RAL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT

Rescue Alternatives Liberia

2011 ANNUAL REPORT

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RAL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT

© 2011, Rescue Alternatives Liberia

This report is being made possible by the funding support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Fund for Global Human Rights (FGHR), Inter-Church Cooperation and Development Organization and Kerk-in-Actie and Global Fund for Children.

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RAL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT

Table of Contents 1. Executive Director‟s Message 2. Forward 3. News and Events a. Member and participant in NAHRAP b. Human Rights Day c. LICHRD d. Prison Report Launch e. UPR Committee and implementation workshop f. 2011 Elections g. Printing Civic and voter Education materials h. Anti-DP Day i. June 26-International Day in Support of Victims of Torture j. Insert newspaper clippings 4. Programs/Activities a. Advocacy b. Torture Victims‟ Rehabilitation c. Youth Diversion d. Others/Counties‟ Programs/Activities i. Montserrado County ii. Margibi County iii. Bong County 5. Capacity Building/Networking 6. Financial Statement 7. Challenges/Constraints 8. Conclusion 9. Recommendations

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RAL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT

Executive Director‟s Message The year 2011 was quite a challenging period for Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL). Funding to its Youth Diversion Program by the Global Fund for Children (GFC) has expired. GFC maintains the policy of not funding an organization beyond 5 years and RAL has got funding from GFC for 5 years now. We also lost continuous grant opportunity from the Dutch-based Inter-Church Cooperation for International Organization (ICCO & Kerk in Actie) as RAL was no longer strategic in its intervention. ICCO and Kerk-in-Actie are focusing its partnerships in the forest, reconciliation, areas RAL is not working nor has expertise to perform. The Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) It is worth mentioning that the cut down did not serves the Liberian society by providing necessitate any discontinuation in the project alternatives to enhancing Human Rights, activities of RAL. In spite of these huddles, Rule of Law, Peace and Democracy however; we maintained focus, stoop strong above Building, and victims’ recovery. the frail and continued with usual program activities though with much challenge. This was actually a year of new experience-the unraveling of new ideas in financial management which pushed us to use the merger resources to cover up for all project activities of Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) without losing sight of the core activities and strategic program objectives. It was indeed challenging but quite experiential and remarkable! Therefore, as we slipped into 2012, we are confident that it will be much more fulfilling because the experience of 2011 will be a very serious guide driving us through to success. We will however continue the robust fundraising activities to sustain our national intervention. Happy New Year to all as you sail through this 2011 Annual Report of Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL), Liberia‟s forerunner of prisoners‟ rights, prison reform, anti-torture and antideath penalty advocacy watchdog!

Esteemed regards!

Jarwlee Tweh Geegbe Executive Director

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Foreword In the year now considered, RAL implemented projects with funding supports from several international donor organizations. For instance, the Torture Victims‟ Rehabilitation Program (TVRP) which operates from a center in the Borough of Kru Town in the Western suburb of Monrovia, received support from the OAK Foundation and the LA LUZ through the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) and the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFVT). A subsidiary program of the TVRP is run at the Monrovia Central Prison. In the course of the year, the program provided rehabilitation services to at least two hundred and sixty-nine (269) survivals of torture through direct medical and psychosocial supports. The purpose of the program is to rehabilitate victims/ survivals of torture, mass war violence and other forms of abuses and violence, as well as inmates through the provision of medical and psychosocial services. Being the forerunner of prisoners’ rights and anti-torture in Liberia, RAL has the vision that the Liberian society will adhere to:  The tenets of human rights, rule of law and democracy for all people;  Active citizens’ participation in national and local governance; and  Rehabilitation of survivals of torture, violence and drugs.

RAL‟s Advocacy Program that include the issue of penal/prison reform, anti-torture and death penalty advocacy raised its support from the US-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the Fund for Global Human Rights (FGHR) and in part from the Dutch-based InterChurch Organizations for International Cooperation (ICCO) and Kerk in Actie.

