Monrovia, May 19, 2009 (TRC): Citizens from South Eastern counties of Liberia Liberia have called for the establishment of United Nations backed war crimes court for Liberia.

The delegates attending Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission Regional County Consultation in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County rejected any plans to grant general amnesty to individuals who committed atrocities during the country’s civil war and demanded the prosecution of all heads of the former warring factions, major actors and their financiers.

The delegates from the South Eastern counties of Maryland, River Gee, Grand Kru, Sinoe and Grand Gedeh also recommended prosecution for individuals who committed economic crimes during the conflict and illegally benefited from the country’s natural resources.

They were making presentations on Amnesty and Prosecution Tuesday following working sessions at the ongoing TRC Regional County Consultation at the Zwedru City Hall.

The delegates said that prosecution of alleged perpetrators is necessary to prevent reoccurrence of crimes committed during the civil war, noting that it will also discourage the culture of impunity that is pervasive in the country. They insisted that victims of the conflict needed justice, saying it is a legal obligation which will separate individual responsibilities from collective guilt.

They expressed confidence in a future UN backed hybrid war crimes court because according to them it will involve both local and international laws, will be less expensive and will also allow easy access to victims and perpetrators.

The South Easterners also recommended the setting up of traditional forums where other perpetrators will be investigated and if found guilty be subjected to other forms of punishments including fines. They also named palava hut forums, district county peace consultations and national peace and reconciliation conference as other means of investigating alleged perpetrators.

But the delegates recommended the granting of amnesty to under-aged children and individuals who were forcibly conscripted into the various fighting forces.

They said although they recognized the authority of government to grant amnesty, but international law forbids amnesty for individuals who committed major crimes.

They said amnesty should not be free, noting that there should be some criteria and conditions set aside for alleged perpetrators to fulfill before they can be consider for amnesty.

They however said that children conscripted into the fighting forces must be granted amnesty because they cannot be held responsible for their criminal conduct during the conflict.