ICTJ and TRC Sign MOU (TRC press release)

February 13, 2007

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Liberia and the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Thursday, February 8, 2007 in Monrovia. The MOU talks about the working relationship between the two institutions. The ICTJ has worked with a number of truth commissions around the world but this is the first time it is sighning a document of the sort.

Through the MOU, the ICTJ has agreed to provide training for TRC Staff and partners in the process. According to the MOU, the ICTJ will assist the TRC in its human resource development. Already the ICTJ has provided several training initiatives to media institutions reporting on TRC activities. It also provided technical expertise for the Women Nationwide Zonal Workshops and Town Hall Meetings in December 2006, as well as for the development of a policy document for women in the TRC process.

The MOU further states that the ICTJ will seek to provide training and workshops to the Commission which may address issues such as thematic research and investigations, psychological support and reparations.

The Chairman of the TRC, Cllr. Jerome Verdier and Dr. Alex Boraine, Chairman of the ICTJ signed the MOU after ICTJ conducted a three day training on Hearings for the TRC. Dr. Alex Boraine, Vice Chairperson of the South African TRC and founder of ICTJ, Javier Curlizza, Executive Secretary of the TRC in Peru (2001-2003), Ozonnia Ojielo, Officer-in-Charge of the TRC in Sierra Leone (2002-2005) and Priscilla Hayner, Director of International Policy Makers, ICTJ facilitated sessions about fundamental set-ups of hearings in different countries, strategic planning and policy decisions for hearings and programming and realization of hearings. Commissioners and the Hearings Committee alongside the Programme Assistants took part in the training.


January 25, 2007

TRC POSTPONES PUBLIC HEARINGS

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Liberia has announced postponement of the commencement of its Hearings which was scheduled to begin on January 30, 2007 at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Monrovia to a later date.

The Commission wishes to state that “while the Commission has worked assiduously to stick to its work plan regarding the commencement of Hearings, it has however assessed its readiness capacity to commence these Hearings as scheduled, and determined that much more is needed to be done to ensure that the public is fully aware, informed and participate in the proceedings of the Hearings”. Further, this decision to defer the Hearings to a later date was reached following broad consultations with stakeholders, local and international partners of the TRC.

Meanwhile, the TRC extends thanks and appreciation to the general public for its continued support and participation in its processes noting that a new date for hearings will be announced shortly.

The TRC, since its commissioning in February 2006 has been engaged in an extensive process preparatory to the Hearings including outreach and sensitization, statement taking, women and Diaspora engagement with the process, etc. in the face of serious resource and logistical constraints.


January 22, 2007

EU gives additional support to the TRC

Lucy Daxbacher, a long term technical assistance expert of the European Union (EU) has started work at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) last week. Over a period of eleven months she will give the Commission technical support on policy matters, strategic programming and administration. This is intended to enhance the capacity of the TRC to fulfil its mandate.

Emmanuel Altit, a short-term technical assistance expert of the EU at the TRC, is already carrying out a critical review of all incidents of the conflict from 1979 to 2003, utilizing the UNDP’s conflict mapping report on Liberia and systemizing the information to make it useful for the Commission. He is also assisting the Research Department of the TRC to identify core areas of human rights violations and to develop a methodology of information gathering and processing.

Besides providing technical experts to the TRC, the EU has provided funding for equipment and materials, media advertisements, trainings and workshops.

At a meeting to welcome Lucy Daxbacher, the TRC Chairman Jerome J. Verdier expressed gratitude to the EU for their continuous technical and material support to the Commission since its inauguration on February 20th 2006.