Kemo Cham, ManoReporters.

    Mpox: Sierra Leone looks set to increase lab capacity with more potential for viral sequencing

    Trending Tags

  • Special Reports
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • True or False
  • Interview
  • ManoReporters TV
  • Tender and Job
  • Election 2023
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Business and Economy
    • Politics
    • Health
    • Sci-Tech
    • Regional
    • Culture
    President Julius Maada Bio, photo credit, Media Foundation for West Africa.

    President Bio is new ECOWAS chairman

    President Bio arrives in Abuja, Nigeria on 20th June, 2025. Image, State House, Freetown.

    Yenga: Bio to raise disputed border issue with fellow West African leaders – Presidency

    Mpox: Africa CDC IMST delegation on second Sierra Leone assessment tour

    Mpox: Africa CDC IMST delegation on second Sierra Leone assessment tour

    “We take our enemies seriously” – Israeli Ambassador

    “We take our enemies seriously” – Israeli Ambassador

    Students from schools in and arrond Kabala, the dsirtcit headquarters of Koinadugu, attend a symposium at the Koinadugu College in commemoration of the Day of the African Child on June 16, 2025. Image, Koinadugu College.

    Koinadugu College, Project 1808 celebrate Day of African Child with symposium

    NPHA officials attend press conference alongside represnettaives from WAHO and IP Dakar on June 11, 2025. Image, Kemo Cham, ManoReporters.

    Mpox: Sierra Leone looks set to increase lab capacity with more potential for viral sequencing

    Trending Tags

  • Special Reports
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • True or False
  • Interview
  • ManoReporters TV
  • Tender and Job
  • Election 2023
No Result
View All Result
ManoReporters.com
No Result
View All Result

21 years later, justice is on the horizon for victims of Liberia’s civil war

Kemo Cham by Kemo Cham
May 6, 2024
in Politics, Regional
0
President Boakai signs Executive Order 131, paving war for the creation of war and economic crimes court. Photo credit, Executive Mansion.

President Boakai signs Executive Order 131, paving war for the creation of war and economic crimes court. Photo credit, Executive Mansion.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Kemo Cham

ADVERTISEMENT

Liberian President Joseph Boakai on Thursday, May 2nd signed an Executive Order to establish a War and Economics Crimes Court, paving way for the trial of people suspected of committing the greatest crimes during the country’s 14 years civil war which ended over 20 years ago.

Liberia went through two separate civil wars, starting in 1989 and ending in 2003.

The conflict was characterised by widespread atrocities, including massacres, rape, and the use of child soldiers.

About 250,000 people were killed between the two wars, according to reports.

The Liberian civil war is widely believed to have spilled over to Sierra Leone, which also experienced a brutal eleven years’ unrest from 1991 to 2002.

But unlike its neighbour, Sierra Leone prosecuted people deemed as bearing the greatest responsibility for the atrocities during its war, among them former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who is serving a 50 year jail term in Rwanda for his role in fueling the Sierra Leonean war.

A Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing in Liberia also recommended for the establishment of a special court to try those bearing the greatest responsibilities for the crimes. But both former presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and George Weah dragged their feet on efforts towards that.

President Boakai, who assumed office in January after his election victory late last year, had promised to create the court to ensure long overdue justice for victims of the war.

President Boakai says his action to order the creation of war crimes court signifies his opposition to impunity. Photo credit, Executive Mansion.

The President said at the signing ceremony at the Executive Mansion in Monrovia on Thursday that the move not only signifies his administration’s commitment to justice and rule of law, but that it also serves as affirmation that impunity will not be allowed to prevail under his watch.

“For peace and harmony to have a chance to prevail, justice and healing must perfect the groundwork,” he said at the event attended by human rights campaigners and foreign diplomats.

Thursday’s event followed the approval of the legal instruments by lawmakers of both the lower house of representatives and Senate.

President Boakai hailed the lawmakers for their support for the law.

“The direct representatives of the people spoke through their collective and overwhelming vote as they passed the resolution. And so, we must act, and act now,” he said.

The development has received commendations from both within and outside Liberia. Human rights groups which have been calling for justice since the end of the war have hailed it. Adama Kiatamba Dempster, National Secretary General of the National Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform of Liberia, said it is a major step towards ending the culture of impunity in Liberia.

The United States Chargé d’affaires, Catherine Rodriguez, recommitted the US’s support for a “historic and courageous” step to bring justice and accountability for the atrocities committed during the war.