RAL strengthened and actively engaged with stakeholders to have the proposed “Prison Reform” bill passed and the re-introduction of the Anti-Torture bill in the House of Representatives, among other activities. Monitoring, documentation and reporting of human rights issues in the criminal justice system remain the cross-cutting activity have always been the crux of RAL‟s programs. Dictated by the inhumane conditions plaguing detention and prison facilities across the country, the program is an issue each staff of RAL takes as a matter of priority. All in the need to contribute to the new effort of national renewal with a specific focus of intervening in the criminal justice system. Since its establishment, the program has since sought reforms in the penal/prison sector of the society. It should also be mentioned that RAL maintains its prison decongestion intervention through the mediation activities. Lots of other activities were implemented under different aspects of RAL‟s thematic program areas of interest as you will discover through your reading. We encourage every reader to make candid suggestions and provide great pieces of advice to help RAL improve its reporting format or the contents of its report. Thanks.

Rev. Josephine H. Karley Chairman Board of Directors Rescue Alternatives Liberia

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RAL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT

News and Events a. Member and participant in NAHRAP Over the year in review, RAL actively participated in meeting re-initiating the National Human Rights Action Plan of Liberia. RAL was represented by its executive director, Jarwlee Tweh Geegbe. The conglomeration both civil society actors and Government agencies also worked to develop the Liberia‟s National Report on the UN Universal Periodic Review of Liberia. Following presentation of the National Report and the conclusion of the review process of Liberia at the Human Rights Council, a Subcommittee is set up in the group to follow up on the recommendations of the process. RAL is a member by virtue of his role in the society on the UPR process in Liberia. b. Human Rights Day Each year 10 December is observed as the International Human Rights Day. In Liberia, the 2011 edition was observed along with the newly Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) with streets parade, indoor program and the induction of elected officials of the Liberia Coalition of Human Rights Defenders. RAL‟s executive director, Jarwlee Tweh Geegbe was elected and inducted as Chairman of the Coalition. The program was inter-splashed with cultural performances, speeches, etc to make the 63 rd observance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). c. LICHRD Due to the apparent peace and security that is still fragile, limited or no physical harassments, assaults of defenders, the once strong solidarity group of human rights defenders, Liberia Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (LICHRD) became paralyzed. Following the training visit of RAL executive director, Mr. Geegbe to Geneva on the UPR session, the role of defenders were needed in this follow ups, the Coalition was again reestablished and is fully operating in Liberia. The Coalition reclaimed it membership with the West African Human Rights Defenders Network. d. Prison Report Launch Following at least 2 years of research work, the international NGO, Amnesty International (AI) launched it Prison Report in collaboration with the Rescue Alternatives Liberia and Prison Fellowship Liberia in September 2011 in Monrovia. The report, “Good Intentions are not Enough – The Struggle to Reform Liberia‟s Prisons”, highlighted the degrading treatment inmates receive and the inhumane condition they are kept in. The report shed light on the usual conditions RAL has over the year been speaking on. The health, sanitation, ventilation, lightening, feeding were among other issues raised in the report. e. UPR Committee and implementation workshop During the year in review, RAL lead the Liberia Coalition of Human Rights Defenders in a 1day workshop on the Universal Periodic Review of Liberia‟s recommendations. The workshop supported by Amnesty International, brought together some actors in the follow up on the UPR recommendations. f. Printing Civic and voter Education materials RAL, in an effort to enhance the electoral process and to provide much more education for the voting population in Bong, initially printed voter/civic education materials with design and simple printed and distributed with the following messages:  Say no to and report every case of elections violence;  Respect all candidates whether of your choice or not;  Campaign is not about fight but to convince the electorates for support;

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    

Give equal time and audience to all candidates; Protect each and every candidate because they are Liberians; Respect poll workers, party representatives and observers at the polls; Learn to accept elections results with no interior motive; and Say no to election-based ethnic discrimination.

g. Anti-DP Day On October 10, 2011, for the first time in Liberia, the World Death Penalty Day was observed with the publicity of the request for signature in support of the UN Moratorium on the Death Penalty. The collection of signatures, spearheaded by the World Coalition on the Death Penalty, is to support the efforts to abolish torture globally by the resolution by the UN General Assembly. This exercise in Liberia generated at least 50 signatures in Monrovia. h. June 26-International Day in Support of Victims of Torture The observance of the 2011 International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was blended with a prison conference to look at the prisons issues as discussed further.

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RAL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT

Programs/Activities Advocacy The Advocacy Program embodies three important issues that include the prisoners‟ rights/penal-prison reform, anti-torture, and the death penalty. Throughout the year in review, RAL continued sustained advocacy in these areas.

