Monrovia, Liberia – Liberia is facing what many refer to as its “unfinished justice agenda” over 20 years after the guns were silent and years after UN soldiers left. On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, policymakers, diplomats, and human rights advocates convened in Monrovia to discuss how the nation may create significant reparations for victims of armed conflict and political repression from the 1970s through the 1990s civil war.
The Governance Commission, the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court (OWECC-L), the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Ducor Institute coordinated the high-level policy discussion.
Discussions focused on a long-delayed issue, how could Liberia make amends to victims and restore dignity to people who endured civil war atrocities, political persecution in the 1970s, and upheavals in the 1980s?
Dr. Aaron Weah, Director of the Ducor Institute, introduced the discussion by pointing out that transitional justice initiatives in Liberia have frequently concentrated only on the civil war era, largely ignoring preceding generations of victims. He emphasized that the goal of the discussion was to extend that viewpoint and promote a more comprehensive reparations framework that takes into account the country’s entire historical past.
“This is not merely an academic exercise,” declared Prof. Alaric Tokpa, Chairman of the Governance Commission. “Reparations are not favors. They are rights. They are essential to restoring dignity, healing wounds, and rebuilding trust between citizens and the state.”
The UN Human Rights Office’s ambassador, Kari Backeus, noted that although reparations are often mentioned, they are rarely carried out. “They are frequently delayed, complicated, and forgotten,” she added that victims want remediation and recognition of their suffering in addition to punishment for offenders.
Speaking on behalf of the Swedish Embassy, Zoltan Szala, Chargé d’Affaires of the European Union Delegation, recognized Liberia’s democratic achievements, such as peaceful handovers of power and unified elections, at a time when democratic regression is occurring in some areas of the region. Beneath these successes, he said, is a continuing lack of trust between the general public and political leaders.
“Are we building a functional state without building a nation?” Szala asked, warning that failure to fully address transitional justice could deepen divisions.
While promising to help the process going forward, international partners stressed that it must continue to be led by Liberia. The dialogue’s host, the European Union, emphasized that there is no one-size-fits-all strategy while reiterating transitional justice as a top goal.
Sweden echoed calls for a victim-centered framework, urging that reparations extend beyond financial compensation to include memorialization initiatives, psychosocial support, rehabilitation programs, and guarantees of non-recurrence.
The talks expand on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations and come after a historic national apology to victims of more than 40 years of political violence and civil war in July 2025. As Liberia considers its history, the task at hand is to turn discussion into action so that justice is not postponed or denied.
Reported by: Prince Saah
