There can be no statue of limitations on atrocities committed in Liberia

Written by Bernard Gbayee Goah – President Operation We Care for Liberia

An estimation of more than two hundred thousand innocent people were killed, hundreds of thousands uprooted from their homes, and hundreds of thousands more displaced in foreign lands as a result of Liberia’s brutal war.
Atrocities committed in Liberia are so grave, personal experience of the war is not required to understand the magnitude of what took place. Youtube Recorded videos of the level of madness that visited this country, and how countless number of innocent people were raped, tortured, enslaved, and killed are so dehumanizing; there can be no statue of limitations. As such, the demand for justice by those who experienced such unacceptable nightmare is genuine, and must be respected and not brushed aside.With such unacceptable merciless acts carried out against the people of Liberia, it is unbelievable that not a single person has been held accountable! Worse of all, those accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity are the ones running the affairs of victims of war in Liberia today. And behold, it’s all happening no where else, but under the very nose of the United Nations, in violation of its own Human Rights Chapter.

I want the United Nations to know that the rights of those who were killed during the Liberian civil war were not protected, and the rights of victims of war left to tell their stories are not yet protect in Liberia today.
Suspects of war crimes are now dictating the pace of a “government favored reconciliatory process” that holds no one accountable.

I want the United Nations to know that, the kind of reconciliatory process currently favored by the Liberian government cannot be a substitute to justice for war victims. International crimes were committed in Liberia by people holding top government positions. A reconciliatory process backed by a government infested with war crimes suspects is an impediment to peace in Liberia. The United Nations must pressure the Liberian government to buttress the demand of its citizens for justice irrespective of the situation. The establishment of a Liberian war crimes court must also be supported by the United Nations.

The people Liberia must reject any kind of process aimed at protecting a few powerful people against the will of the masses. The government of Liberia must strengthen its national capacity to house a war crimes court.
Regardless of the ruckus that comes with it, Liberians must demand that their government prosecute perpetrators of war crimes, and crimes against humanity. They must in the strongest possible terms state that they deserve no less, and are ready to resist the contrary.