Liberia: Democracy in Focus

Three young men die while sleeping in a sealed room. Experts warn they were likely killed by fumes from fresh paint. The deportation of a former rebel commander to liberia from the united states sparks safety fears among war crimes witnessesAs more people go online, fraud is surging —authorities say stopping it isn’t easy and everyone is at risk. Theres a new drug promising a breakthrough malaria treatment for infants but Liberians might wait years. Welcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Three young men die while sleeping in a sealed room. Experts warn they were likely killed by fumes from fresh paint.The deportation of a former rebel commander to Liberia from the united states sparks safety fears among war crimes witnessesAs more people go online, fraud is surging —authorities say stopping it isn’t easy and everyone is at riskTheres a new drug promising a breakthrough malaria treatment for infants but Liberians might wait years. Welcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. It’s a collaboration with Frontpage Africa with reporting from journalists in the New Narratives program. I’m Tetee Gebro.Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court and national anti-corruption court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with experts and stakeholders about how the courts will work.In this interview, I speak with Michelle Reyes Milk, senior counsel in the International Justice Program at Human Rights Watch and the new point person for Liberia. We spoke on the sidelines of a justice conference in Monrovia.Michelle has extensive experience in international criminal justice, including in her home continent of South America. She served as regional coordinator for the Americas at the Coalition for the International Criminal Court. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives, Okay FM and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens. As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with experts and stakeholders about how the courts will work.In this interview, I speak with Elise Keppler, who held a range of senior positions at Human Rights Watch, focusing on international criminal justice, and accountability for atrocity crimes, When she first started at Human Rights Watch Liberia’s civil war was still raging. She was the organization’s Liberia focal point for 20 years. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Global Justice Center, a New York-based advocacy organization that advances accountability for serious international crimes, with a particular emphasis on gender justice. Our interview was held on the margins of a recent justice conference in Monrovia Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives, Okay FM and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.As planning for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with experts and stakeholders about how the courts will work.In this interview, I speak with Binta Mansaray, Registrar of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone, She served as Registrar during the court’s prosecution of those bearing the greatest responsibility for atrocities committed during Sierra Leone’s civil war. 13 people were indicted and nine were ultimately convicted — including Liberia’s former president, Charles Taylor.We spoke on the margins of an international justice conference in Monrovia. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode. Doctors warn that the rampant misuse of medications like antibiotics is fueling the rise of deadly superbugs —that are killing thousands and leaving patients defenseless.As Liberia marks sixteen days of activism against gender violence, a mother of six is killed by her husband. Experts say it exposes deep gaps in protection for rural women. And as justice advocates push to defeat a surprise bill that would block war crimes from being tried in Liberia’s proposed court, we speak with former international criminal court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda on why hybrid courts matter.Welcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode. At this year’s cop climate change summit, global powers move forward with green energy expansion despite U.S. withdrawal. But vulnerable nations like our own rage as adaptation funds fall short. A survey finds Liberians are among the world’s biggest worriers as experts link rising stress to chronic diseases, especially in women. Justice advocates lobby to kill a surprise bill that would stop war crimes from being tried in Liberia’s war crimes court. And cost and lack of awareness leave millions in Liberia with poor vision, limiting children’s education and putting lives at riskWelcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. It’s a collaboration with Frontpage Africa with reporting from journalists in the New Narratives program. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court and national anti-corruption court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international experts and stakeholders about how the courts will work.In this interview, Anthony Stephens speaks with Fatou Bom Bensouda, a former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, on the sidelines of the African Investigative Journalism Conference in Johannesburg this month. A Gambian and the only woman to date to hold the role, Bensouda led the Court’s prosecutorial team from 2012-2021. Some notable prosecutions took place under her watch included former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo; Kenya’s former president Uhuru Kenyatta; and William Ruto, now Kenya’s sitting president, who at the time had just been elected deputy to Kenyatta. Jean-Pierre Bemba, the former vice president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was also prosecuted under her watch. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

