Many of the nearly oneand a half million Liberians who fled their country during years of civil warreside in the United States. This past week, the Liberia Truth andReconciliation Commission (TRC) completed public hearings for Liberians livingin the United States as part of the process to heal the nation. The TRC was setup to look into the root causes of Liberia?s conflicts from 1979 to 2003,promote national unity and reconciliation, and make it possible to holdperpetrators accountable for human rights violations.
Jerome Verdier ischairman of the TRC. From Minneapolis, Minnesota, he told VOA the hearings provided valuable information.
Alsotestifying at the Minnesota hearings was former US Assistant Secretary of Statefor African Affairs from 1989 to 1993 Herman J. Cohen. He told the commissionthat the United States made arrangements for then President Samuel Doe to beevacuated from Liberia.
ButCohen said the deal to evacuate Doe and his family was disrupted when rebelleader Prince Johnson of the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberiatook control of Bushrod Island where Doe was to have been evacuated.
Cohenalso told the TRC that when the United States was about to send an aircraft tocarry out the evacuation, word came from Washington to stop all engagements toend the Liberian conflict.
TRCChairman Verdier said Ambassador Cohen?s testimony shed more light on the rolethe United States played or should have played during the Liberian conflict.
?AmbassadorCohen and others who testified added some value to our work. We have beeninterested in what role the US played or what role the US could have played inavoiding the escalation of the conflict. And it was very useful that AmbassadorCohen came and shed light most of the outstanding issues,? he said.
Alsotestifying among many was one James Y. Hunder who said he served as a formersenior officer in the Special Security Service of Liberia. Hunder testified howthen head of state Samuel Doe ordered the killing of his former vice head ofstate Thomas Weh-Syen.
Verdiersaid such information would form part of a national narrative that the TRCwould put together at the end of its investigation.
?Weare doing a comprehensive review from 1979 to 2003. Liberians are interested inknowing factually, truthfully what happened. How come there was a rice riotthat led to the destruction of property and lives? What were the mistakes made?What went wrong when hopes of Liberians were dashed immediately after the 1980coup? How come the military initially planned to turn power over to civilianrule, and how come Doe changed his mind and decided to run? How did that contributeto the long-running conflict we had from 1990 to 2003? So there are manyquestions, and we are hoping that at the end of day we will provide answers tothose,? Verdier said.
TheTRC recently launched an investigation to look into allegations whether amember of the TRC, Massa Washington, bribed a witnessed to implicate Liberian?ssinging sensation Sundaygar Dearboy for committing atrocities during the war.
Deayboytold VOA that that he was a member of Charles Taylor?s National Patriotic Frontof Liberia (NPFL) rebel movement.
CommissionerVerdier said a special magistrate investigated the matter and found witnessesDavid Sayweah and Brown Taylue in contempt of the TRC and for committingperjury during the investigation. The two are now in jail for their offenses.
Verdiercalled on Liberians to continue to support the work of the TRC.
?WhatI will say is that the work of the commission is proceeding unhindered and thatLiberians should for once rally together and support a credible nationalprocess. I know our society has been polarized from a prolonged period ofconflict and people have their own allegiances and biases. But how be it, thisis the time in building our new society. We have to be honest with each other;we have to show respect for national institutions and national leaders, we haveto respect and follow the rule of law, we have to be critical in our thinking,and just don?t jump to conclusions based upon what people just say,? Verdiersaid.
ManyLiberians have been asking when the TRC would call some of the key leaders ofthe civil war like Alhaji Kromah, Sekou Conneh, Prince Johnson, and GeorgeBoley.
Verdiersaid the TRC is only an inquiry commission and would call people when they havebeen implicated by others in testimonies.