Dave Peterson, Senior Director of the Africa Program at the National Endowment for Democracy, calls RAL a “success story.” Peterson remembers when executive director Jarwlee Tweh Geegbe “met Senator John McCain, himself a victim of torture, at a NED event several years ago when he was in the US getting help for a young Liberian torture victim. His organization has persevered and grown in effectiveness ever since.”

Prisoners’ Rights/Penal-Prison Reform In 2011, a series of activities were implemented by RAL. Among other things, usual activities covering the penal/prison reform or prisoners‟ rights activities involve the monitoring of prisons, courtrooms and other detention facilities. Also, mediation of cases with prisons‟ inmates and at community levels to reduce tension among community dwellers and avoid overcrowding of detention facilities continued uninterrupted. The development and publication of IEC materials and human rights monitoring and documentation were also of priority. Since its founding, monitoring of human rights issues in the criminal justice system has always been the crux of RAL‟s programs as dictated by the inhumane conditions plaguing detention and prison facilities across the country. Predicated upon the need to contribute to the new effort of national renewal with a specific focus of intervening in the criminal justice system, the Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) was established. Since its establishment, the program has since sought reforms in the penal/prison sector of the society. a. Monitoring of Prisons, Courtrooms and Other Detention Facilities Prisons and Detention Centers In 2011, RAL paid several visits to the Gbarnga Central Prison, the Kakata Central Prison the Bondiway Prison in the concessional area of Firestone and the Monrovia Central Prison. Several police detachments, deports and courtrooms in the three counties were also visited. At prisons, there were discoveries of sicknesses including pneumonia, skin diseases, flu, tuberculosis, anemia, mal-nutrition, blindness, leaping, etc among inmates in prisons. Some inmates/prisoners were treated by the Government whenever they contracted illnesses at any of the prisons, while the total treatment possibilities from Government were slim resulting usually to relatives and families of inmates/prisoners taking those responsibilities to cater and care for their relatives in prisons. The Government‟s interventions to treat inmates are always belated and/or inadequate. This was especially the case in Bong County, which resulted to the death of an inmate.

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Deaths in Prisons There were a number of deaths in prisons largely resulting from acute, preventable and curable “illnesses” contracted while in detention, the prisons authorities have asserted. During the course of 2011, two (2) inmates (Dao Kiajolu and another identified only as Charlie) died at the Monrovia Central Prison in March and April, respectively. Authorities told RAL that Kiajolu died from diarrhea and heart failure, while Charlie died from frustration following his dismembering (nerves breakdowns and blindness). Charlie was jailed on charges of murder for the death Ret. Col. John Aufrey, an American national contracted to train the Armed Forces of Liberia. Prisons Population As of 31st December 2011, the total inmates at prisons across the country stood at … with the below breakdowns at each prison, gender and categories (adult, juvenile, convicted, untried, etc). # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Prison Monrovia Central Prison Kakata Central Prison Bondiway Prison Gbarnga Central Prison Buchana Prison Saniquelle Prison Tubmanburg Prison Cape Mount Prison Barclayville Prison Greenville Prison Bopolu Prison Cesto Prison Fish Town Prison Voinjama Prison Harper Prison National Palace of Correction

Location Montserrado County Margibi County Firestone, Margibi County Bong County Grand Bassa County Nimba County Bomi County Grand Cape Mount County Grand Kru County Sinoe County Gbarpolu County Rivercess County River Gee County Lofa County Maryland County Grand Gedeh County Total

Total 800 75 20 107 59 116 43 23 15 25 10 7 8 42 36 213 1,599

These figures always fluctuate time after time. Of the total number of detainees/ inmates across the country, the statistics categorizing their statuses include the below to wit: Total adult male detainees 1,215 Total adult female detainees 22 Total Juvenile male detainees 32 Total juvenile female detainees 5 Total adult male convicts 309 Total adult female convicts 16 Total 1,599 Some police stations and holding cells were relatively clean but the question of bathroom still remained an unanswered problem.