COMING UP IN THIS EPISODE. AS LIBERIA’S DRUG CRISIS WORSENS, UNLICENSED REHABILITATION CENTERS ARE PROFITING FROM FAMILIES’ MISERY. EXPERTS WANT THEM CLOSED. AS A BILL THAT WOULD LEGALIZE ABORTION IS AGAIN DEBATED IN THE SENATE, MEDICINES THAT END PREGNANCIES ARE QUIETLY SAVING LIVES.WITH NO INFORMATION ABOUT MARKET PRICES, RURAL FARMERS SAY MIDDLEMEN ARE EXPLOITING THEM AND PAYING TOO LITTLE FOR THEIR PRODUCE.AND LEADING LIBERIAN JUSTICE ADVOCATES CONDEMN THE DECISION TO PRIORITIZE THE ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT OVER THE WAR CRIMES COURT.WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM LOOKING AT THE STATE OF LIBERIAN DEMOCRACY. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

In this interview, I speak with Lofa County Senator Joseph Jallah — who along with Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence - has introduced two bills to establish Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts.  The bills have surprised the court’s proponents because they have seemingly come out of nowhere and they have some controversial elements that contradict a bill submitted to the legislature in 2021 by Liberian Bar Association. That bill had buy-in from most of the court’s advocates and was seen to be a starting point for new bills that must go to the legislature soon to trigger the start of the court. Critics say Jallah’s bills could slow down or undermine years of advocacy to establish the courts. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode.  The country’s drug crisis takes center stage. Citizens march on the capitol demanding action as vigilantes destroy drug dens.The massive cuts to us aid being felt across economy. From street sellers to medium sized businesses the loss of business is hurting. After years of delay a seawall meant to save thousands of homes from being swallowed by the sea in West Point is finally set to begin. As the Office of War and Economic Crimes Court begins an outreach campaign one expert says security needs to be taken seriously. Welcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. It’s a collaboration with FrontPage Africa with reporting from journalists in the new narratives program. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work.In this interview, I speak with Cecil Griffiths, head of the Liberia National Law Enforcement Association and a key adviser on national security issues. Griffiths trains Liberian security personnel and has a good understanding of the country’s security sector. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode. Following a chaotic rollout process, the government indefinitely suspends its compulsory national ID registration program.  As climate change causes more and more farms to fail, rural dwellers turn to charcoal production to survive in a renewed threat to Liberia’s forests At the same time, the end of international funding for ecoguards, has forced many back to the forests to hunt renewing threats to biodiversity. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.It’s not news to anyone that Liberia has been one of the countries most impacted by US President Donald Trump’s cuts to aid. Hundreds of Liberian NGO jobs have been lost.But a new online donation platform called Liberia giving Month hopes to bring donor money directly to Liberian organizations through a few clicks on a phone. I speak with the founder of the platform Marvin Tarawally about his ambitious goals of raising millions of dollars a year for local nonprofits. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

In this special bonus episode of Democracy in Focus, Anthony Stephens has an exclusive interview with Ambassador Mark Toner on his decision to retire just one year into his two year post. Ambassador Toner's announcement came a day before Liberian President Joseph Boakai had a coveted meeting at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump. Toner denied his decision had anything to do with a special request that the Wall Street Journal alleged was sent to President Boakai before the White House meeting, that he take third country nationals as part of President Trump's mission to deport millions of undocumented migrants from the U.S. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work.In this interview, I speak with Leymah Gbowee, one of two Liberians who won the Nobel peace prize in 2011. Gbowee has had a huge impact on Liberia’s peace process. She’s principally remembered for leading a non-violent women movement, women of Liberia mass a ration for pace. The group pressured warring parties to sign a peace agreement in Accra, Ghana to eventually end the country’s civil wars nearly twenty-two years ago. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode. Liberia wins a seat on the un security council. Ambassadors and President Boakai applaud the historic moment.Nobel laureate, Leymah Gbowee urges government to seize the win to drive war time justice beginning with economic crimes. As US aid cuts end a more than $US100 million maternal and infant mortality program, experts and pregnant women fear the worst. Welcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. It’s a collaboration with Frontpage Africa with reporting from journalists in the New Narratives program. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes court get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work.In this interview, I speak with Rwanda’s Ambassador to Liberia, Rosemary Mbabazi after a thirty first anniversary commemoration in Monrovia, of its 1994 genocide of the Tutsi people. Many consider Rwanda a post-conflict success story. It’s shaken off the horrors of the genocide that killed as many as one million of its citizens.  In the years since, Rwanda has instituted a robust program of reconciliation, justice and commemoration, and a strong rule of law that has attracted investors and delivered strong economic development to its people. Many justice activists think it has a lot of lessons for our own country.  Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

