Monrovia, Liberia – As the second Trump administration assumed office on Monday, Beth Van Schaack, the US Ambassador for Global Criminal Justice under the Biden administration, resigned. In a parting letter, Ambassador Van Schaack praised the human rights defenders she had collaborated with during her three years in the position and referred to her work in Liberia, The Gambia, and other nations as “impactful.”
Ambassador Van Schaack showcased her accomplishments in transitional justice in a brief video and statement posted on her personal LinkedIn profile. “To promote the establishment of inclusive, victim centered and comprehensive transitional justice responses,” she said, referring to her trips to Liberia, The Gambia, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, Bangladesh, and Colombia, among other countries. Ambassador Van Schaack is recognized for having played a significant role in convincing President Joseph Boakai to support the creation of a war crimes court in Liberia. She also backed The Gambia’s move to create a court to punish offenders of the Yahya Jammeh administration.
“Along the way, we consistently advocated for the establishment of victims funds to advance reparative justice,” said Ambassador Van Schaack. “To improve their ability to lead transitional justice processes, we fortified our partnerships with victims, survivors, and civil society.”
Ambassador Van Schaack stepped down from her role this week before the new US administration led by Mr. Donald Trump took office on Monday. Mr. Trump had no one in her role during his first term. He has not nominated any one for the post yet, while candidates being mentioned include Dr. Alan White, the former investigator for Sierra Leone’s Special Court who has been a prominent and at times contentious participant in Liberia’s campaign for a war crimes court.
The outgoing president of the Liberian National Bar Association, Cllr. Sylvester Rennie, praised the outgoing ambassador’s work and urged the Trump administration to give it top priority during his second term.
“We are appealing to the new leadership to see reason for maintaining the Office of Global Criminal Justice. With all of the resources our nation has invested in that office, I don’t believe they’re willing to let the money of the American people be wasted. I therefore believe that the process will continue. Furthermore, we want to make sure that we can collaborate with the individual who will be assigned there.”
As the sixth individual to occupy the position since its inception, Ms. Van Schaack appeared to have captured the hearts of numerous Liberian human rights defenders, frequently meeting with them face-to-face and continuing to do so even after her visits here. Advocates say they considered her a key friend and ally to Liberia. She urged colleagues in the State Department and Congress to guarantee that Liberia received financial and technical help from the United States and other partners to build the court, and she frequently publicly praised the nation’s attempts to create a war and economic crimes court.
One noteworthy instance of technical assistance occurred at the end of 2024 when a special team of law enforcement, prosecutors, and detectives traveled to Liberia and met with their Liberian colleagues. They have subsequently maintained communication, and additional US teams have traveled to Liberia to see what assistance they can offer the nation and the Office for War and Economic Crimes Courts.
In August, Ambassador Van Schaack further advocated for Liberia by arguing in favor of the nation’s transitional justice process during a meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Opponents of Ms. Van Schaack, including fellow American Dr. White, made what she called “unsubstantiated allegations” against her.
“Her departure from the office will be missed, because she was on top of the issues. Ambassador Van Schaack’s interaction with the Bar was fruitful. Her enthusiasm for accountability, traditional justice, and ensuring justice not only in Liberia but globally was evident. Her main goals when you spoke with her were to make sure the process went much more quickly. She was prepared to see that justice prevailed in Liberia. She responded to communications very quickly. She also served as a reminder of earlier conversations,” ” added Cllr. Rennie.
Mr. Adama Dempster, a prominent human rights advocate in Liberia, echoed Cllr. Rennie’s opinions, saying, “The U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice played a role in supporting Liberia’s efforts to address past human rights abuses, leading to the establishment of war and economic crimes court; include providing technical assistance, supporting the development of national justice mechanisms, and civil society efforts in advocating for accountability to bring those responsible for atrocities.”
Ensuring an amendment to the “Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act,” which “extends federal jurisdiction over war crime offenses committed anywhere to offenses where (1) the victim or offender is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence; or (2) the offender is present in the United States, regardless of the victim or the offender’s nationality,” was another significant accomplishment that Ambassador Van Schaack highlighted.
Credit to : Anthony Stephens with New Narratives
