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UN H/Rights Commissioner Indicts NTLG

The Analyst (Monrovia)
NEWS
July 14, 2005
Posted to the web July 14, 2005

By Mensiegar Karnga, Jr.

Last week Miss. Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights who was in the country has released a bombshell by indicting the
transitional government for poor human rights record.
She was in Liberia as part of the West African Countries visit intended to get
"first-hand information on the political and humanitarian situations in the
West African sub-region." Addressing scores of reporters at UNMIL press
briefing Miss. Arbour has indicted the transitional government of chairman
Gyude Bryant of poor human records, the lack of transparency and accountability
since the government took office nearly two years and was doing nothing to
fight the virus.
Touching on the country human rights records, the UNHCR boss said, "There is an
urgent need for the NTGL and future government to put into place appropriate
mechanism to ensure compliance with international human rights standards."
According to her, this would enable the international community and people of
good will to have "confidence" in the country and willing to contribute their
quotas to the nation's rebuilding process.
Madam Arbour has observed that the judicial system of the country was weak, as
a result, individuals who are engaged in heinous crimes continue to escape
justice, thus giving rise to societal collapse and butchery.
Apart from that, she also noted that people were being detained beyond
"stipulated period," something she believes is tantamount to the violation of
their rights. She however called for remedial actions.
At the same time, the UNHCR boss furthered that individuals charged with
criminal activities were not serving appropriate jail sentences, adding that
setting them free was making the environment unsafe to dwell in.
Commenting on violence against women and sexual abuse, she said these were
alarming, and alleged that nothing was being done by the judiciary to institute
punishable measures against rapists for deterrent purposes.
On the issue of accountability and transparency, the UN Human Rights expert
indicated that the Bryant-led government needed to be responsive in fighting
against corruption and other negative vices that necessitated the 14 years.
She narrated that the misuse of power and corruption in the country has created
"a dark cloud to the international community to trust the nation and its people
for partnership building that will create good investment climate." While in
the country, Madam Abour met with various national and international stake
holders to be able to have knowledge on human rights challenges facing the
nation and to discuss concrete steps that needed to be taken to ensure
compliance with the international human rights treaties ratified by Liberia.

   

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