Gbonyea Town, Bong County — A US$31,000 memorial honoring the more than 500 victims of a 1994 massacre in Gbonyea Town, Bong County, was officially dedicated on Wednesday, October 15, 2025. Funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and implemented by the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), the memorial marks a significant moment in Liberia’s journey toward justice and accountability.
More than just a monument, the memorial has reignited national calls for the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court—an effort long demanded by victims, civil society, and human rights advocates, but stalled by political resistance.
Speaking on behalf of the Office for the Establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court, Cllr. Fredrick L.M. Gbemie, Director for Operation Office for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court described the memorial as “justice in motion.” “This memorial is not just a structure—it is a sacred space,” Gbemie declared. “It stands as a public declaration that the lives lost here matter. Their stories will not be erased, and their dignity will not be buried beneath the silence of impunity.”
He emphasized that the court is not a gesture to the international community but a duty owed to the Liberian people, especially those in towns like Gbonyea that bore the brunt of civil war atrocities. “The War and Economic Crimes Court is a direct response to the pain this community bears,” Gbemie said. “Memorials like this acknowledge harm, but the court will ensure accountability. Justice is not only about trials—it is about recognition, about restoring humanity.”
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment, announcing that by November 2027, the War and Economic Crimes Court will be “fully established and operational.”
Dempster Brown, Chairperson of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights, was unequivocal in his call for accountability, asserting that criminal responsibility must be pursued as mandated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) recommendations.
“The TRC made it clear: those who committed crimes against the state and international crimes must be punished,” Brown said. “This memorial is part of that process. But we want to be clear—those who carried out the killings in Gbonyea will not go free.”
Brown went further, accusing members of Liberia’s current legislature of obstructing the court’s establishment due to their alleged roles in past atrocities. “We made a mistake by electing people who killed our citizens into the House of Representatives and Senate,” he said. “But they will not succeed in blocking justice.”
He revealed that over 334 mass graves have been documented across Liberia, including 96 newly discovered sites and 11 massacre sites in the southeastern region alone. Brown shared his personal loss, recounting how his own mother was killed by a rocket during the war. “We are not joking. The War Crimes Court must be established,” he insisted. “Enough is enough.”
Also remarking, Caroline Da Silva Sousa, Human Rights Officer at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed the importance of memorialization as part of a broader transitional justice framework. “Remembering and acknowledging past human rights violations is essential for truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence,” she said. “This memorial honors the victims, including women and children, and ensures that what happened here will not be forgotten.”
Sousa connected the 1994 Gbonyea massacre—committed on December 10, Human Rights Day—to the global call for peace and human dignity. “Instead of celebrating human rights that day, Gbonyea suffered immense loss,” she noted.
She reiterated the UN’s commitment to supporting Liberia’s transitional justice efforts, stating, “We will continue to stand with the victims, the INCHR, the government, and civil society in promoting a victim-centered and holistic transitional justice process, of which the court must be a key part.”
For their part, elders, women, and youth representatives of Gbonyea, and authorities of Bong County, repredented by County Administrative Officer Sam Elliott commended UNPD, INCHR, and partners for memorial site, stating the site will not only remind them of their loss relatives but will also stand as a symbol reminding the government of their fight against impunity and injustice in Liberia. They used the medium to champion calls for the speedy implement of theTRC’s recommendations and the full establishment of the court by 2027, as promised by the office.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Brown formally handed over the memorial to Gbonyea’s elders, calling on them to protect it from misuse and preserve its dignity as a sacred space.
“This memorial should be a place for reflection, not for immorality,” he cautioned. “Let it be a symbol of your resilience and a site of healing for the community.”
As Liberia continues its struggle to reconcile with its past, the Gbonyea memorial stands not only as a tribute to those who perished, but as a renewed call for justice that many believe is long overdue.
Liberia’s civil wars (1989–1997 and 1999–2003) claimed over 250,000 lives. Though the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its final report in 2009, calling for prosecutions, the government has yet to implement its recommendations fully. Civil society and international actors have continued to pressure successive administrations to establish a War and Economic Crimes Court.
