“Make War & Economic Crimes Court Your Legacy”; War Crimes Court Advocacy Group Tells CDC Gov’t
In an apparent response to the out-going Representative of Montserrado County’s district #8, Moses Acarus Gray, and the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) regarding a planned protest on inauguration day for the establishment of a war and economic crimes court by the in-coming Boakai administration, the Coalition for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia (CEWAECCL) has provided an alternative to prevent the protest by employing a pragmatic means to have the issue resolved.
In its one-page response, the CEWAECCL said there is still a perfect opportunity for Representative Gray and the CDC government to encourage the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Bhofal Chambers, to put the resolution proffered by Representative Rustolyn Swacoco Dennis and the bill of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) calling for the establishment of the court on the House’s floor for immediate action before the UP administration takes over in January 2024.
The group reminded Representative Gray that he still remains the Chair on Executive in the House until the 55th National Legislature is ushered in, and the CDC still holds the gavel of authority as sitting government until the official turnover ceremony on January 22, 2024.
“…As Chair on Executive, Representative Gray and the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) as a ruling party should draft a letter, which will serve as a legacy and affirming their long-time advocacy to be signed by President George Weah as part of his government’s turn-over notes; and should call on the UN, US, EU, ECOWAS and AU to assist Liberia with financial and technical support in setting up a war and economic crimes court in Liberia,” the war crimes court advocacy group recommended.
“With that said, we believe the level of energy going into a protest at this time is totally unproductive and will not serve any purpose, because the trend of Representative Gray and the CDC is counterproductive to the plight of the victims and survivors groups, and to the gains made thus far by transitional justice experts and other international groups. The protest is totally unnecessary and will only delay the on-going progress being made by war crimes court campaigners to see the court established in Liberia.
“We call on the CDC-led government to make the establishment of the war and economic crimes court your legacy before turning over to the Unity Party in 2024,” Adama Dempster, Lead Campaigner of the CEWAECCL, underscored.
The group frowned on the CDC government, including President George Manneh Weah, out-going Speaker Bhofal Chambers, Chairman Mulbah K. Morlu, Monrovia Mayor Jefferson Koijee, who are all on record for advocating for the establishment of a war crimes court during their days in opposition, but never highlighted same while in leadership; instead, undermined the resolution that was submitted by other members of the House of Representatives.
Moreover, the group said, in the last six years Representative Gray served as the third most powerful man in the House of Representatives and in such a position nothing could have stopped him from leading the campaign for the court to be established, but disappointingly the only single resolution calling for the establishment of the court presented by the Committee on Claims and Petition chaired by out-going Representative Rustonlyn S. Dennis was not signed by Representative Gray, though over 52 members of that body signed the resolution. “However, Speaker Chambers, an astute executive of the CDC refused to put the resolution on the floor for legislative discussion and voting until the elections that booted them out,” the group added.