Africa-Press – Liberia. Former Liberian Ambassador to the USA, Canada, and Mexico, Jeremiah Congbeh Sulunteh, has commended President Joseph Nyumah Boakai for establishing the office of the War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC) in Liberia.
Boakai brought the nation closer to a long-awaited reckoning for its brutal civil wars with the signing of a landmark executive order on May 2, 2024. Signing the historic Executive Order #131 marks a critical first step towards the potential creation of a Special War Crimes Court. This move follows decades of calls for justice from victims’ groups, international observers, and Liberian civil society.
The signing ceremony, a solemn event witnessed by government officials, diplomats, and representatives of the justice advocacy community, held immense weight. President Boakai acknowledged the nation’s deep wounds, the “downpours of agony” endured by Liberians. He emphasized the importance of “justice and healing” as cornerstones for lasting peace.
In a statement, President Boakai described the signing of the executive order as a consummation of “a process that will set in motion deliberate action steps toward bringing justice and closure to the scars and memories of our tragic and violent misadventure into more than fourteen years of senseless civil conflict. Through the several years following the silencing of the guns, we as a people have endured downpours of agony, an avalanche of recriminations, and clarion calls from either victims or alleged perpetrators.”
The President’s executive action followed a Joint Resolution by the 55th National Legislature to establish the court in the country.
Ambassador Sulunteh expressed support for President Boakai’s decision, noting that it marks a crucial step towards accountability, transparency, and the rule of law in Liberia. He emphasized the importance of delivering justice and closure for the tragic events of the country’s civil crisis over 14 years.
Acknowledging the historical significance of the 55th Legislature’s role in pursuing justice for war crimes victims, Ambassador Sulunteh highlighted the vital need to ensure that alleged perpetrators do not evade accountability for their actions.
He emphasized that the establishment of the WECC reaffirms the government’s commitment to upholding justice and integrity in Liberia, stressing that he does not doubt that his decision will restore respectability and integrity in the Country.
Reflecting on his personal experiences during the civil crisis, Ambassador Sulunteh shared poignant memories of the loss and hardship faced by his family and community. He recounted the atrocities committed during the conflict and the urgent need to address past injustices through accountability and legal proceedings.
“As a young University graduate, I lost my first salary check at Cuttington University campus, while fleeing the campus during the takeover of the campus for a training base by the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) of former Rebel leader Charles Taylor, Amb. Sulunteh said. “On my arrival in Danane, Cote D’Ivoire, I was told of the beheading of my uncle, John Kleeme, and two other family members in my village, simply for refusing to give to the rebels their cassava. My dear mother died of malaria as a result of lack of medication, as Phebe Hospital being inaccessible.”
Reiterating his support for the establishment of the WECC, Ambassador Sulunteh joined other concerned Liberians in praising President Boakai for taking decisive action to uphold the rule of law and promote accountability and transparency in the country.
“I want to join other well-meaning Liberians to applaud and congratulate President Boakai for the critical step taken to establish the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia,” he said. “The steps taken will assure Liberians confidence in the rule of law and the dire need for accountability and transparency in our country.”
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