President Boakai quiets doubters with a renewed mandate for the war crimes court office and a big increase in budget to two million dollars As Rwanda commemorates thirty-one years since its genocide, its ambassador says the world can learn from its path to reconciliation and justice.And… a report says a lack of competence and inflated salary claims by the Weah administration stopped the country getting a weather hazard warning system Welcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. It’s a collaboration with frontpage Africa with reporting from journalists in the new narratives program. I’m Anthony Stephens.And I’m Tetee Gebro. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

 In this episode..A silent killer is stalking Liberians. Heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other so called non communicable diseases are reaching crisis levels. Experts say awareness campaigns are needed.Thousands of teachers pursuing degrees in education are ejected from us aid- funded scholarships. Experts say Liberia’s school children will lose out again. And.. as the World Bank reports that poverty in rural Liberia has risen to 4 in every 5 people, experts warn the same inequality that led to war risks playing out again. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Heart disease, cancer, mental illness and diabetes are some of a group of diseases that are growing at an alarming rate in Liberia, killing far more people than better known killers like malaria and typhoid. More than one in three deaths are now caused by so-called lifestyle diseases – preventable diseases that are primarily caused by diet, stress, a lack of exercise and sleep, and environmental pollutants. But doctors say they are silent killers because, so few Liberians know about them. Senior New Narratives reporter Tetee Gebro talks with Dr. Clement Peter, outgoing WHO Representative for LiberiaSupport the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode. As Liberia comes to terms with us aid cuts, economists warn of lost jobs and public services with more aid cuts looming. Local NGO heads worry about the ripple effects as staff are laid off, scholarships end and drugs run out. And…..the aid cuts situation also throws into jeopardy, Liberia’s much-heralded campaign to establish a war and economic crimes court.Welcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. It’s a collaboration with FrontPage Africa with reporting from journalists in the New Narratives program. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

 COMING UP IN THIS EPISODE. WE SPEAK WITH THE NEW HEAD OF LIBERIA’S WAR AND ECONOMIC CRIMES COURT DR JALLAH BARBU.VICTIMS DEMAND TOUGH PUNISHMENT AS FORMER LURD REBEL COMMANDER “K1 GOES ON TRIAL IN THE US  GOVERNMENT CELEBRATES AS CARBON TRADING WINS APPROVAL AT THE UN COP 20 CLIMATE SUMMIT. BUT FOREST COMMUNITIES SAY THEY’RE BEING LEFT OUT.AND…..THE RAINS SUBSIDE AFTER THE WORST RAINY SEASON FLOODING IN MEMORY. BUT EXPERTS WARN WORSE IS TO COME AND LIBERIA IS NOT READY.WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM LOOKING AT THE STATE OF LIBERIAN DEMOCRACY. IT’S A COLLABORATION WITH FRONTPAGE AFRICA WITH REPORTING FROM JOURNALISTS IN THE NEW NARRATIVES PROGRAM. I’M ANTHONY STEPHENS.AND I’M EVELYN KPADEH SEAGBEH. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.In this exclusive interview, I speak with Jallah Barbu, newly appointed executive director of the Office of War and Economic Crimes Courts. Dr. Barbu will lead Liberia’s long overdue effort to hold those who upended the country and left 250,000 dead, accountable at last. Just a month into the job Dr. Barbu has already faced a host of challenges, chief among them, a lack of funds. But he says he is honored to have the role and understands the weight of expectation he carries for the millions of Liberians still suffering the aftermath of the war. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

In this interview, Anthony Stephens speaks with Seidu Swaray, a leading mental health counsellor and executive director of the Liberia Association of Psychosocial Services. Swaray’s group provides psychosocial services to Liberians, including victims of the civil wars.  He describes the profound mental health challenges facing the country after the civil wars and advises people how to deal with trauma that the upcoming court may trigger.Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work.In this interview, I speak with Peterson Sonyah, head of Liberia’s largest victims and survivors’ organization, Liberia Massacre Survivors and Association. Peterson is a survivor himself having narrowly escaped his own death at the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in 1990 in one of the bloodiest massacres of Liberia’s civil wars. While he escaped witnessed the murder of his father and six other members of his family by troops with the Armed Forces of Liberia. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