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Reasons for the persistent increase in the number of pre-trail detainees were attributed to the government‟s lack of logistics and relevant expertise in the criminal justice system; in some cases, it also lacked the will to adjudicate cases ongoing in various courts. The term of court and the jurisdiction of courts are quite some factors accounting also for the over crowdedness in prisons. In prisons, most detainees are detained for persistent non-support, disorderly conduct, theft of property, aggravated assault and few others including murder, rape, etc. In all cases, prisons are more inhabited than police holding cells across the country. Conditions at Prison a. Feeding Inmates at prisons complained that since the beginning of the year, their rations were cut down by government. They alleged that they were only fed once a day. Monitors confirmed this claim as fact and said that inmates /prisoners were most often supported by their friends, loved ones and families with food and money. A study by RAL found out that support from their kin relations and friends were the most reliable sources of feeding for the inmates/prisoners. The food that government provides was quite small and less nutritious. A research and report of conditions in Liberia‟s prisons by Amnesty International further substantiates this point. Some inmates/prisoners were therefore helping with the cleaning up of the compound and with kitchen work. b. Clothing and Uniforms The supply of uniforms to inmates at the Gbarnga Central Prison (GCP) was quite adequate. Supplies from the Government were enough to contend with the prison population. Prison/Correction authorities told monitors that because of the quantity, inmates/prisoners received their uniforms and were always well attired. Inmates wore orange regardless of categories of crimes, cases statues, sex or age, etc. Also the Correction Officers wore grey uniforms. It is worth reporting that at the Monrovia Central Prison, inmates are allowed to use sharp cutting instruments for shoe repairing, barbing and hair dressing such as blades, knives and needles, etc. The use of such instruments could one day trigger a serious situation at the prison especially when prisoners/inmates always complained of maltreatment, poor care and bad prison condition. Both prison and police holding cell facilities are congested and almost always over crowded. b. Intervention of Decongestions at Prisons a. Jail Delivery The Jail Delivery program is an initiative to support the decongestions at prisons across the country. The program provides that courts officials will visit the prison once a week to look into cases (especially misdemeanors) that emanated from it and speedily adjudicate them and provide for the necessary releases, when possible. Authorities at these prisons informed monitors that 22 (Twenty-two) inmates were 10

RAL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT

released by Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice on Capitol Hil from the Monrovia Central Prison. Other releases at other prisons included the Kakata Central Prison, 11 (Eleven) were released by the Kakata Magisterial Court and 7 (Seven) by Bondiway Magisterial Court, while 9 (nine) were by the Gbarnga Magisterial Court. This amounts to a total of 49 (Forty Nine) releases across the 3 counties. b. Mediation Mediation as a regular activity of RAL‟s interventions in decongesting the Liberian prison, the total of 90 (Ninety) cases were mediated which led to the successful released of 60 inmates from 4 prisons (Monrovia Central, Kakata Central, Bondiway and Gbarnga Central Prisons) in 3 counties (Montserrado, Margibi and Bong) in which RAL current works. In RAL approach to its mediation efforts, cases of lesser offenses in the Liberian prisons are the ones that are attempted with. Those cases range from disorderly conduct, theft of property, simple and aggravated assaults, misappropriations of entrusted property and persistent non-support, amongst others. It was revealed that at least 45% of cases fell among those cases of disorderly conduct, non-persistent support, aggravated assault and theft of property. Few others were charged with murder, rape and armed robbery which are crimes that can‟t be compromised under our laws. c. Courtrooms It was astonishing to discover that before cases leave the police for court actions, lawyers or legal counsels had already reached the courts and began legal negotiations and processing of legal documents before cases were heard. Legal arguments then become mere formalities, especially when decisions were made behind the scenes. No sitting Judge‟s family member lost a case so easily after contacts with another sitting judge who was presiding over a case of interest to the former accept non-billable or “high profile Government cases”. The courts remain corrupt; justice is sold to the highest bidder. The justice is being considerately supported with the provisions of vehicles and its support, high salaries and other incentives. There still remain no legal representations of the indigent in the face of the available public defense counsels in all courts. Indigent people are made to pay for services of the defense counsels in most instances.

Anti-torture As spelt out in other previous reports, the advocacy program is our design to accelerate the growth of our nascent democracy and governance processes by creating the ambience necessary to motivate and empower local communities and increase their voices in governance and the decision-making processes. It is also intended to capacitate local communities to influence and have say in what is decided at every level of our national life. Under this program, Rescue Alternatives Liberia implemented a couple of activities in straight adherence to torture work with the criminal justice system in Bong, Margibi and Montserrado Counties. Activities 11

“... the evolution of RAL represents a success story of the NHRF's approach. With NHRF assistance, the organisation successfully lobbied the Liberian Government to ratify the UN Convention Against Torture in 2004, making Liberia the first African signatory and the fifth country in the world to ratify the agreement.” NHRF

