Africa-Press – Liberia. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has expressed hope that newly established memorials across Liberia will offer healing and solace to families of civil war victims, while promoting peace and reconciliation.
Speaking at the official dedication of the Gbonyea Town Memorial in Bong County, Louis Kuukpen, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Liberia, said the sites honor those who perished during the 14-year civil conflict and encourage community ownership, social cohesion, and national unity.
“In a bid to promote closure, healing, peacebuilding, and reconciliation, the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), with UNDP support, has constructed over nine memorials at massacre and mass grave sites across the country,” Kuukpen said, noting that UNDP directly funded five memorials with a combined cost exceeding US$165,000.
“These memorials humanize and honor the victims — many of whom were buried in improvised graves during the war,” he added.
Kuukpen highlighted that the initiative aligns with Recommendation 17.0 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which calls for reparations and memorialization, while also serving as symbols of Liberia’s collective rejection of violence as a means of resolving conflict.
He further suggested that, if properly managed, the memorials could become hubs for local tourism, bringing economic and cultural benefits to surrounding communities.
In the past three months, UNDP has dedicated memorials in Behn Town (Grand Bassa), Bloe Town (Rivercess), Kpoyomai (Lofa), and Bopolu City (Gbarpolu). The Gbonyea Memorial marks the fifth and final UNDP-funded site.
Kuukpen recounted the December 10, 1994 massacre in Gbonyea, where more than 500 people — many children — were killed under brutal conditions. He cited the Center for Justice and Accountability’s estimate that roughly 250,000 Liberians died during the civil wars between 1989 and 2003.
Cllr. Frederick L. M. Gbemie, Director for Operations of the War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC), said the memorial serves as both a remembrance of victims and a symbol of accountability. The court is scheduled to be established and operational by November 2027.
“Memorialization is justice in motion — it is the bridge between memory and accountability. It is the foundation upon which we build a future rooted in truth, dignity, and the rule of law,” Gbemie said.
INCHR Chairperson Cllr. T. Dempster Brown also addressed the ceremony, emphasizing that lasting peace requires justice. “You can’t talk about peace when there is no justice. There must be justice before peace,” he said, urging Parliament to pass legislation to establish the War and Economic Crimes Court.
The Gbonyea Memorial, along with others across Liberia, stands as a sacred space for reflection, healing, and reconciliation — a lasting testament to the nation’s commitment to remember its past while building a future anchored in truth, accountability, and peace.
For More News And Analysis About Liberia Follow Africa-Press
