Liberia: Justice Advocates Commemorate 20 Years Since Accra Peace Accord, Renewing Calls for a War Crimes Court

Friday marks twenty years since the official end of Liberia’s brutal civil wars that claimed the lives of estimated 250,000 people. Local and international human rights advocates are holding a conference in Monrovia to commemorate the signing of the Accra Peace Agreement on August 18, 2003. But instead of calling the intervening period “peace” the advocates insist it is only “stability” as long as Liberia does not hold those responsible for the wars to account….

Candidate Wants To Boost Representation Of Liberia’s Million People With Disabilities

If resilience were all that was needed to win election, Samuel Dean would win in a landslide. The 45-year-old, who is contesting the Montserrado County District #8 seat against sitting representative Acarous Moses Gray, has had an extraordinary journey—escaping wartime Liberia as a teenager, being shot by police in New York City and, finally, using his payout to help hundreds of Liberians with disabilities….

How the Government Silenced Accountability in Runup to Election

Three months after the government raced an act through the Legislature overhauling the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, Liberia’s independent corruption watchdog has almost ceased functioning, all but ending scrutiny of government corruption in the runup to next year’s election. A source inside the Commission, who requested anonymity for fear of losing their job, said prosecutions have…

NSA Agent, Brother on Trial For Human Trafficking

MONROVIA – A disgraced agent of the National Security Agency has gone on trial with his brother for allegedly taking payments from international trafficking agents to mislead young Liberian women into traveling to the Middle Eastern country of Oman where they were to work as domestic servants. The indictment alleges Arthur Chan-Chan, and his brother…

Traditional Leaders Say They Will Not Stop Female Genital Cutting Without More Money

Massa Kandakai, the head of over three hundred FGM practitioners in Montserrado County, says she along with her women have fulfilled their part of the bargain with UN Women by closing all bush schools in Sonkay Town and Todee in Montserrado. Kandakai says UN Women should uphold the agreement by continually supporting them – with monthly salaries, access to cell phone networks, fishponds and processors for making Farina or flour from cassava and potatoes. The women say they will revert to the practice if their requests are not met….