Founder and chairman of the Justice and Peace Commission and the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia, Archbishop Francis calls for peace and security. He has been instrumental in leveraging international support for the peace efforts in Liberia, including $445 million from the U.S. government.

Overview

Archbishop Michael Kpakala Francis has long been one of the leading figures in the Liberian human rights movement. In 1991, he formed the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, a widely-respected human rights organization that has engaged in a variety of initiatives, including the rehabilitation of individuals traumatized by the war, many of whom are former child soldiers. The Archbishop has also openly criticized the regime of ex-President Charles Taylor for continuing human right violations and corruption. He has been a leading figure in the peace process as the Chair of the Inter-Religious Council for Peace of Liberia. In addition to traditional human rights work, Archbishop Francis has instigated the construction of schools, health centers, churches, and rehabilitation centers throughout Liberia.

The CHR and Liberia Support Group (LSG), in coordination with the Archbishop, worked to move the US government and international community to change the course they had adopted in addressing the Liberian crisis, by focusing on peace and security as a prerequisite for free, fair, and democratic elections in Liberia. The CHR, LSG, and Archbishop Francis made the case for the need for the US government and international community to support the peace process and provide the country with the means it needs to successfully develop and implement a Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reinsertion (DDR) program constructed for the specific needs of Liberia. We also insisted that the country should not be rushed into elections it is not prepared for and has no means and resources to undertake. The advocacy of the CHR and the Archbishop had four key thrusts regarding the international communityís obligations to Liberia. It should (1) act diligently to consolidate peace and security in Liberia; (2) assist the country in dealing with the aftermath of its civil war; (3) provide the financial resources necessary for the reconstruction of the country and for the support of the peacekeeping forces; and (4) contribute to preparing the necessary infrastructure for the successful holding of national elections.

The CHR and LSG held a series of meetings with representatives of the US government and US Congress to explain the deteriorating situation in Liberia and call for a proactive approach to the crisis. The CHR and LSG garnered support for the work of Archbishop Francis and for his call for peace and security as a prerequisite for free, fair, and democratic elections in Liberia.

The Archbishop has asked the CHR to organize a Journeys for Justice delegation to Liberia in the immediate future. The delegation will examine the US role in the tentative peace process to determine how it could maximize its contribution to respect of human rights and the consolidation of peace. It will also look at the new U.N. peace mission and analyze its effectiveness, while suggesting recommendations for its improvement.

Leverage

The CHR joined many groups and enlisted the support of Congress Members, which eventually led to the appropriation of $200 million for the reconstruction of Liberia and $245 million to support the UN peacekeeping force in the country

Synergy

The CHRís work with Archbishop Francis, including his visits to the US coordinated by the CHR and LSG, in cooperation with the Vatican and Catholic Relief Service, have greatly contributed to achieving these objectives. Intensive meetings were held with the Deputy Secretary of State, the Under Secretary for Political Affairs, members of the US House of Representatives and members of the US Senate, the Secretary General of the United Nations and his Special Representative for Liberia, and representatives of human rights organizations based in the US. The CHR issued a policy paper ñ Liberia and the Need for a Robust Intervention and Planning for an Effective Transition ñ and circulated it broadly within the international human rights community. This has positively impacted the developing consensus about the need to avoid the mistakes of the last peace process.

Sustainability/Replicability/Lasting Effects

One of the goals of the CHRís work in Liberia is to avoid panacea ìsolutionsî that will reproduce the present conflict a few years hence. Keeping the UN and the transitional government of Liberia focused on the need for building institutions and infrastructure that respect human rights will be critical in the coming years.