Communicating Justice

by Othello B. Garblah of the New Democrat

The following story was published in the New Democrat on September 29, 2008 and does not necessarily relfect the views of the BBC.

Monrovia, September 28, 2008  -- War affected children, many recruited into various rebel armies during the war here, are demanding tougher punishments for remorseless warlords appearing before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Displaying art works representing their thoughts and experiences, the children, at the Monrovia City Hall over the weekend, said those warlords and war agents lacking remorse for their alleged crimes should be prosecuted.

Others reflected on events in the war, how they were adopted and forcibly enlisted into the various factions as child soldiers as well as scenes of executions, tortures, rapes and destructions.

Liberia Vice President Joseph Boakai (left) viewing
some of the children's art work on display. Monrovia,
Liberia. September 2008. Photo © Othello Garblah

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai, in an interview with this paper agreed, adding that there should be tougher punishments for war perpetrators who appeared before the TRC displaying arrogance and unapologetic about their roles in the country’s prolonged civil conflict.

The children in their testimonies before the TRC recently expressed disappointment over what they said was strong arrogance shown by war actors who appeared before the TRC, while requesting tougher punishment.

“I say I identified with those comments that people who go to testify should be polite and conscious of some of the evils that have taken place in this country and they should try to be remorseful about it,” Vice President Boakai told this paper on the sideline at the end of a program marking the opening of the Children’s art gallery Saturday.

“I think the TRC has a mandate and would be looking into that (whether there will be punishments or not), but we do say that people should know that there are a lot of hurt in this country and when they go to testify they should remember that even up to now there are people who are suffering because of those decisions that they made,” he said.

“The children’s messages are clear; they have gone through a bitter past and they want a brighter future, and we have the responsibility, all of us to provide that for them,” he added.

The opening of the children’s art gallery Saturday marked the end of the children’s testimonies before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) over the past three months.

More than 34 children who were one way or the other affected by the war through direct participation as victims/ perpetrators (child soldiers) and victims gave their testimonies before the TRC in closed sessions to protect their identity.

Some of the children especially from the South Eastern part of the country, to be specific Grand Kru County, had to walk for 17 hours due to bad road conditions to reach a transport station from where they were taken to Zewdru, Grand Gedeh County, to give their testimonies, with the help of child protection agencies working here.

The children through their art works demonstrated their thinking about Liberia, with some graphically depicting a Liberia where social services are available throughout the country, good road networks, schools, good health care delivery system, safe drinking water and security.