MONROVIA, November 11, 2026: The Office for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (OWECC-L) has criticized the exclusion of war victims, survivors, persons with disabilities, and key transitional justice stakeholders from the unveiling of a proposed National Memorial, describing the development as unacceptable.
The Office expressed concern over the November 6, 2026, ceremony at the Executive Mansion, where a prototype of the proposed memorial was unveiled to commemorate Liberia’s 14 years of civil conflict.
In a statement issued Tuesday, November 10, OWECC-L said it was also excluded from the ceremony despite its mandate to advance the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court and an Anti-Corruption Court.
OWECC-L Executive Director, Cllr. Jallah A. Barbu, described the exclusion of the Office and, more importantly, representatives of war victims, survivors, and persons with disabilities as “a shock and unacceptable.”
He argued that although the Executive Mansion has the authority to initiate national programs, memorializing Liberia’s civil wars must not be treated exclusively as a government project.
According to Barbu, victims and survivors whose lives were directly affected by the conflicts must be given meaningful opportunities to participate in determining how the country remembers its painful past.
The Office welcomed the government’s initiative to establish a National Memorial, describing it as an important component of Liberia’s transitional justice and national reconciliation efforts.
However, it questioned the inclusiveness of the process, warning that excluding affected communities could undermine public ownership of the memorial.
OWECC-L emphasized that memorialization goes beyond constructing a physical monument and must reflect the suffering, resilience, and experiences of those affected by the country’s civil wars.
It noted that thousands of Liberians were killed, displaced, injured, sexually violated, separated from their families, or forced into exile during the conflicts, while many survivors continue to experience physical and psychological consequences.
The Office particularly stressed the importance of including persons with disabilities, including those who acquired disabilities during the wars and others whose existing vulnerabilities were worsened by the conflicts.
According to OWECC-L, these individuals should participate actively in the design, development, implementation, and management of the proposed memorial rather than merely being invited to observe the process.
“A memorial that does not adequately reflect the voices of those who experienced the conflict risks becoming a monument to the conflict rather than a meaningful national space for truth, remembrance, healing, and reconciliation,” the statement warned.
The Office called on the Executive Mansion to reconsider its approach and initiate broad national consultations involving victims, survivors, persons with disabilities, transitional justice institutions, and affected communities.
It further recommended consultations across Liberia, particularly in communities that experienced some of the worst atrocities during the civil wars.
OWECC-L maintained that the proposed memorial must represent the collective experiences of Liberians rather than the interests of any particular government, institution, political party, or group.
While acknowledging the government’s authority to lead national initiatives, the Office emphasized that such leadership must be accompanied by transparency, public participation, and inclusion.
The proposed National Memorial is intended to serve as a permanent reminder of Liberia’s civil conflicts while promoting remembrance, education, healing, reconciliation, and the prevention of future violence.
See more Liberia News Network stories in Google Search by adding LNN as one of your Preferred Sources.
★ Add LNN as a Preferred Source