{"id":28133,"date":"2024-05-03T07:22:01","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T11:22:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/liberias-president-joseph-boakai-to-set-up-first-war-crimes-court\/03\/05\/2024\/"},"modified":"2024-05-03T07:22:01","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T11:22:01","slug":"liberias-president-joseph-boakai-to-set-up-first-war-crimes-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/liberias-president-joseph-boakai-to-set-up-first-war-crimes-court\/03\/05\/2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai to set up first war crimes court"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Liberian President Joseph Boakai<\/a><\/span><\/span> has signed an executive order to establish the country’s first war crimes court, more than 20 years after the end of two civil wars which killed 250,000 people.<\/p>\n

Mr Boakai said Liberia had “endured downpours of agony”.<\/p>\n

The 1989-2003 conflicts saw atrocities including mass killings, rape and the forced recruitment of child soldiers.<\/p>\n

Critics in Liberia have opposed the creation of the court, saying it risks reopening old wounds.<\/p>\n

But Mr Boakai said the court would “help ferret the causes and effects of the violence” and bring about “justice and healing”.<\/p>\n

Adama K Dempster, one of the lead campaigners for the establishment of a war crime court told the BBC that although some people criticised Mr Boakai for making an “emotional” decision, it will bring closure for many others.<\/p>\n

“It’s an open show of support for war victims and survivors of the civil wars,” he said.<\/p>\n

International allies have also welcomed the move.<\/p>\n

US Charg\u00e9 d’Affaires in Liberia Catherine Rodriguez commended Mr Boakai for taking a “historic and courageous step to bring justice and accountability for the atrocities committed”.<\/p>\n

She said the US would support the court.<\/p>\n

“We are optimistic that this initiative will bring an end to impunity for war and economic crimes, while promoting national reconciliation and sustainable peace,” Ms Rodriguez said.<\/p>\n

This is the first major step towards creating a war crimes court in Liberia.<\/p>\n

A Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was set up in 2006 by former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, but it was not a tribunal.<\/p>\n

In 2009 the TRC identified a list of people to be prosecuted for war crimes, but no action was taken.<\/p>\n

It was mired in political controversy as it named sitting politicians like Senator Prince Yormie Johnson.<\/p>\n

No-one has been tried in Liberia but some perpetrators have been convicted in other countries.<\/p>\n

Liberia’s former President Charles Taylor is currently serving a 50-year sentence for war crimes in the United Kingdom but that was for his role in the conflict in neighbouring Sierra Leone.<\/p>\n

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Liberian President Joseph Boakai has signed an executive order to establish the country’s first war crimes court, more than 20 years after