RAL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT

undertaken included regular monitoring of courts, prisons and police detention facilities toward ensuring that the rights of detainees are guaranteed and that conditions for them are torture free in detention. Under this program, the dignity of detainees is of concern to us. The advocacy then focused the below:  Advocacy Strategies toward the Passage of the Torture Bill On August 26, 2011, RAL organized a forum and invited other civil society organizations to advance legislative lobbying strategies for the passage of the torture bill. The forum was chaired by the project & research officer of RAL. In attendance, sixteen civil society organizations were represented including Members of the Community Governance and Advocacy Cluster-one of the clusters of organizations established by the Dutch-based Inter-Church Cooperation for International Organizations and Kerk in Actie. This forum began from 10: am- 2:00pm which concluded and finalized the following strategies in helping to create awareness and lobbying activities for the passage of the torture bill. The following strategies below were adopted by the forum amongst other.  Identify friends/ allies and opponents around the bill in the legislature;  Work with friends / allies to convince opponents;  Identify and work with the most influential legislators in the house of representative;  Identify relevant committees in the legislature to work around the bill;  Do robust media engagement in sustained advocacy (in this, work with the legislative reporters); and  Visit the capitol building daily and consult / lobby with every law maker we meet.  Legislative Lobbying for the Torture Bill Following the development of the strategies, an aggressive team of RAL led by the Executive Director preceded to the Capitol Building the official seat of the Legislature to engage the leadership of the House of Representatives and sponsors of the bill. As a result, the bill got its first reading and was sent to committee room for review and advice. The committees before which the bill was sent were the committees on judiciary, National Security and Human Rights. This latest effort was made possible because of the intense lobby efforts mounted by RAL and other civil society organizations. Before the first reading of the bill, its sponsor, Hon. Saah R. Gbollie of Margibi County developed the bill in a more legislative and legal framework and circulated same to his colleagues and RAL for perusal before hearing. The bill did not come from committee room until the Legislature recessed for their agriculture break. We will continue the lobby actions as soon as the 53rd National Legislature takes seat.

Anti-death Penalty The issue of abolishing death penalties in Liberia was incorporated into RAL‟s Advocacy Program resulting from suggestions in RAL‟s strategic planning in 2009. The plan called for the issue of anti-death penalty to be highlighted by RAL in it Advocacy campaigns.

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In the year under review, RAL continued to build its knowledge-based to adequately respond to and monitor death sentences in Liberia. Liberia is a signatory to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which call for all state parties to abolish death penalty in its territories. Over the year, RAL monitored and documented no new cases of death sentences passed on persons. Death sentences have not been executed since the tenure of the Johnson-Sirleaf administration. Printing of IEC materials This aspect of our work was the most delicate and technical as it requires much concentration reflecting the core of activities as embodiment of the various advocacies relating to each program in the development, designing and printing of information, education and communication (IEC) materials. This is an effort to have the public and stakeholders understand our advocacy through simple written messages reflecting and serving as reminder, agitating behavior change and creating conscious awareness programs for our target groups or beneficiaries. Issues about rights violations and knowledge of the constitutional provisions relevant to the criminal justice system were reflected in our IEC products and paraphernalia. Materials were printed around torture, arrest to sentence, prisoner‟s rights and court room procedures as well as calendar and greeting cards (X- mass) through flyers, Placards, posters and tracks. Issues about prison conditions and treatments of prisoners and their rights were also of concern to this aspect of our work. These materials were given to relevant authorities as part of RAL‟s mass campaign against torture and ill-treatment at police cells and prison centers speaking of justice. Specifically, the IEC printed materials addressed three (3) major issues:  Creating awareness for the enactment of the anti-torture bill and transformation of the criminal justice system;  Public knowledge on activities and procedures of the Criminal justice system increased; and  The culture of respect for the rule of law enhanced and promoted. Since the completion of these printed materials; the criminal justice system, county development authorities, local leaders and community people, target beneficiaries and the reading public have immensely benefited from the IEC materials distributed.

