Recent controversial statements by Joshua Milton Blaye, war name, General Butt Naked and Montserrado County, Representative Yekeh Kolubah, have sparked renewed pressure from civil society organizations for the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia.
CSOs meanwhile termed as ‘treasonable’ but warned that such rhetoric risks reviving past conflict tensions, especially amid the Liberia/Guinea situation.
Protesters and advocacy groups, have called on the Legislature to pass a law to make the court permanent, underlining the need for justice, accountability and long-term peace.
Mounting concerns over recent controversial statements by Butt Naked and Yekeh Kolubah, has intensified calls from CSOs for the urgent establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia.
The statements widely viewed by civil society groups as provocative, have instilled concerns on the social media amid territorial tensions between Liberia and neighboring Guinea, with many warning that such rhetoric risks reopening old wounds from the country’s brutal civil conflict.
General Butt Naked, a loyalist to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai recently took to Facebook Live, when he cautioned that failure by Guinea to withdraw from the disputed areas could result in loss of lives.
Around the same time, remarks attributed to Rep. Kolubah also drew criticism for their tone, which CSOs say could inflame an already fragile situation.
“These are not just ordinary statements, but are dangerous reminders of a past we are still struggling to heal from. When influential figures speak carelessly about conflict, it creates fear and uncertainty among ordinary citizens,” a civil society leader said.
Against this backdrop, scores of CSOs, including faith-based institutions, traditional leaders, women and youth groups, and the Organized West African Economic Crime Coalition of Liberia (OWECC-L), have renewed pressure on government to move swiftly in establishing a permanent War and Economic Crimes Court through legislation.
Source: Odarty Blackie/ /knewsonline.com