Human Rights Boss Brown launches Palava Hut Hearing in Gbarpolu

Ahead of the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections, the Chairperson of the Independence National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), Cllr. T. Dempster Brown, has urged Liberian citizens to stop electing warlords to the Legislature as Senator and Representative.

Cllr. Brown said electing those who participated in the 14 years of civil crisis in Liberia is not in the interest of the country.

The INCHR boss argued that genuine peace, reconciliation and social cohesion will remain elusive unless accountability for past violations is prioritized. Cllr. Brown expressed detest at the continual elections of alleged war criminals to the legislature.

He asserted that respect for the rule of law and efforts for pro-citizens’ legislations will be undermined with the presence of war criminals at the legislature and other levels of government.

“Can those who brought war and killed our people make laws in your interest?,” he asked.

He maintained that those who played major role in the civil unrest must be punished if Liberia should make progress as a people and nation.

The Chairperson made the statement recently in Gbarpolu when he declared the Palava Hut hearing officially open. He encouraged victims and alleged perpetrators during the gathering to share their experiences and reconcile for the betterment of the country.

For his part, the Chairperson of the District Palava Hut Committee, Pastor George Sumo, thanked the INCHR and UNDP for contributing to the promotion of peace and reconciliation through the Palava Hut hearing.

He further lauded all attendees of the program and appealed to victims, alleged offenders and the community to accept the Palava Hut as the best model for healing and reconciling the local communities.

The Palava Hut hearing took place in Henry’s Town, Tumuquelleh and Sappimah Town. The District Palava Hut Committee heard 28 cases and amicably resolved 27 of them.

Two cases were disqualified as the person who had appeared as a perpetrator was identified as an impersonator who attempted acting in place of the real accused person whom could not be reached.

One case was unresolved as the accused denied the allegation against him. The resolved cases involved 26 victims and 20 perpetrators.

The victims were 10 females and 16 males, while the perpetrators were all males. The perpetrators committed arson, destruction of property, looting, forced labor, torture, stabbing, assault, forced displacement, extortion and killing of cattle.

One of the cases was about the ostracization of the complainant by the community.

The head of the UNDP delegation, Atty. James Moniba, also thanked the INCHR for undertaking the initiative and the victims and perpetrators who had expressed willingness to participate in the hearing.

“The program is meant to reconcile the community to coexist in peace. You need to manage and continue it. Don’t wait for UNDP or INCHR to provide money before you can carry out the program,” he emphasized.

The oversight Commissioner of the Department of Complaints, Investigation and Monitoring of the INCHR, Pela B. Wilson, said that the INCHR and the TRC were established in 2005 in fulfilment of provisions of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in Accra, Ghana on August 18, 2003.

She recounted that the TRC was basically created “to provide a forum that will address issues of impunity, as well as an opportunity for victims and perpetrators to share their experiences in order to get a clear picture of the past to facilitate genuine healing and reconciliation.” She stated that the INCHR has the statutory mandate to promote and protect human rights and enjoys an “A” Status in the league of national human rights institutions since 2017.