Youth Diversion As indicated before in previous annual reports, this program caters to children in conflict with the law. The war years in Liberia devastated families, had many displaced and many more divided and set apart from each other. In such case, many parents went dispossessed and therefore lost their control on their children. Wayward attitudes, drugs and war became their way of life. Many of such children are today left abandoned by the state, neglected by society and rejected by family members. Understanding the challenges such social problem poses on the new priority of nation building, Rescue Alternatives Liberia adopted the Youth Diversion Program to begin to provide rehabilitation services and psychosocial treatments for 13

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such children in order to undercut the danger they pose to the peace and stability of our society. The program is run in New Kru Town on the western outskirt of Monrovia. During the year in review, the program catered to 30 (Thirty) children-about half the number that benefited last year. Directly, youths benefited through program activities which include counseling (trauma and psychosocial), game therapy, numeric and literacy skills. Also, up to 1500 youths (boys and girls) were reached indirectly through the program‟s community outreach activities. These programs include community sensitization, anti-child labor and trafficking campaigns, personal hygiene and health related messages on HIV/AIDS and adolescent reproductive health. As indicated supra, the Youth Diversion Program was unfortunately hit by shortage of funding, accounting for the less number of enrollments in the program. It is important to mention again as in last year‟s report that youth benefiting from the diversion activities performed very splendidly in their academic activities at their respective schools. Each of them made successful pass to the next class or level. We experienced no sad situation of death neither did we encounter any grave situation of illness of any of our children. We must hasten to report that RAL is in a very serious engagement with the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice and UNICEF deciding alternative diversion mechanisms especially for children in conflict with the law. The program is supposed to receive some financial support from UNICEF. When achieved, the program will get a great boost.

Torture Victims’ Rehabilitation The Torture Victims‟ Rehabilitation Project is primarily run within the vicinity of New Kru Town a township near the western edge of Monrovia. Its subsidiary program is run at the Monrovia Central Prison. In the course of the year, the project sought to provide rehabilitation services to at least one hundred thirty three survivals of torture. The purpose of the program is to rehabilitate victims/survivals of torture, mass war violence and other forms of abuse, as well as inmates through the provision of medical and psychosocial services. Usual activities of the Torture Victims Rehabilitation Center surpass community and school sensitization programs, mass awareness and sensitization, client identification assessment and referral (when necessary), individual and group counseling sessions, medical examination and treatment, capacity-building and skills training, sensitization workshops, community healing, work and recreation therapies. a. Psychosocial Counseling (Individual/Group Counseling) Psychosocial counseling encompassing both individual and group counseling sessions were conducted with victims of torture during the period under review. The counseling process starts with the identification and screening of clients. Clients were identified through awareness raising activities including large group activities, house to house sensitization, community sensitization, school sensitization and through referral from schools, hospitals, religious leaders, selves, etc. when the client is identified he/she is screened/assessed to know and better understand the 14

RAL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT

nature and depth of their problems/concerns and together plan how to identify solutions to address their concerns/problems. The assessments include the screening assessment, the intake assessment, the one month assessment, the three month assessment, the six month assessment and the twelve month assessment. The first two are intended to understand what the victims went through, what is happening to them as a result of what they went through and finally what they want to do about the things that are happening to them while the last three are intended to understand how they are responding to the treatment. Depending on the magnitude of their problems they are either placed in group or individual counseling considering the similarity of their problems, their age, sex and their presenting problems. These sessions provided clients the opportunity to share their problems with caring people, understand them and integrate them into their autobiographical data, thus enabling them to better function in society. Through these counseling sessions, clients explore their problems/concerns, understand them and take steps in resolving them. Clients that went through the screening and intake assessments received either individual or group counseling sessions based on the magnitude of their problems, the similarity of their problems, their age, sex and their presenting problems. These sessions provided clients the opportunity to share their problems with caring people, understand them and integrate them into their autobiographical data, thus enabling them to better function in society. Through these counseling sessions, clients explore their problems/concerns, understand them and take steps in resolving them. Two hundred and thirty-four clients received individual and group counseling. b. Medical Under the program, medical examination, advice and treatment were provided for victims of torture. Victims of torture who were screened by the social workers and the counselors were referred to the medical officer in a bid to provide a holistic treatment for the clients. Clients are assessed in line with the Istanbul Protocol and the requisite documentation procedure is observed. During the screening a client who complained of physical ailments he or she is referred to the medical officer for medical examination and treatment, as well as medical advice. This is to ensure that clients receive a holistic treatment for their recovery. Some ninety six clients consisting of 51 females and 45 males were provided medical services during the period under consideration. c. Recreational Clients were also engaged in recreational activities. The activities which are geared towards relaxing the minds of the victims and easing their mental and muscular tension through provision of opportunities for pleasurable and entertaining activities included indoor and outdoor games such as ludos, checkers, cards, scrabbles, monopoly, football games, among others. d. Community Healing In an effort to reach more people traumatized and/or affected by war, the program conducted community healing ceremonies which brought together large group of community members who performed traditional activities that help mitigate and 15

