In long-awaited move toward justice, Liberia creates war crimes court

MONROVIA, Liberia — Jones Roberts’ teen years were spent in trauma and survival mode. The resident of Clara Town, an impoverished area outside of Liberia’s capital of Monrovia, lost family members and witnessed atrocities during the country’s two civil wars.& “What I experienced between 1994 and 2003 was the worst any human could experience,” Roberts, now 41, told Black News & Views. “People were killed and rebels ate human flesh. I lost my aunt and her only son.” This is why Roberts is among multitudes of Liberians who are happy and relieved at the country’s official creation of a War and Economic Crimes Court. Activists and elected officials had been pushing for the creation of such an office to hold war criminals accountable. The proposal finally made it through official channels. Ruth, a social worker Ruth, with four children and her sister in Monrovia, Liberia. Photo credit: Jonathan Hyams, European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid On May 2, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai signed Executive Order 131 creating the long-awaited court aimed at bringing justice to the civil war victims. The court has been a long time coming. Fifteen years ago, a tribunal recommended it, and President Boakai promised to...