Praises for the move also came from representatives of the European Union and the Economic Community of West African States in the country.

The court is expected to operate in line with international standards, with support from international institutions like the United Nations.

But not every Liberian is in support of the idea of creating a war crimes court. And those opposed to it say it could jeopardize the country’s fledgling peace.

One prominent critic of the idea has been former warlord and now politician, Senator Prince Johnson, well known for the brutal murder of former Liberian president Samuel Doe in the early days of the war.

Johnson who has also transformed himself into a religious preacher, has vigorously used his influence as a politician to frustrate efforts to create the court.

The current Vice President of the country is his ally, thanks to a coalition he formed with Boakai’s Unity Party ahead of last year’s elections.

Johnson is reported to have signed the resolution of senators approving the creation of the war crimes courts.

Tags: Sierra LeoneLiberiaJusticeWar Crimes Court
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Cocoa for EU grown inside deforested land in top source countries, report says

Next Post

Sierra Leone’s Loitering Laws challenged at ECOWAS Court

Kemo Cham

Kemo Cham

Next Post
Image of the ECOWAS Court hearing shared by AdvocAid on May May 2nd, 2024.

Sierra Leone’s Loitering Laws challenged at ECOWAS Court

Stay connected

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
State security forces man a checkpoint at an intersecition between State House and Siaka Steven Street in Freteown. Photo credit, Ishmail Kindama Dumbuya

Breaking: Sierra Leone gov’t says it ‘rebuffed’ attempted break into armory

November 26, 2023
Sarah Van Horne, Public Affairs Officer, US Embassy in Freetown. Photo credit, Courtesy.

Sierra Leone: US considering further actions after visa ban – Embassy spokeswoman

September 1, 2023
Anthrax Outbreak: Sierra Leone records first human cases

Anthrax Outbreak: Sierra Leone records first human cases

May 22, 2022
Former Guinea junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara and the two other close allies of his who are thought to have escaped from prison in Conakry on Saturday, November 4. Image by Guinea News.

Breaking! Guinea: Heavy gunfire reported in Kaloum, around central prison

November 4, 2023
Diabetes: The “Ticking Time Bomb” for Africa! Are we sitting on it?

Diabetes: The “Ticking Time Bomb” for Africa! Are we sitting on it?

0
Sierra Leonean on trial for war crimes in Liberia released

Sierra Leonean on trial for war crimes in Liberia released

0
Sierra Leone, France seek tighter cooperation

Sierra Leone, France seek tighter cooperation

0
Wellington Fire Disaster: Victims Benefit From Fullah Progressive Union Largesse

Wellington Fire Disaster: Victims Benefit From Fullah Progressive Union Largesse

0
President Julius Maada Bio, photo credit, Media Foundation for West Africa.

President Bio is new ECOWAS chairman

June 22, 2025
President Bio arrives in Abuja, Nigeria on 20th June, 2025. Image, State House, Freetown.

Yenga: Bio to raise disputed border issue with fellow West African leaders – Presidency

June 21, 2025
Mpox: Africa CDC IMST delegation on second Sierra Leone assessment tour

Mpox: Africa CDC IMST delegation on second Sierra Leone assessment tour

June 20, 2025
“We take our enemies seriously” – Israeli Ambassador

“We take our enemies seriously” – Israeli Ambassador

June 19, 2025

Recent News

President Julius Maada Bio, photo credit, Media Foundation for West Africa.

President Bio is new ECOWAS chairman

June 22, 2025
President Bio arrives in Abuja, Nigeria on 20th June, 2025. Image, State House, Freetown.

Yenga: Bio to raise disputed border issue with fellow West African leaders – Presidency

June 21, 2025
Mpox: Africa CDC IMST delegation on second Sierra Leone assessment tour

Mpox: Africa CDC IMST delegation on second Sierra Leone assessment tour

June 20, 2025
“We take our enemies seriously” – Israeli Ambassador

“We take our enemies seriously” – Israeli Ambassador

June 19, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
Contact

info@manoreporters.com | Freetown, Sierra Leone

Contact

info@manoreporters.com | Freetown, Sierra Leone

© 2022 Powered by Manocommunication.com
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Business and Economy
    • Politics
    • Health
    • Sci-Tech
      • Data
    • Regional
    • Culture
  • Special Reports
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • True or False
  • Interview
  • ManoReporters TV
  • Tender and Job

© 2022 Powered by Manocommunication.com