[JURIST] UN Independent Expert on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Liberia Charlotte Abaka, recently returned from an 11-day visit to that country, has called on the Liberian government to press ahead with its Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) [UN Mission in Liberia news release, PDF] and appoint members to its Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR). The TRC was publicly launched five months ago [JURIST report] to investigate and document human rights abuses occurring in Liberia from 1979 to 2003, but is not yet fully operational. The INCHR lacks a staff three years after its inclusion in the peace deal [BBC report] that ended Liberia's civil war. She said she was "very concerned" with the situation.

The TRC began its work in June after its inauguration [JURIST report] in February, but has already been criticized by human rights groups [JURIST report] who instead advocate a Liberian human rights court because the TRC cannot prosecute war crimes violations.