In this episode:The dreams of young rural Liberians die early because of a lack of high schools.  Half of all stroke and heart disease deaths in Liberia are caused by air pollution. Liberia’s environmental protection agency takes its first steps to clean up our air. Liberia's mpox cases rise as the government confirms the deadly strain that has killed one thousand people in the DRC has not arrived.Welcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. It’s a collaboration with frontpage Africa with reporting from journalists in the new narratives program. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode ..  As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts’ get underway, we speak to experts on the major issues court designers will have to consider. Who will be tried? How much international involvement is needed? And what are the security challenges? One thing is already clear - funding will be limited. And some worry the courts are already losing momentum.And… as mpox is declared a global health emergency, is Liberia ready? Welcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. It’s a collaboration with Front Page Africa with reporting from journalists in the New Narratives program. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode ..  As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts’ get underway, we speak to experts on the major issues court designers will have to consider. Who will be tried? How much international involvement is needed? And what are the security challenges? One thing is already clear - funding will be limited. And some worry the courts are already losing momentum.And… as mpox is declared a global health emergency, is Liberia ready? Welcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. It’s a collaboration with Front Page Africa with reporting from journalists in the New Narratives program. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Thanks to host: Korpo Kollie of Radio Kintoma in Lofa CountyComing up in this episode …New data shows nearly 370,000 Liberian children are living on the streets. Many live a hellish existence of sex work and drugs. Access to toilets is still a big problem for rural Liberians. Leading to sickness and death of thousands of citizens. The Boakai administration charges five former government officials after independent audits found they had engaged corruption. Political payback? Or is it finally the end of impunity for corrupt officials?And Liberia’s religious leaders join a continent-wide movement to call on Africans to address the climate crisisYou’re listing to Democracy in FocusSupport the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts get underway, we are running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international justice experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work.In this interview, I speak with veteran Liberian human rights lawyer Taiwan Gongloe. A long time defenders of human rights in Liberia, Gongloe headed the Bar Association and played a key role in drafting the bill that went to the Legislature to establish the courts. He also ran for president in last year’s election.  Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts get underway, we’re running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international justice experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work.In this interview, I speak with prominent Liberian human rights advocate, Hassan Bility. The Director of Global Justice and Research Project, Bility’s role in Liberia’s transitional justice process has been immense. His organization has partnered with Swiss justice activists, Civitas Maxima to investigate and bring evidence to prosecutors in Europe and the US that has been used to prosecute more than a dozen individuals accused of war-related crimes in Liberia.  Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode ..  As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts’ get underway, we speak to experts on the major issues court designers will have to consider. Who will be tried? How much international involvement is needed? And what are the security challenges? One thing is already clear - funding will be limited. And some worry the courts are already losing momentum.And… as mpox is declared a global health emergency, is Liberia ready? Welcome to our program looking at the state of Liberian democracy. It’s a collaboration with Front Page Africa with reporting from journalists in the New Narratives program. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts get underway, we are running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international justice experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work.In this interview I speak by zoom with Reed Brody, a leading international human rights lawyer who represented victims in the landmark trial and conviction of Chadian dictator Hissen Habre. Brody has played a key role in the quest by Gambians for a court to try perpetrators of the Jammeh regime and led United Nations teams to investigate massacres in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens. As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts get underway, we are running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international transitional justice experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work. In this interview I speak by zoom with Alain Werner, a prosecutor with the Special Court for Sierra Leone and head of Civitas Maxima, which has had a key role in the cases against accused warlords in Europe and the United States over the last decade.Werner also represented victims in the historic trial of former Chadian president, Hissène Habré, who was prosecuted in an extraordinary chamber in Senegal set up by the African Union…..Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.As plans for Liberia’s war and economic crimes courts get underway, we are running a series of special interviews with Liberian and international justice experts and stakeholders about how the courts could work.In this interview I speak by zoom with Liberian transitional justice expert Tenneh Dalieh Tehoungue. She’s is undertaking a PHD in transitional justice, peacebuilding, and reconciliation at Dublin City University in Ireland. Tehoungue has some novel ideas for a court. One idea is for the Boakai administration to forgo international funding for the courts and ask the country’s diplomatic partners to, instead, return funds frozen from alleged Liberian criminals to support the court…. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

