U.S. Congressman Donovan Urges Full Implementation of TRC
By Gibson W. Jerue
Failure to implement the recommendations of the Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) may jeopardize U.S-Liberia relations. The U.S. Representative for New York District 11, Daniel M. Donovan (R), says it would “be a disappointment and a setback for bilateral relations” between Washington and Monrovia if the TRC is not implemented fully.
Rep. Donovan’s statements come after he submitted a resolution to the US lower house of Congress calling for the full implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Commission had recommended the establishment of an “extraordinary Criminal Tribunal” for Liberia, but former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf suppressed the TRC. Madam Sirleaf was herself ban from public office for 30 years. She did not obey the TRC recommendations.
READ RESOLUTION HERE
“The U.S. shares close historic ties with Liberia and has an interest in the promotion of democratic principles and the rule of law,” Congressman Donovan noted, “that is why I introduced this bipartisan resolution with Congressman Hank Johnson. I will continue to urge the Liberian government to commit to implementation – failure to do so would be a disappointment and a setback for bilateral relations”
Marked H. Res. of the 115th Congress 2D Session, the Resolution affirms “strong United States-Liberia ties and support for democratic principles, and call for full implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations, including the establishment of an Extraordinary Criminal Tribunal for Liberia.”
The United States is home to some 80,000 Liberians, Rep. Donovan noted, America’s efforts over the years has been to build a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous Liberia. But that peaceful, democratic and prosperous nation is faced with the dilemma of braving all odds to fully implement the TRC recommendations including to establish an extraordinary criminal court that will drag before the laws of Liberia warlords and perpetrators of heinous crimes during the nearly 15 years of civil upheaval that killed about 250,000 Liberians and displaced thousands others.
Many Liberians are calling for the establishment of a war and economic crimes court. This campaign was started and also heralded by Mr. Mulbah Morlu, Chairman of the ruling CDC. The party and its key officials also campaigned on holding accountable warlords who killed in cold blood thousands of Liberians and other foreign nationals during civil war.
There are several heads of the various warring factions in key positions in the Liberian government currently and were during the Sirleaf administration. One of them, Prince Johnson, Senior Senator of Nimba County who commanded the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL) and who assassinated President Samuel Doe on September 9, 1990 is threatening war.
But it is not only Prince Johnson who could face prosecution for crimes against humanity. There are others like Alhaji G.V Kromah of ULIMO-K, whose forces killed or maimed hundreds of ethnic Krahns in Bomi Hill, Dr. George S. Boley, whose Liberia Peace Council (LPC) resistance forces were accused of killing perceived enemies in Sinoe County, and Sekou Konneh and Thomas Yaya, of LURD and MODEL respectively ran Taylor out of Liberia. The LURD forces rained an estimated 100 rockets on Monrovia on July 26, 2003, which killed tens, perhaps hundreds of civilians at the Greystone Compound of the US Embassy in Mamba Point, Monrovia.
There are middle level commanders who committed some of heinous crimes in Liberia. Rep. Donovan’s resolution, if given the needed traction and action it deserves, Liberia is now steadily moving toward closure for thousands of families.
However, the Donovan Resolution faces one challenge. In March next year, the Trump administration will be ending the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)/Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Nearly 14,000 Liberians are said to have acquired the TPS status, but Department of Homeland Security sources say about 8,000 may face voluntary departure or deportation in March of 2019.