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resolve issues of stress and trauma. It involved traditional dances, pouring of libation, story-telling and reconciliation and the spirit of unification. e. Work Therapy Work therapy in the form of skill development and empowerment were provided for clients. Through these efforts clients were given skills in “gara” tie and dye to help engage them into meaningful and productive ventures. In this way clients were given some economic empowerment and independence that will help divert their minds from the negativity of their experiences and sustain the healing process. f. Awareness Rising The awareness-raising activities involving 25 community sensitizations, 30 school sensitizations, 4 mass sensitizations and 5 sensitization workshops were continuously held in the borough of New Kru Town. These activities were intended to increase community members and other stakeholders‟ knowledge on the issues of torture, trauma and their psychosocial and physical effects, as well as enhance collaboration and networking between and among stakeholders in project locality. They also served as conduits for the identification of potential clients. A total of approximately 5,432 persons comprising of 2,891 females and 2,541 males were beneficiaries of these exercises. g. Client Identification/Assessment Clients were identified during the sensitization activities by staff of the project. Some were also referred by community leaders, friends, health care providers, religious leaders, traditional healers, teachers and school authorities, among others. 356 persons were identified through the above mentioned processes. Clients identified/referred went through a process of screening/examination (screening assessment) to understand whether they experience acts of torture, are victims of trauma or other violence, whether they are presenting signs and symptoms of the aftermaths of their experiences as well as their interest in the services being offered by RAL through its rehabilitation project. Those clients that satisfied these conditions went through further psychosocial and medical screening/examination (intake assessment) to help better understand their problems and jointly do a treatment planning for their recovery. Clients also received follow-up assessments (one-month, three-month, six-month and twelve-month) to regularly monitor and evaluate their progress and/or level of recovery. A total of three hundred twenty two clients received intake and follow-up assessments during the period under review.

Others Media Relations This year, RAL‟s media relations were very strong. As a matter of amplifying our activities especially with the advocacy on the bill, we established a media network of legislative reporters drawn from among the five most prominent local dailies to adequately blow every step of the Legislature towards the bill. As a result, many of our activities particularly those relating to the bill got great publicity. The newspaper clippings attached here as addendum bespeaks this as well. Elections 16

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Held Voter/Civic Education for women, Youth, CBOs, Religious and Opinion Leaders Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) from July 29-30 (Friday-Saturday) held two (2) separate Voter/Civic education workshops in Suakoko Town, Suakoko District, and Bong County under the theme “Civic Education for Informed Decision Making”. This is part of our program activities under the ICCO Liberia Peace Building and Democracy Program (LPBDP).The first day of the workshop witnessed the recruitment and attendance of thirty (30) women and Youth and seven (7) CBO‟s. The following day saw thirty (30) Religious and opinion leaders across the district with eight (8) CBOs making the total of seventy five (75) participants attending the Voter/Civic education workshops. Day one (1) attendance log presented thirty seven (37) persons and day two (2) presented thirty eight (38) persons. The both workshops witnessed the arrival, registration and breakfast by participants, prayers by volunteers (participants), self-introduction, welcome remarks and purpose of the workshop by RAL program coordinator as well as formulating ground rules and noting expectations. After the formulation of the ground rules and expectations, the lone facilitator Mr. Heron S. Gibdi, former Acting Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights and Democracy (FOHRD) took to the platform and presented his topics. He first gave the definition of “Referendum” as the voting by all people of a country to decide whether something should be done, stopped, changed, extended or reduced within the constitution as an amendment. He explained the four (4) prepositions to the participants and made reference to articles in the constitution and presenting them and said it is a national duty to all come August 23, 2011. For the Voter and civil education, he also explained that “election” is to choose by voting people to preside over the mantle of authority. For day one and two of presentations, questions and answers period were allowed and many questions were asked with some participants sharing their frustrations and views over some of the propositions in the referendum. PRISON CONFERENCE In our 2010/2011 proposal approved by the NED RAL had a major activity component of the project which is the “prison conference”. This idea was considered by the project to help the Liberia Criminal justice system (CJS) revise its prison rules to meet international standards by meeting, discussing and reviewing the prison rules and to adopt and publish it as part of the conference resolution through invitations extended to stakeholders from across the country to a centralized venue. To this, its budget component approved by NED was drastically reduced or underrated. During the NED‟s Africa program representative‟s annual visit to Liberia in person of Dominic, RAL told her about the insufficiency of the budget to adequately implement this program component taking into consideration the transportation for correction officers from each prison across the country, lodging and feeding, stationery, facilitation fees, hall rental, production and printing of the revised rules, symposium meals(breakfast/lunch) and the PA system as well as sitting fees for all the participants. More funding was therefore needed to hold the conference. Additionally, the conference was to revise and strengthen the prison rules, share experience, skills and knowledge from subsectors of the criminal justice system (CJS) with other conference members by some season criminal justice professionals/ practitioners. 17

