The plenary of the House of Representatives has instructed its Judiciary Committee to probe the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) on why its hearing office has not been in operation at the commission.
The House’s decision followed a communication from Montserrado County’s electoral district #4 Representative,Atty. Michael Thomas, in which he stated that, consistent with the Act that repealed the Act of 1997, thus creating the Independent National Commission On Human Rights of Liberia (INCHR) in 2005, The Independent National Commission On Human Rights (INCHR) was created to ensure the realization of human rights and enhance peace, and national reconciliation through the implementation of the recommendations by the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
Atty. Thomas averred that concerns have been drawn to the inability of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) to exercise its functions as established to ensure and enhance human rights, thus labeling it toothless and depriving millions of Liberians of the opportunity of getting redress for human rights violations because of the closure of the Hearing Office within the Department of Complaints, Investigation and Monitoring (DCIM).
“As we are aware, this transitory commission whose mandate is to protect and promote human rights throughout Liberia and to advise the government on issues of human rights, including but not limited to ensuring that legislation reflects the human rights-based approach, the INCHR has been closed to hearing complaints or giving redress to victims of human rights violations across our society; hence leaving trained staff without jobs and the hearing office being non-functional/inactive,” Representative Thomas noted in his communication.
The Montserrado County lawmaker craved the indulgence of plenary to invite the commissioners at the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) to provide detailed reasons to the august body why the hearing office has not been in operation. The commission is to present a clear roadmap of implementation of their mandate, moving forward.Plenary has instructed its Judiciary Committee to probe the commission and report within two weeks.
