Liberia's Truth Commission - a healthy born infant of the peace process.
Joseph Jerue

The same voices that supported the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended Liberia's long and protracted civil war and hailed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as "the sweetest of all medications" that would heal the wounds of a shattered nation today doubt the Commission's work, when they have not given it a chance to begin. They were the first vultures to descend upon Accra on behalf of the various factions, political parties, and civil society groups that signed the peace deal in exchange for jobs. But the real victims of the Liberian conflict, on whose behalf these critics signed the peace deal, are coming forward in droves and giving their testimonies.

The goal of the critics now seems to introduce work avoidance rhetoric by focusing on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's appearance before the Commission at all costs, when she has agreed to do so already when invited. As columnist Abdoulaye Dukule put it, failure for the President to face the TRC to act would deal a blow to reconciling our country. This is a diversion that takes the focus away from our painful experiences that all Liberians should draw lessons from.

It is easy to lose sight of the overall picture. I was a young boy when I saw my father's life ripped out of my hands in cold blood. I have lived with that memory for 17 years. The TRC provides a forum and a voice to those of us who are the real victims to unearth the truth. The fact that the TRC has begun its work and is now crisscrossing the country with hundreds of other victims bravely giving graphic testimonies about their experiences is a gain that certainly can be enhanced and built upon. By characterizing the Commission a "still-born infant," Dukule either missed the point or decided to disregard the voices of common people, as is the custom in Liberia. His commentary showed no respect for the ordeal of the real victims of the war. Measuring the TRC's by the appearance of big names, even when they tell lies, does not really reconcile our country. Reconciling Liberia is an adaptive work that requires open minds, compelling truthful narratives - painful they may be, guilt acceptance, contrition, and forgiveness; or court proceedings in case of denial and arrogance. To assume that President Sirleaf's appearance will give a solution to this adaptive work on a silver platter is flawed. All Liberians should reject utterances that have the propensity to further divide us.

In any judicial-related process, one is innocent until proven guilty in court. Though the TRC is not a court, its mandate is to listen to both victims and perpetrators. As part of their strategy, the Commission is now taking testimonies from victims, which could be interpreted in regular court proceedings as the prosecution making its case. The accused perpetrators will have their chance to face the TRC and answer to allegations. Thus far no one has accused the President of any wrong doing, and the TRC has not asked for her appearance. We all need to exercise restraints and be optimistic about the TRC, because the outcome of their difficult adaptive work will be good for our country.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, along with members of her administration, participated in the opening hearings of the TRC and expressed her full support for and commitment to the process. She has said repeatedly that she would appear before the Commission when invited. The fact that Mr. Dukule linked the President's recent public statement on radio about her appearance before the TRC to her to-be-released book supports my argument of work avoidance. The President did not, in Dukule's words, "deal the TRC a deadly blow when she said that she would rather talk about her involvement in the war in a book than face the TRC." In its February 2006 press release, the Executive Mansion clearly articulated that proceeds from the President's book will go towards supporting her charities in Liberia. It seems like this message is yet to resonate with some. There will always be a few that will attempt to shoot any book off the shelf before it gets on it. What President Sirleaf said was while she was ready to appear before the Commission, she didn't want her appearance to turn into a public spectacle and distract the TRC from its work. There lies the leadership challenge some of our colleagues aren't willing to accept. By suggesting this, the President is once again demonstrating a key leadership activity of listening. She is demonstrating her commitment to increasing the voices of the common people by listening to us tell our stories.

As I drafted this commentary, the Washington Post carried an article entitled: Liberia's Streets, Spirits Brighten. The TRC has certainly brightened my life and the lives other victims. We hope the critics exercise restraint by showing respect for the TRC and victims that have spoken thus far. Liberians should face their need for post-war adjustment and reconciliation with courage and reason, not finger pointing. They should stop behaving as critics of the first resort, ready to waste all their dry powder on a short-sighted attempt to stall the work of the TRC by comparing President Sirleaf to Senator Prince Johnson. The TRC is a healthy born infant of the Liberian peace process. The "real work" is reconciliation. Finger pointing without strong evidence is a diversion that leads to false expectations and no reconciliation.