DEH NEWS WE COMIN TUHK TODAY………TWO BEE GROUP DAH WEHKIN ON  CHAYREN MATTERS IN LIBERIA DEH CALL MINISTRY OF GENDER AND UNICEF SAY, LIBERIA GEH ALMOST  370 THOUSAND CHAYREN ON DEH STREETS. DEH SAY SUMMAH DEH CHAYREN DEM DOIN HO-PO-JOE WEHK WHILE SUM CAN BE TAKIN DRUGS. PLENTAY PEEPOH IN DEH INTEERUH STAY GEH BEE PROBLEM WITH  TOILET HUS BAYNAY… DEH CAN STAY BE PUPUING OUTSIDE AND IT CAUSING PLENTAY SICKNESSES AND MAKING PEEPOH DIE  THE JOSEPH BOAKAI GOHMEN NAH OPEN CASE ON FIVE BEE  PEOPLE WHO USE TO BE IN DEH GOHMEN FOR KRO-KRO-GEE – STEALIN’  PLENTAY MONEY FROM DEH COUNTRAY BEE BANK, AND SOME BEE…BEE GOD PEEPOH IN LIBERIA JOIN DEH FRIEND DEM FROM ALL OVER AFRICA IN  ONE BIG MEETING TO TALK ABOUT HOW DEG WEATHER NAH CORRECK AGAIN AND WHAT AFRICA MON  TO DO TO FIX THIS OLLOR PROBLEMTHE PROGRAM YOUR LISTENIN TO REH NAH WE CALL IT A DEMOCRACY IN FOCUSSupport the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode …New data shows nearly 370,000 Liberian children are living on the streets. Many live a hellish existence of sex work and drugs. Access to toilets is still a big problem for rural Liberians. Leading to sickness and death of thousands of citizens. The Boakai administration charges five former government officials after independent audits found they had engaged corruption. Political payback? Or is it finally the end of impunity for corrupt officials?And Liberia’s religious leaders join a continent-wide movement to call on Africans to address the climate crisisYou’re listing to Democracy in FocusSupport the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

 Welcome to this special edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens.In June President Joseph Boakai, appointed Liberian lawyer Jonathan Massaquoi as Executive Director of the newly established Office of War and Economic Crimes Courts. Ever since, a chorus of key stakeholders including leading human rights advocates, and the umbrella body of lawyers in the country - the Bar Association – has condemned the appointment and the lack of transparency around it.Massaquoi has represented accused perpetrators from convicted warlord Charles Taylor’s rebel faction in legal cases against human rights actors and advocates say that will undermine public trust in the courts. Massaquoi has yet to recuse himself from those cases. Most worrying for backers of the court, diplomats from major international donor countries that would be called upon to foot the multi-million dollar cost of the court, have also told New Narratives they are concerned about the process for the appointment.  To learn more about advocates’ concerns I spoke with veteran Liberian human rights lawyer Taiwan Gongloe. Gongloe has long been a champion of human rights in Liberia, representing many human rights activists. He’s a former head of the Bar Association and helped draft the bills that have gone to the Legislature to establish the court. He also ran for president in last year’s election. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Welcome to this special bonus edition of Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between New Narratives and Front Page Africa. I’m Anthony Stephens. In recent years, Liberia has made big gains in tackling human trafficking, convicting several traffickers including an agent of the National Security Agency and bringing hundreds of victims home from the Middle East. Those wins saw the county move up on the U.S. government’s Trafficking In Persons ranking. But things took a turn for the worse in 2023 when the Weah administration slashed the budget for anti-trafficking efforts by ninety per cent. Prosecutions stalled. Victims remain stranded overseas. This year Liberia was downgraded to the tier two watchlist. In this special interview, I speak with two antihuman trafficking experts in the U.S. embassy - Juan Martinez and Drew Engel - to find out what that means for Liberia. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Liberia's War Crimes Court Office is off to a rocky start as outcries from key stakeholders continue over President Boakai’s appointment of Jonathan Massaquoi to head the  office.A 90 percent cut in funding to anti-trafficking actions has seen Liberia returned to the US government’s trafficking Tier 2 Watchlist. There are repercussions, and the implication is, under the operation of us federal law, the us government has to seize all non-humanitarian and non-trade aid.  Poverty robs Liberian children of their childhood and jeopardizes their safety as they are forced to work in dangerous occupations to make a living. And……….climate change continues to have devastating consequences on Liberian farmers. In River cess, it is robbing their children of their education. But climate justice activists say carbon trade is not the remedy for the climate crisis. You’re listening to Democracy in FocusSupport the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Hello listeners and welcome. This is Evelyn Kpadeh Seagbeh with an extended interview with Norwu Harris. Norwu is a climate justice activist with the civil society organization the Liberia Feminist Forum. We will explore a wide range of issues to do with the climate crisis and the devastation it is causing farmers across our 15 counties.Our interview follows from a New Narratives survey conducted across five counties which found that 100 per cent of farmers we interviewed were struggling to make farming sustainable because of the changing climate. And nine in every ten farmers wanted to migrate. Experts say this makes them highly vulnerable to traffickers and other scammers.Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode … President Joseph Boakai makes history, taking the first step towards war and economic crimes courts for liberia. The move ends two decades of impunity for crimes that devastated the country and left two hundred and fifty thousand dead.We get citizen reactions from around the country. We ask what comes next with house speak Fonati Koffa. And we get reactions from the advocates who have spent the last twenty years campaigning for justice. And One long legacy of the civil wars was drug addiction. We look at one effort in bong county to help addicts break free. You’re listing to Democracy in FocusSupport the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Looking at Liberia’s newsmedia, one might think that no one lives outside the capital, Monrovia. But rural Liberians face a range of hardships that don’t get any coverage. We devote this episode to bringing those issues to light.  We visit a maternity clinic where giving birth means risking death.Six years since the Land Rights Act was passed just 16 communities have received land title. Experts say it’s time to go back to the drawing board. A malaria vaccine finally rolls out across the country – promising to save the lives of thousands of children.The trash crisis is bad in Monrovia and Paynesville but in rural areas things can be even worse. And finally, experts say the number of women drug users in rural areas is growing with terrible consequences for their children and families. You’re listing to Democracy in Focus.Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode … In the second of our two-part series on climate change, a major New Narratives investigation has found Liberia’s farming emergency is fueling a migration crisis. A survey of Liberian farmers finds years of crop failure has nine in every ten wanting to leave the country.As the number of migrants rises so do the number of traffickers and other scammers preying on them. We ask whether solar energy can solve our ongoing electricity crisis.And, as the momentous news breaks that a war crimes court is coming to Liberia, we get reactions from Lofa county to the recent French court guilty verdict for Ulimo commander Kunti Kamara.You’re listing to Democracy in Focus.Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

