Lawmaker warns that current campaign to establish a war crimes court for Liberia is provocative.
By Emmanuel wise Jipoh
Bong County, Liberia, April 5, 2024: Bong County District#2 Representative James Kolleh says the current push for the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia is brewing provocation. Thus, he urges his colleagues to desist from using the court’s coming as a means of provocation.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, 3 April, on the sidelines of the handing over Cold Chain equipment and accessories to the Ministry of Health at Golden Key Hotel in Paynesville, Rep. Kolleh said the establishment of said court has no significance on Liberia.
According to him, in as much Liberians are all victims of the civil war, they must see Liberia first and not degenerate the nation into another round of killing while trying to enforce the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court.
“While it is true that we all are victims of war, and while we are trying to prevent a recurrence, we cannot prevent the recurrence in its manner and form. If we are not careful, the repeat of similar acts will reoccur,” he cautions.
Rep. Kolleh stresses that Liberia needs to properly manage itself to prevent not only would-be perpetrators, violators, or those wanting to bring war here but also ensure that the push for the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court does not degenerate into something else that could send the country backward.
He cautions his colleagues to immediately desist from such provocation, saying, “You need not provoke other people, and remember whenever you provoke people, there is a reaction, and reactions cause killers, so stop using it as a provocation to torment others.”
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On Tuesday, a special session of the House was abruptly adjourned after some lawmakers who are strong proponents of the war crimes court distributed T-shirts among their colleagues with an inscription advocating for the court.
“Yes, you have signed a resolution as lawmakers, and this is enough. Then, wear T-shirts to indicate what?” He pounds on his colleagues, who are throwing their weight behind the establishment of war crimes court.
He believes that Liberia, as a nation, is not ready for a War and Economic Crimes Court, noting multiple facts or reasons to halt its establishment.
According to him, Liberia must consider several factors, not only its establishment but also maintenance and the dangers associated with such a venture.
The Bong county lawmaker further cautions that the Unity Party-led government, barely three months in power, shouldn’t jump the guns in establishing the War Crimes Court, which, he notes, comes with several hindrances, factors such as its maintenance, funding, sustainability, security, and acquiring lawyers.
He argues that security implications are one key factor the government and lawmakers who are pushing for the establishment of the court should look into. He underlines that opening such a court here wouldn’t be only for war perpetrators but also for economic crime perpetrators, noting that economic crimes are continuous crimes as long as the human race exists.
“So there should be stronger measures not only to hunt down war perpetrators, but sustainable measure to continue dealing with economic crime perpetrators as well.”
He wonders how the government would cope with dealing with economic crimes perpetrators, or are they going to close down the court immediately after prosecuting war perpetrators?
He maintains that the country should be in no hurry to go about this, as it requires careful thought and must be prepared for its sustainability.
Meanwhile, pressure continues to mount across the country, at least among the majority of Liberians, especially victims, for the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court to bring to book perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity during Liberia’s 14-year-old bloody civil war that left 250,000 people dead, including women and children.
It is in this vein that at least 50 % members of the House signed a resolution about two months ago, endorsing the establishment of the court.
However, Rep. Kolleh argues that establishing the court shouldn’t be only through signing a resolution but should be enacted into legislation. Editing by Jonathan Browne
