As Senate Delays Concurrence WithHouse of Reps.: War And Economic Crimes Court To Be Established In Two Folds
The resolution for the establishment of a war and economic crimes tribunal for Liberia has faced an unexpected delay at the Liberian Senate, with rumor that members of the upper House do not intend to concur with the lower House on the matter. According to information released to the Hot Pepper, if the Senate is to pass the resolution it will be in two folds: the war crimes court to be separate and distinct from the economic crimes court.
In early March, the House of Representatives passed a resolution for the establishment of the war and economic crimes court, and forwarded same to the Liberian Senate for concurrence. However, the Senate had second thoughts on the resolution; as such, they sent the instrument into committee room for deliberation. The instrument is yet to surface in plenary for final decision.
The Liberian Senate is made up of several individuals accused of either war crimes, like Senator Prince Johnson of Nimba County and Senator Thomas Yaha Nimely of Grand Gedeh, or economic crimes, like Senator Bill Tweahway of Rivercess and Senator Nathaniel McGill of Margibi. Those in the war crimes category are reportedly insinuating that the establishment of the court could instigate another unrest and plunge Liberia back to war, and for this reason they are opposing the resolution and issuing threats about its passage.
On the other hand, individuals in the economic crimes category are said to be pushing for the war crimes court to be separate from the economic crimes court.
According to Hot Pepper’s sources in the Senate, some members of the august body are arguing that the war crimes court, which will be established on international laws and treaties, should be divorced from the economic crimes court because there are laws that requires that economic crimes be adjudicated by the state; therefore, passing the resolution as is will contravene Liberian law.
Out of the current twenty-nine (29) senators, at least eight (8) of them do not have good standing with the United States of America, which is said to be the force behind the establishment of the court: Edwin M. Snowe, J. Alex Tyler, Nathaniel F. McGill, Emmanuel Nuquay, Albert Chie, Prince Y. Johnson, Thomas Y. Nimely and Bill Tweahway. All of them are either on international restrictions, sanctions or financial charge. They are said to be heavily lobbying with their colleagues not to endorse the resolution, especially when there is no political pressure from the presidency.
The Hot Pepper has been informed that those pushing for the separation of the war crimes court from the economic crimes court are nearly succeeding, which is detrimental to the greater good of the country. If the courts are separated, the paper was told, the war crimes court will be spearheaded by the international partners while the economic crimes court will be led by the judiciary system, which is allegedly highly vulnerable to bribery, corruption and other forms of malpractices, and those accused could easily make their way out with a not-guilty verdict.
Campaigners for the establishment of a war and economic crimes court, including Adama Dempster and Hassan Bility, are currently in the United States representing Liberia at the prestigious Transitional Justice in Africa—International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on Demand, from April 2 to 13, 2024.
This program, according to the United States embassy in Monrovia, stands as a testament to the power of unity in promoting justice and human rights across Africa and beyond.
The Liberian delegation is said to be making the case for the US government’s intervention in the establishment of the court and to pressure the Boakai administration to display the political will in the process.
However, a release issued by the Coalition for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia (CEWAECCL), headed by its Lead Campaigner, Adama Kiatamba Dempster, has expressed concern over the apparent waning delay by the Liberian Senate to concur with the resolution and the lack of political will on the part of the presidency to expedite the establishment of the court since President Joseph Nyumah Boakai vowed to establish the court during his inaugural speech.
At the same time, the Coalition said it is appalled by the misinformation that some former warlords, politicians and their surrogates are spreading false alarm by asserting that the establishment of the war and economics crimes court in Liberia will spur unrest and plunge Liberia back into war. “This negative propaganda, which is unsupported by any evidence, is a means to perpetually instill fear in the minds of the people of Liberia and thereby escape justice for their role in the atrocities of the civil wars, which resulted in some over 250,000 deaths,” the release observed.
According to the release, “The continuous delay in the establishment of the war and economics crimes court in Liberia is emblematic of the failure of the Liberian state to provide justice for the thousands of Liberians who suffered countless abuses including torture, rape and other sexual violence, and murder during what many consider to be a senseless civil war.”
Meanwhile, sources in the United States are hinting the Hot Pepper of possible sanctions on several individuals who are said to be linked to the obstruction of the creation of the court, from the Executive and Legislative branches of government, with a harsh economic squeeze on the Boakai-Koung administration.
According to information, war and economic crimes court campaigners are harboring the belief that President Boakai, like former President George M. Weah, does not have the political will to establish the court and bring justice to the over 250,000 victims of the civil crisis; as such, he and his government should stand prepared to face the consequences.