"No Justice, No Lasting Peace" …..OWECCL Barbu Pushes Global Backing

Liberia’s long-awaited push for a war crimes court is gaining momentum on the international stage, with senior officials urging global partners to rally support as the country moves closer to establishing a tribunal to address atrocities committed during its civil war.

Addressing scholars, human rights advocates, and transitional justice experts during the 30th anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa in Cape Town, Jallah A. Barbu declared that Liberia has reached a decisive moment in its pursuit of justice and accountability.

Speaking on behalf of the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia, Dr. Barbu emphasized that sustainable peace in Liberia cannot be achieved without prosecuting those responsible for war-era atrocities.

“The Liberian TRC provided truth, but the War and Economic Crimes Court must deliver justice,” Barbu told the gathering, stressing that the country’s reconciliation process remains incomplete without accountability.

Dr. Barbu lamented that although the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia documented widespread human rights abuses and recommended the creation of a war crimes court in its final report, many of those recommendations remain unimplemented years later.

He described the situation as “truth without accountability,” warning that the failure to act has allowed a culture of impunity to persist.

He noted that, unlike South Africa’s model, Liberia’s reconciliation process did not adopt a workable amnesty-for-truth framework, creating what he described as a significant gap between truth-telling and justice a gap the proposed War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC) is intended to close.

According to Barbu, the proposed court will function as a hybrid tribunal, combining domestic and international legal standards to prosecute both war crimes and major economic crimes linked to Liberia’s conflict era.

He argued that the tribunal would align Liberia with international criminal justice norms while restoring public confidence in the rule of law.

He further cited growing political backing for the initiative, pointing to legislative resolutions and executive actions taken under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, alongside the establishment of preparatory structures such as the OWECCL and continued support from international partners.

Drawing lessons from neighboring Sierra Leone, Barbu highlighted the success of its hybrid tribunal model, which led to the conviction of high-profile perpetrators, including former Liberian President Charles Taylor.

He stressed that strong political will and international cooperation remain critical to ensuring Liberia’s process achieves similar results.

Despite the progress, Barbu acknowledged significant challenges ahead, including political resistance from individuals implicated in past abuses, limited financial resources, fragile witness protection mechanisms, and the need to manage public expectations regarding the scope of prosecutions.

“Without accountability, reconciliation remains incomplete,” he cautioned, urging international stakeholders to support Liberia’s justice efforts at what he described as a defining moment in the nation’s history.

With enabling legislation for the War and Economic Crimes Court currently under review and expected to reach the National Legislature soon, Barbu said Liberia now stands at a historic crossroads.

If successfully implemented, he added, the court could transform Liberia from a nation marked by delayed accountability into a leading example of corrective transitional justice across Africa and beyond.