Joseph Boakai was elected the new president of Liberia in the run-off election in late November last year. The new president has a responsibility to seek justice for war crimes in the country, and the former president left the country in silence and underrepresentation for the past 20 years. His inauguration, planned for January 22nd, he promised to address conflicts and corruption and work toward “peace and reconciliation,” delivering justice to the victims of Liberia’s many civil wars, which killed over 200,000 people and displaced millions of others. Many perpetrators of the aforementioned war crimes are now in their old age, still seeing freedom; however, with the difference in leadership, we may start to see accountability and a call to action for justice. In the past two decades, many attempts have been made to hold criminals accountable for their actions after a conflict, but little progress has been achieved.
2005, the Liberian Parliament established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). In 2009, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission pressed the Liberian government to enact a policy showing repercussions and adding reforms to prevent atrocities from reoccurring. The recommendations also included political bans on prominent individuals and the addition of a wartime tribunal; these policies have not been implemented due to said civil war actors who have gained power in the political stage and do not intend to give up that power. President Boakai wants to bring justice and accountability back to the homeland, stop the reliance on the international court system, and establish a war crimes tribunal in Liberia. Although throughout the civil wars the country has fought through, the amount of documentation has greatly diminished, and as we inch closer to the modern world, convictions and accountability will prove more challenging to achieve without the proper documentation or evidence.
After the long and challenging civil wars, eyewitnesses and testimonials are more complicated to understand and recall the events of the war. President Bokai must take action now and ensure accountability and documentation throughout the history of the country; if not, Liberia may not come across another chance to prosecute and find justice for the war crimes and heinous acts that these state leaders must answer for. The new president’s promises to the people of Liberia are essential to the international stage, taking accountability and addressing global issues even when they fall under your jurisdiction, region, or country. The most vital message the president can give to the country is the implementation of a tribunal. If said task proves complex and challenging, we find a way around it and focus on restitution for the victims of war and responsibility for those who hold leadership positions.