Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was established to investigate the root causes of the conflict in Liberia and to amplify the historical truths, thereby undermining falsehoods that have overtime assumed the status of historical truths.

Meanwhile, one of its commissioners strongly suggests that no true reconciliation would be achieved in the country, unless the truth about the violence, the tortures, the rapes, among other human rights violations is told. "Until we are prepared to face our past, we will never be able to move on as a nation," warned Commissioner Oumu K. Syllah.

Commissioner Syllah told a gathering of Liberians at the King Sao Bosso Lecture Series Saturday, November 17, 2007 in Philadelphia that the only sure way to genuine peace and reconciliation is for Liberians affected by the war and other form of abuses to come forward and tell the TRC what actually happened to them.

Addressing the Forum alongside Liberia’s Assistant Minister for Information, Abu Kamara, the visiting Commissioner said TRC has been charged with the responsibility of investigating the root causes of the conflict in Liberia, and continuously appealed to the Liberian communities across the United States to mobilize and encourage their members to come forward and give their testimonies. She said TRC statement takers are currently working in the various counties in Liberia, saying, "people in those areas are responding."

The program held at the ACANA edifice on Chester Avenue, was graced by ULAA National President, Emmanuel Wettee, former ULAA Board Chairman Anthony Kesselly, former Board Chairman of the Liberian Association of PA (LAP), Francis Duwana, former LAP President Morris Sekou Kanneh, FELMAUSA Board Chairman Abe Kromah, FELMAUSA Board member Abu Syllah, President of the Liberian Mandingo Association of Pennsylvania (LIMAP), Mohammed Bility, President of the African Youth Association in the USA, Talata Sheriff, former Chief of Protocol of Liberia, Mohammed Jormandy and several opinion leaders in the Philadelphia community. The panel discussion was moderated by Richmond Mohammed Konneh, President of FELMAUSA.

Commissioner Syllah noted that each individual truth will contribute to the development of our country."Without the truth being told, Liberia will not move forward," she noted and disclosed that TRC has already received more than 6000 statements and counting, “but we know there are people out there who have stories to tell. So I am begging you to come forward and participate in the TRC process. I encourage you to speak to our TRC representatives, including Sheik Muhammad Sherif in Philadelphia, to tell your story.”

The out-spoken Commissioner, who is a trained registered nurse, HIV/AIDS counselor and social worker, urged all Liberian residents in the US to come forward to tell their stories, adding, “TRC is to promote national healing and in order to do that we must investigate violations of human rights in Liberia, sexual violations, murders, extra judicial killings and massacres, etc."

On why the TRC is only investigating the period from 1979 and not beyond that period, the learned Commissioner plainly said, “There has to be a corner period and people's memories are still fresh from that time up til now. People around would be able to tell actual happenings of those events.” However, she encouraged any institution or individual who knows there were other issues before 1979 to come forward and inform the TRC. “We will definitely look into such issues if they reach our attention.”

The professional nurse also told the gathering that TRC is paying special attention to the plight of women and children. “We are paying special attention to women and children. Why, because they don’t normally speak out. During the crisis, the women faced some problems. We all know children fought in the war, but we also know they were not responsible for the war. They were equally victims, so TRC is also concern about their welfares. Their experience is also very important.”

Commissioner Syllah said TRC is aware of the enormous difficulties in collecting statements from most of the victims of war. “We know it’s hard to talk about the psychological and physical abuses experienced during the war or before that time; we know some of our people are afraid, but let me assure you today that you should not be afraid. TRC will not pass on your statements to anyone. Every statement we take remains confidential,” she assured.

“Your statements would be confidential. In the US, we are working with Minnesota Advocates for human rights (MAHR) to take your statements. We will not leak your stories to anyone. We have a memorandum of understanding with them that no body statement should not leak to immigration or anyone or institution in this country," she assured.

“We are going to submit our reports at the end of the investigation. We will make the recommendations, but in the absent of truth telling, there would be no peace. Most often people would say oh let move on, but at the end of the day, we go back to violence. We must investigate, we must speak out to know the truth so we can better make peace,” Commissioner Syllah stressed.

“We should come forward to tell what happen to us, to our loved ones. In the absent of the truth, we can never be able to reconcile. We know the truth hurts, but we must have the courage to come forward to tell the truth. We must make sure war does not come back to Liberia,” the out-spoken Commissioner, who also serves as the TRC Treasurer told the audience at ACANA.

“We are aware that brothers and sisters in the Diaspora were also affected. We know they fled their homeland to come abroad, so we are here for us to discuss what happened to us. We know silent kills, so I appeal to you to join the process of truth telling,” the TRC executive restated her appeal and furthered that “If each one of you get out, speak to five to six person, we will have more of our people to give their statements. Help TRC to reach to our people.”

The TRC is to establish an independent and accurate record of the rights violations and abuses occasioned by the conflict and set the basis for justice and reconciliation that will foster national repentance, strike the delicate balance between accountability and forgiveness in order to heal the land and unite the people.

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