Liberia's first war crimes court a step towards 'justice and healing'

This move comes more than 20 years after the end of the nation's two devastating civil wars, which claimed 250,000 lives and left a trail of atrocities in their wake.

For President Boakai, the decision represents a necessary and courageous step forward. "Liberia has endured downpours of agony," he stated.

Critics of the war crimes court caution that it may reopen old wounds, yet Liberian President Boakai believes it will pave the way for “justice and healing.”

Adama K Dempster, one of the lead campaigners for the war crimes court, emphasised its importance. "It's an open show of support for war victims and survivors of the civil wars," he told the BBC.

In April, 28 out of the 30 senators in the Liberian Senate voted to establish the war crimes court following a similar vote of approval by the lower house of parliament in the previous month.

Atrocities throughout the bloody conflicts that lasted from 1989 to 2003 included forced child military recruitment, rape, and mass executions. However, Liberia has not yet held a trial for any crimes committed during the violent conflicts, despite calls from both domestic and foreign parties.

Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia and the chief mastermind of both civil wars, is presently serving a 50-year sentence in the United Kingdom for war crimes, however, for his involvement in the conflict in neighbouring Sierra Leone.

The path to establishing the first war crimes court has been marked by challenges and milestones, including past attempts at reconciliation.

In 2006, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to address the aftermath of the conflicts. Although the TRC identified individuals who should be prosecuted for war crimes in 2009, political controversy and a lack of action stalled progress.