More than three-quarters of Liberians openly support their country’s war and economic crime courts, according to a new survey released this month by Afrobarometer, a Pan-African nonprofit research institute based in Accra. This survey was 41% since 2021.
“Citizens believe that the War Economic Crime Court will enable the country to hold people accountable for crimes committed during the civil war,” the report said.
“The confidence that courts will enable accountability, along with the level of education of respondents, will increase from 63% of those without formal schooling to 88% of those with post-secondary qualifications,” the report said. “Rural residents (72%) and wealthy citizens (67%) are less likely to express such trust than urban people (82%) and experience poverty (77% to 81%).”
The report came when the life of court advocacy was exposed to sparks
Liberian President Joseph Boachey has increased from US$313,000 to US$2 million thanks to an update to court duties and an order that will increase six times the annual budget. Experts say the report will be added to the flame of reactivation energy illuminated by the president. The report also came when Liberia and international advocates demanded accountability for an estimated 250,000 people killed during the country’s civil war between 1989 and 2003. Europe and the United States have been tried for war crimes, crimes against humanity and federal immigration fraud respectively, but no defendant is directly explained in Liberia for the crime.
The survey stated that “Liberians believe in government accountability,” and that “a majority (58%) of respondents say it’s more important that citizens be able to hold government accountability, even if the government “means things slowly,” but that reflects a 9p point reduction compared to 2022 (67%).”
The survey shows that the population is high in urban areas, with 86% saying they heard about the courts, slightly higher than 81% in rural areas. Experts say that almost 22 years after the war ended, Liberia has suffered from allegations that claims of reconciliation, political, economic hardship, unemployment and corruption are all fueled by the deep sector of the country. A UNDP report in 2021 shows that lack of transparency and accountability regarding public funds has led to “public distrust and indifference towards state institutions.” The Boaches’ administration has repeatedly pledged his commitment to addressing this, but critics have said it is a major challenge. The Liberian Trust and Reconciliation Commission recommended a series of settlement actions to address it and others, including prosecution of individuals and agencies accused of corruption and widespread human rights violations and corruption. The committee also recommended “reparation, mechanisms of justice and reconciliation, institutional reform, governance, diaspora issues, national integrity and corruption, the National Human Rights Commission, and more.” However, previous governments had not fully implemented the report, particularly the aspects of seeking courts. President Boaches’ administration also failed to fulfill his pledge to the United Nations in August. However, the TRC Report continues to use tools that guide Liberia’s desire to sustainable peace and reconciliation.
Sign up for the AllAfrica newsletter for free
Get the latest African news
success!
Almost finished…
You need to check your email address.
Follow the instructions in the email you sent to complete the process.
error!
There was a problem processing the submission. Please try again later.
According to the survey, Liberia, surveyed in 2022, “nearly two-thirds of respondents (63%) said the committee helped Liberians overcome their civil war experiences, while 54% said that all victims of human rights abuses during the war were treated fairly and equally as a result of the committee’s work.”
The report also states that “the perception of the government’s plans of the War and Economic Crimes Court is high across major demographic groups, falling to only seven in 10 of citizens who have not experienced poverty 1 (71%) and those without formal education (69%).”
The story is a collaboration with a new story as part of the West African Justice Reporting Project. The funds were provided by the Swedish Embassy in Liberia. The donor had no comments on the story.
