By Leroy M. Sonpon, III
The Country Director for Action Aid Liberia, Ernest Gaie, is warning the Government of Liberia, as well as its international partners, of the re-occurrence of another war, if the recommendations of the final unedited reports of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) are quashed.
Mr. Gaie, in a poignant tone, stressed that the TRC recommendations are indispensable to the path of national healing, and if overturned, will destroy the hope of the many victims and survivors of the civil war.
Serving as keynote speaker at the 19th edition of the ‘Dialogue for Democracy’ public discussion series, organized by Liberia Democracy Watch over the weekend, Mr. Gaie called for a National Policy Framework to guide the TRC recommendations and interventions .
“I call on the President and members of the national legislature to be magnanimous and fulfill the public trust and confidence in realizing their hope for justice by taking appropriate actions on the outcome and recommendations of the TRC,” Mr. Gaie stated.
The Action Aid boss, speaking under the theme of the forum, ‘Liberia at the Crossroads: Confronting impunity, managing national peace and security within the framework of the TRC reports,’ believes that in order to achieve genuine peace and have national security there needs to be an end to impunity in Liberia.
Commissioner Gerald Coleman, in an unequivocal tone, appealed to Liberians to stand up against those who committed and perpetuated violence and those holding public offices who want to throw away the TRC recommendations in the name of letting "bygones be bygone."
“We did the best under the time and resources we were given and we are hoping that with your support, that the almost five years at the TRC does not go in vain by simply allowing people who have now taken power, because of their fear or concern of persecution, to let the recommendations go into the garbage.
“We must stand up and push forward to see a future Liberia to be reconciled with his past,” Amb. Coleman opined.
Father Robert Tipkor of the Catholic Church termed the major cause of the war as greed and emphasized that the only way Liberia will enjoy total peace is if greed is uprooted.
“One of the two commandments, which is very important, states that we should pay attention to our brothers and sisters and if we don’t do that we will also experience conflict," Tipkor said.
Original article was published on www.ceasefireliberia.com
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