–Peacebuilding Office Boss Alarms
The Executive Director of Liberia Peacebuilding Office, Sheikh Kamara, has alarmed and raised red flag of a potential disruption of the war and economic crimes court’s implementation in Liberia.
Kamara made the assertion in an interview with newsmen in Monrovia Wednesday, July 10, 2024. He said that he senses a potential disruption and resistance of the war and economic crimes court due to limited awareness regarding the establishment of the court across the country.
Liberia is at critical discussions regarding the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendation of the establishment of the court, but it is very saddening that only people in the cities, or urban area, who have knowledge about the war and economic crimes court.
The peace building boss then asserted, “There will be a potential disruption and resistance in the process of the implementation of the establishment of the war and economic crimes court due to the lack of proper awareness and information—if that is not done across the country, especially in rural Liberia. There will be protest and disenchantment because people don’t have the rightful information,” he warned.
He indicated that people are just hearing about the implementation of the court, but do not know how it came into being or originated, and the public needs to know.
Kamara urged that the government creates a roadmap and tells Liberians about the roadmap that will roll out to the community the process leading to the establishment of the court, along with its importance and benefits.
“If you don’t do that people will indoctrinate their followers and the court will be hard to accept. The office of the Liberia Peace Building will play a key role in that, and we are willing. The government needs to make available give the funds,” he further said.
Kamara stated that the office, when fund, will sanitize the public and country on the court so that tomorrow there will be no disruptions and resistance regarding the implementation of the court, and individuals will not use misinformation and disinformation to subject the people to the negative.
Warning that once there is disruption in the implementation of the court its the government that will feel the pains, he opined that it is important at this early stage to create a national roadmap for the court, and begin to engage into awareness with the right message and information.
Executive Director Kamara wondered about those in the rural area of the country, especially far-to-reach villages—wondering if they are hearing about the court and, if so, if they have the right information.
He further indicated that there may come a time when people may carry out misinformation and disinformation in the interior where people have little or no knowledge regarding the court, and it may cause potential disruption and resistance in the process.
He concluded by saying that if that is happening, “how do we disabuse the minds of the people? We need funding to conduct awareness to make people know what it’s about and how it came to birth. Someone thinks it just came about, but not so from TRC Report, and we have to implement it.”