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Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission Diaspora Project
The West African nation of Liberia is recovering from years of conflict characterized by egregious violations of human rights, including arbitrary killing, torture, use of child combatants, sexual violence, separation of families, and looting and destruction of property. From 1979 until 2003 the Liberian people survived a bloody coup d’etat, years of military rule, and two civil wars during which terrorizing the civilian population was the most widely used war tactic.  Out of a pre-war population of three million, an estimated 250,000 people were killed, with as many as 1.5 million displaced.  This mass exodus created the Liberian diaspora.

A critical piece of minimizing the chance that Liberia will again fall into chaos was the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission.  The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia (TRC) was agreed upon in the August 2003 Accra Peace Accords and was established by legislative act in 2005. 

At the request of the Liberian Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC), The Advocates for Human Rights has coordinated the work of the TRC in the diaspora. Between January 2007 and August 2008, The Advocates documented statements from Liberians across the United States, the United Kingdom, and in the Buduburam Refugee Settlement in Ghana, West Africa. Moreover, the TRC held public hearings in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA in June 2008 to document public testimony from Liberians in the U.S. diaspora. In July 2009, the Advocates presented their final report to the TRC of Liberia.
Program Updates

The Advocates Participates in TRC National Conference
6/29/2009 1:05 PM

Public Hearings at Hamline University, June 9-14, 2008
4/15/2008 1:55 PM

The Liberian TRC Diaspora Project in the News
3/10/2008 3:25 PM

TRC Diaspora Project featured on CNN International's Inside Africa
3/10/2008 2:55 PM

Healing through Faith: A Conference for Faith Leaders in the Liberian Diaspora
2/26/2008 4:05 PM
 

Final Report
Click here to read "A House With Two Rooms", the final report of the Liberia TRC Diaspora Project.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia
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