Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph Boakai’s appointment of Counselor Jonathan Massaquio as Executive Director of the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court has been met with resistance from 76 civil society organizations under the Coalition for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia and the human rights community.
The appointment of Counselor Jonathan Massaquoi as head of the War and Economic Crimes Court to facilitate efforts on the creation of the court that will prosecute alleged perpetrators and bring justice to victims and survivors of Liberia’s two civil wars has deeply troubled the human rights community and CSOs, according to lead coalition campaigner Adama Dempster.
Speaking at a press conference in Paynesville over the weekend, Mr. Dempster noted that the information obtained from a number of reliable sources, including news articles, indicates that Counselor Jonathan Massaquoi is representing Madam Agnes Reeves Taylor, the wife of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, in a UK court regarding alleged war crimes during Liberia’s civil wars. This information has caused problems for the coalition and the human rights community.
Charles Taylor, the former president, is presently serving a 50-year prison sentence in the UK for crimes he perpetrated in Sierra Leone.
Mr. Dempster asserted that information obtained indicated Counselor Massaquoi also represented Madam Agnes Reeves Taylor in the launch of numerous lawsuits against organizations, individuals, and human rights defenders who have been assiduously advocating for the creation of the war crimes court for a long time.
Mr. Dempster continued, “There’s still more reason: Counselor Jonathan Massaquoi is alleged to have defended another war crimes suspect, Gebril Massaquoi, a national of Sierra Leone, who was charged by Finnish authorities with crimes related to the civil war in Liberia and is said to have killed hundreds of people in Lofa County.”
“A man who represents the interest of alleged perpetrators of gross human rights violations and war crimes against the victims and survivors of the same atrocities cannot at the time represent them in the same jurisdiction,” the coalition and the human rights community say in an effort to advance truth and justice.
The CSOs and the human rights community also expressed surprise at the US Congressman Chris Smith’s hasty endorsement of Counselor Jonathan Massaquoi’s appointment without first looking into the allegations made by some witnesses regarding the people whose cases were brought up at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearings on Liberia on June 13, 2024 in Washington, DC.
According to Mr. Dempster, the alliance thinks Congressman Chris Smith’s impartiality will strengthen accountability and advance the rule of law, as Liberia continues to seek additional US government cooperation to eradicate the culture of impunity.
Civil society organizations (CSOs) and the human rights community expressed concern about the government’s lack of consultation with them regarding the sensitive decision to implement TRC recommendations. President Joseph Boakai in particular was not consulted on this crucial decision, which would benefit victims, survivors, and the Liberian people as a whole. It is well known that during the negotiation of the Accra Peace Accord in 2003, CSOs played a significant role in maintaining the peace that is enjoyed today.
“With the creation of the war and economic crimes court for Liberia, in particular, we hope this serves as a reminder that the TRC report is not a political report or document for which decisions around it are only decided by politicians.”
The international community, the United Nations, and regional organizations that backed Liberia’s peace process were urged by the coalition and the human rights community to speak with the Liberian government about these issues right away and take appropriate action.
In order to demonstrate his transparency and good intentions moving forward in the interest of truth, justice, and national healing, the CSOS and the human rights community insisted that the President should rescind this appointment and call for a stakeholders dialogue.
Reported by: Augustine Octavius
Contact: +231777463963
Email: augustineoctavius@gmail.com
