More than two decades after Liberia’s fourteen-year civil conflict ended, many of those who suffered most say they feel forgotten. Survivors live with bullets and fragments lodged in their bodies, lost limbs, impaired vision, chronic pain, and emotional trauma. Others remain trapped in poverty because the war destroyed their homes, farms, businesses, and families. For them, the peace that came with the end of fighting has not brought healing or restoration.
A Painful Imbalance in Post-War Assistance
When the war ended, former fighters received disarmament and demobilization packages that included money, vocational training, and other forms of assistance to help them return to civilian life. That support was necessary for peace, but it created a painful imbalance. Those who carried the guns received organized assistance, while many of the people injured, widowed, displaced, and impoverished by the war received little or nothing.
This disparity is at the heart of a proposal by Tiawan Saye Gongloe, a Liberian lawyer and former presidential candidate, who argues that the country must correct what he calls a historic injustice. In a recent opinion piece, Gongloe calls for the creation of a National War Victims Relief Fund to address the ongoing suffering of civilians and other non-combatants affected by the conflict.
The Proposal: A Modest Contribution, A Significant Impact
Gongloe’s plan is straightforward. He proposes that the fund operate for an initial period of five years, with contributions from Liberians at home and abroad. Under his proposal:
- Every unemployed adult Liberian who is able to contribute would pay L$100 per year.
- Every employed Liberian would contribute US$1 per year.
- Liberians living abroad would be encouraged to contribute at least US$1 annually.
- The government would match these contributions at a ratio of US$5 for every US$1 contributed under the national scheme.
The fund would be used to provide medical treatment, medication, prosthetic devices, and modest welfare support to severely disabled victims. It would also offer interest-free microloans to victims who can engage in farming, trading, or small businesses. The goal, as Gongloe describes it, is to reduce suffering, restore independence, and give victims renewed hope in a caring Liberia.
Separate from the War Crimes Court
Gongloe is careful to distinguish this relief fund from the proposed War and Economic Crimes Court. The court, he notes, concerns accountability for crimes committed during the conflict. The relief fund concerns care and responsibility for people who are suffering today. He argues that a wounded victim who needs medicine should not have to wait for a prosecution, and a widow living in poverty should not have to wait for the creation of a court before receiving assistance. Liberia, he insists, can pursue justice and care for victims at the same time.
Transparency and Protection from Political Interference
To ensure the fund is credible and effective, Gongloe proposes several safeguards. A national registry of qualified victims should be established, and the General Auditing Commission should audit the fund annually. Most importantly, he argues, administrative expenses should not be deducted from the victims’ money. Salaries, offices, and other operating costs should come from a separate appropriation in the national budget.
These measures are intended to protect the fund from political interference and to ensure that contributions go directly to those in need.
Why Now?
Gongloe anticipates the question: “Why now?” His answer is simple: it is better late than never. The passage of time, he writes, does not erase the suffering of those who still carry the physical, emotional, and economic scars of the war. Delay is not a reason for continued neglect; it is a reason to act now.
This is more than a financial proposal. It is a national statement that Liberia remembers its victims, cares about their suffering, and accepts responsibility for helping them rebuild their lives. Such collective care, Gongloe argues, can help heal old wounds, restore hope, and make victims feel that their country has not abandoned them.
A Call for National Responsibility
The fighters were assisted because Liberia needed peace. The victims must now be assisted because justice, compassion, and national responsibility demand it. As Gongloe puts it, “We must not and cannot forget the victims of Liberia’s civil conflict.”
Whether the government will take up this proposal remains to be seen. But the underlying message is clear: for many Liberians, the war is not a distant memory—it is a daily reality. And the country’s obligation to its most vulnerable citizens does not end with the signing of a peace agreement.
Source: We Must Not Forget The Victims Of Liberia’s Civil War