Liberian lawmakers vote to establish war crimes court

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - Liberia's Senate endorsed the establishment of a long-awaited war and economic crimes court on Tuesday, marking a significant step towards justice for victims of serious abuses committed during the country’s 14-year civil war.

Some 28 senators voted in favor and one abstained, while one vote was not cast due to a vacant seat.

The vote came weeks after the lower house of parliament on March 5 unanimously voted in favor of the court’s creation.

The Senate resolution will now return to the lower chamber for further review before it is sent to President Joseph Boakai for assent.

This was one of Boakai’s pledges in his inauguration speech in January, where he said his government would explore the possibility of opening a war and economic crimes court for “those who bear the greatest responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

In 2009, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommended the establishment of a war crimes tribunal.

But reports indicate that a number of accused warlords remain influential in their communities and are fiercely opposed to the establishment of the court.

Members of the Liberia National Bar Association advocated vigorously for the establishment of the court to address the issue of impunity enjoyed by perpetrators.

The devastating civil war in the West African nation left roughly 250,000 people dead between 1989 and 2003. Between 61.4% and 77.4% of women and girls in Liberia were raped during the war, according to the UN.