Published: October 17, 2025
Gbarnga, Bong County —The Chairperson of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), Cllr. T. Dempster Brown, says certain Liberian lawmakers alleged of committing war and economic crimes are opposing the establishment of the war and economic crimes court, an attempt intended for them to escape prosecution.
The INCHR Chairperson made the statement during the dedication of memorial monuments honoring more than 500 war victims in Gbonyea Town, in Sonoyea District, Bong County District #7. The project was implemented by the Independent National Commission on Human Rights, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Cllr. Brown criticized the election of individuals linked to the commission of atrocities during Liberia’s brutal civil wars, saying Liberians made a big mistake.
“The biggest mistake you made was electing to the Legislature people who killed others. They are now trying to undermine the establishment of the war crimes court,” he said.
He lamented that the presence of alleged warlords in the Liberian Legislature is posing significant challenge in seeking justice for victims of the Liberian civil war. Brown noted that efforts to block the creation of the court would only promote a culture of impunity and weaken the rule of law.
The INCHR Chairperson reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to pursuing justice for war victims, assuring that the push for the establishment of the court will not be abandoned. ”We want to assure you that the those who did the killings here will never go free. “In the absence of justice there can never be peace. You can’t talk about peace when there is no justice”, Cllr. Brown said.
He warned that individuals responsible for atrocities against the Liberian people would face justice once the court becomes operational. “If it takes civil society to mobilize people and take to the streets, that court will be established,” he added.
Cllr. Brown further revealed that the Commission has so far identified 334 mass graves and 1,554 massacre sites across the country, with more discoveries expected.
He urged residents of Gbonyea Town to view the memorial site as a place of reflection and resilience, reminding all Liberians that the nation’s future must be built on truth and justice.
Liberia’s two civil wars, which spanned from 1989 to 2003, remain among the bloodiest conflicts in Africa’s collective history. The wars claimed the lives of an estimated 250,000 people and displaced more than 1 million others internally and across neighboring countries.
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