Sheikh Kouyateh Hails War Crimes Court Resolution by the House of Representatives, Urges the Senate to Follow Suit
Sheikh Kouyateh Hails War Crimes Court Resolution by the House of Representatives, Urges the Senate to Follow Suit
Sheikh Kouyateh Hails War Crimes Court Resolution by the House of Representatives, Urges the Senate to Follow Suit
The leader of the Liberia First Movement, Sheikh Al Moustapha Kouyateh, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the House of Representatives for passing a resolution to establish a war and economic crimes court in Liberia, in a speech delivered on March 2024.
“This resolution is a significant milestone that demonstrated the commitment of the Liberian people to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and to seek justice and accountability for the atrocities committed during the two civil wars that ravaged the country between 1989 and 2003,” he said.
Kouyateh urged the Senate to follow suit and approve the resolution, which would pave the way for the creation of a hybrid court composed of Liberian and international judges, prosecutors, and staff, with a mandate to try those allegedly responsible for committing serious crimes.
He said the establishment of the war and economic crimes court would not only deliver justice to the over 250,000 war victims and more than 4 million victims of economic crimes, but also serve as a powerful deterrent to potential perpetrators of such crimes in the future.
He called for the creation of a society where justice prevails and all citizens can live in peace and harmony, and where impunity is eradicated. He said Liberia was a great nation and its citizens deserved to live as one people, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The formal Presidential candidate, appealed to the Liberian people to join hands in solidarity and unity as they march forward on the path of justice, accountability, and national reconciliation. “Together, we could create a brighter future for Liberia, where the principles of justice and the rule of law reign supreme,” he added.
He thanked the House of Representatives, the civil society, and the President of the Republic, H.E. Joseph Nyuma Boakai, for their unwavering commitment to the values of justice and the rule of law. He also wished peace and prosperity for Liberia.
Kouyateh is the leader of the Liberia First Movement, a political and social movement that advocates for the establishment of a war and economic crimes in Liberia, and for the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which was created in 2005 to investigate the human rights violations and abuses committed during the civil wars.
The House of Representatives passed the resolution to establish the war and economic crimes court on March 4, 2024, after a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, Beth Van Schaack, and her team. The resolution is now awaiting the approval of the Senate and the President.
Sheikh Kouyateh Hails War Crimes Court Resolution by the House of Representatives, Urges the Senate to Follow Suit
