Monrovia – According to the Center for Justice and Accountability, an estimated 250,000 people lost their lives during Liberia’s civil war from 1989 to 2003.
In a bid to promote closure, healing, peacebuilding, and reconciliation, the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has constructed nine memorials at massacre and mass grave sites across the country.
Five of these memorials are in Grand Bassa, Rivercess, Lofa, Gbarpolu, and Bong counties.
They are intended to humanize and honor the victims—those who perished under harrowing conditions or were buried in improvised graves during the war.
This initiative aligns with Recommendation 17.0 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which calls for reparations and memorialization.
To foster community ownership and encourage use of the sites in ways that support the goals of the TRC’s Memorialization Program, the memorials will be officially handed over to their respective communities this June.
The presence of these memorials is expected to offer solace and healing to families of civil war victims. Their formal dedication provides a meaningful opportunity for communities to remember lost loved ones and seek closure.
These spaces serve not only as sites of remembrance but also as symbols of the nation’s collective rejection of violence as a means of resolving conflict.
Additionally, the memorials may promote local tourism, attracting visitors and bringing economic and cultural benefits to the surrounding areas.
The premier dedication ceremony, marking the official handover of the memorials to local communities, will take place on the 17th of June 2025 in Behn Town, Grand Bassa County.
This historic occasion will be attended by the INCHR Chairperson and Commissioners, dignitaries from the European Union and the Swedish Embassy, as well as community and religious leaders, representatives of civil society organizations, women and youth leaders, local officials, and members of the Memorial Committee.
Subsequent ceremonies will be held in Bloe Town (Rivercess County), Bopolu City (Gbarpolu County), Kpotomai Town (Lofa County), and Gbonyea (Bong County).
These events will be overseen by designated INCHR Commissioners, UNDP staff, media personnel, and a range of county- and district-level officials, traditional leaders, and civil society representatives.
