Open Letter: Urgent Appeal to Reconsider the Appointment of Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi to the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia

His Excellency Joseph Nyumah Boakai

President

Republic of Liberia

Executive Mansion, Capitol Hill Monrovia, Liberia

Dear President Boakai:

The Coalition for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia and the human rights community write to bring to your attention that the appointment of Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi as head of the office of the War and Economic Crimes Court does not meet the acquiescence of civil society actors in Liberia campaigning for the establishment of War and Economic Crimes court in Liberia.

Your excellency, the cardinal objective for establishing the Office for the establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia is to facilitate efforts on the creation of the court to prosecute alleged perpetrators of war and economic crimes in Liberia and to bring justice to victims and survivors of Liberia’s two civil wars. However, your appointee to the Office is not well positioned to provide the actual and perceived impartiality and independence that is necessary for such work. Mr. Massaquoi has a conflict of interest given his role in representing Mrs Agnes Reeves Taylor and Mr. Gebril Massaquoi in both UK and Finnish Courts in cases involving crimes committed in Liberia under the principle of universal jurisdiction.  Cllr. Massaquoi also instituted multiple law suits against Mr. Hassan Bility, a campaigner for the prosecution of serious crimes committed in Liberia, and Madam Massa Washington, erstwhile member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for advocating for the prosecution of those he legally represented.

Mr. President, the coalition and the human rights community are raising these concerns in the interest of truth and justice on grounds that   Cllr.   Massaquoi,  who  defended  alleged perpetrators of gross human rights violations and war crimes against the interests of victims and  survivors  of  the  same  atrocities,  cannot  at  the  time  superintend a process involving the enactment of systems void loopholes and transparent enough to guarantee justice.

The Coalition and the human rights community are further concerned that given the sensitive nature regarding decision to implement TRC recommendations, civil society being considered in the TRC Act of 2004 as moral guarantors with responsibility to monitor and campaign for the full implementation of the report, was not consulted.

MOTTO: SEEKING JUSTICE & ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WAR VICTIMS

The  Coalition  and  Human  Rights  Community  believe  that  had  there   been  adequate consultations,  the  appointment  of  Cllr.  Jonathan Massaquoi would have been avoided, instead of dashing the hopes of war victims, survivors and campaigners who have been opting over the years for the establishment of War and Economic Crimes Courts in Liberia.