As our new government takes shape we look at a looming problem that threatens to upend life as we know it. We’re talking, about climate change. From Liberia’s coast to its forests people are feeling the impact of changing weather.  In the first of two programs devoted to climate change we explore a new problem plaguing farmers: pests.We find the Weah government’s failure to fund the massive coastal defense project has led to delays. In Nimba, we learn about smart farming practices that are helping farmers adjust. And.. we ask Liberia’s representative on climate change what the new global loss and damage fund will mean for the country.You’re listing to Democracy in Focus Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

This week… a special program Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission said justice, reconciliation and commemoration of the country’s troubled history was key to moving forward. That has not happened. We visit a country that is dealing with is past … post-apartheid South Africa.  Thirty years since the system of racial segregation was ended we look at reconciliation efforts in South Africa and ask what Liberia has to learn.This week.. Democracy in Focus comes to you from Johannesburg, South Africa with reporting from New Narratives reporters Anthony Stephens, Fatu Kamara, of Okay FM/Front Page Africa, and senior NN reporters Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon of Spoon FM and Front Page Africa and Joyclyn Wea of the New Republic. Thanks as always to our generous donors who made this trip possible: the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, the Swedish Embassy in Liberia, the American Jewish World Service and the US embassy in Liberia.  Thanks also to the African Investigative Journalism Conference which provided fellowships to two of our reporters. Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

After two failed attempts, 78-year-old Joseph Boakai is finally elected president. We look at what lies ahead after a bitterly contested poll. The presidential runoff poll was marred by low voter turnout….we ask citizens why they did or didn’t vote.And women’s representation in the legislature drops even further ….sparking anger and frustration among women’s rights advocates. You’re listing to Democracy in Focus.Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org

Coming up in this episode .. Liberia heads to a presidential runoff election in a rematch between incumbent president George Weah and former-vice president, Joseph Boakai.  Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Massa Washington says the election of accused warlords to the legislature, and their allies to the executive mansion, is bad for the country. And… Liberians elect an almost entirely new senate…we ask what new faces in the legislature mean for Liberia You’re listing to Democracy in Focus, a collaboration between Front Page Africa and New Narratives with reporters from the New Narratives program.Support the showFunding for this podcast comes from the Swedish embassy in Liberia and the American Jewish World Service. See more of our collaborations with media in West Africa at www.newnarratives.org