Thursday, June 14, 2007
Liberia Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Atlanta
The Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission has opened to take statements from Georgia-based refugees about their experience back in west Africa.
During the 14-year civil war, as many as 25% of Liberians fled home. Many came here and boosted Atlanta metro's Liberian population to about 3,000-8,000 (says the TRC) or 10,000 (says the AJC, 6/15).
The "TRC has been charged with the responsibility of investigating the root causes of the conflict in Liberia , amplifying historical truths and thereby undermining falsehoods that have over time assume the status of historical truths," says the Commission's www page.
The most brutal phase of the Liberian civil wars came in the 1990s when despot Samuel Doe was attacked by a coalition of his most heinous underlings -- one of whom was Charles Taylor, and all of whom soon started fighting among each other. You've heard of child soldiers? Its because of the Liberian civil wars that you've heard of them.
The TRC is partnering with the Carter Center and the Atlanta Friends of the TRC, reports the AJC. The Friends have a nice brochure explaining a TRC, and why you'd have a TRC instead of, or in addition to, prosecutions.
The TRC's diaspora representative has previously said that she has no money to implement big programs . . . so I'm guessing the TRC's partners are footing the bill, as they did in Minnesota. Money well spent, we dare say.
(We found that info in The Liberian Dialogue, a Lawrenceville-based electronic publication.)
Liberia's current president, technocrat Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, visits Atlanta quite often. She has a granddaughter in the area -- so she's always getting collared for speaking engagements too.
AG asked a Lawrenceville-based Liberian about Johnson-Sirleaf. She likes her and says if she keeps on improving things, maybe she'll go home. ¶ 10:08 PM
The Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission has opened to take statements from Georgia-based refugees about their experience back in west Africa.During the 14-year civil war, as many as 25% of Liberians fled home. Many came here and boosted Atlanta metro's Liberian population to about 3,000-8,000 (says the TRC) or 10,000 (says the AJC, 6/15).
The "TRC has been charged with the responsibility of investigating the root causes of the conflict in Liberia , amplifying historical truths and thereby undermining falsehoods that have over time assume the status of historical truths," says the Commission's www page.
The most brutal phase of the Liberian civil wars came in the 1990s when despot Samuel Doe was attacked by a coalition of his most heinous underlings -- one of whom was Charles Taylor, and all of whom soon started fighting among each other. You've heard of child soldiers? Its because of the Liberian civil wars that you've heard of them.
The TRC is partnering with the Carter Center and the Atlanta Friends of the TRC, reports the AJC. The Friends have a nice brochure explaining a TRC, and why you'd have a TRC instead of, or in addition to, prosecutions.
The TRC's diaspora representative has previously said that she has no money to implement big programs . . . so I'm guessing the TRC's partners are footing the bill, as they did in Minnesota. Money well spent, we dare say.
(We found that info in The Liberian Dialogue, a Lawrenceville-based electronic publication.)
Liberia's current president, technocrat Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, visits Atlanta quite often. She has a granddaughter in the area -- so she's always getting collared for speaking engagements too.
AG asked a Lawrenceville-based Liberian about Johnson-Sirleaf. She likes her and says if she keeps on improving things, maybe she'll go home. ¶ 10:08 PM