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Against this backdrop, RAL decided to solicit funding from the UNDP-Liberia to help adequately underwrite this activity. This program was planned together with the UNCAT torture day celebration-June 26 but was celebrated on June 27, 2011 Monday. To achieve this purpose, RAL took into consideration two (2) major issues „‟Revise and strengthen prison rules and poverty and torture” under the UNCAT global theme for this year with other sub-topics presented. Invitations were extended to several stakeholders including Civil society organizations (CSOs), community-based Organizations (CBOs), UNMIL Human Rights Section, police and prison authorities, schools youth and women, Ministry of Justice and media institutions(print/electronic).During this program which was a whole day affairs, over forty(40) persons graced this occasion including panelists. On June 27, 2011 after arrival, registration and breakfast by participants, the program began with the observance of a moment of silence in remembrance of both the dead and survival victims of torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment by the audience. Thereafter, welcome remarks and overview of the symposium were given by RAL Project and Research officer. This was followed by IRCT Statement for Global Reading by the Executive Director of RAL and thereafter the panel discussions got underway with speakers from separate and distinct professional backgrounds. A) Torture and Poverty was delivered by Mr. Eugene Nindorera, Head of Section/UNMIL H/R and protection division B) Torture and the Criminal Justice System was delivered by Mr. Roosevelt Siakor/ Deputy Director, Liberia National Law Enforcement Agency While it is true that the domestication of torture in making Liberia a torture Free state is paramount to RAL but under a separate project, the calving of the prison rules was the underling factor for the holding of the symposium. Forty minutes was given to each speaker with twenty minutes for questions and answers. All of the speakers on torture mentioned its domestication, definitions, effects and harmonization of both the UN and the world medical Association definitions of torture given the Liberian context. For the National prison rules, the counselor introductory statement mentioned that the international human right standards and most national legal systems make a distinction between “detainees” and “prisoner.‟‟ A detainee is a person who is deprived of personal liberty, but has not been convicted of an offence. A prisoner is a person deprived of liberty as a result of having been convicted. She also mentioned women and children as categories of detainees/prisoners that are vulnerable to mistreatment. Therefore, police and correction officers conduct towards detainees and prisoners should be humane, and in strict compliance with the laws and guidelines governing treatment of people in custody and also during interview and interrogation of persons suspected or accused of committing a crime. After the questions and answers period, the well learned counselor played an advisory role in developing the National prison rules during group‟s discussions. At 18

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the close of the discussions the symposium was able to produce the rules for the conduct of Liberian prison. Challenges/Constraints

Insufficiencies of vehicles, motorbikes and low salaries or wages were major challenges to effective monitoring of prisons, police holding cells and courts by our monitors; Our newly recruited staffs lack basic training or international exposure in the area of monitoring; Most county attorneys and public defenders are often absent from courts and this helps to delay cases and our monitoring and mediation campaigns also; The rainy season and bad roads are seriously hindering the work of RAL. Specifically, inaccessibility is an issue which undermines monitoring and mediation During the beginning and end periods of the year, there were heavy down pours of rain that gave RAL‟s monitoring team much difficulty in the mediation process. Conclusion

Electorates were more determined to vote in the presidential and general elections this 2011 than 2005; Huge cash in exchange for votes was rampant than the presentation of platforms by aspirants and ideas which has heavily monetized the elections. Both the National Elections Commission and the Ministry of Justice are lacking the political will to have detainees vote; they fear that the large number of pre-trial detainees matters and could run them (the regime) out of balance; Given the practical nature of the work of the Ministry of Justice regarding corrections, more support is received with low performance and less impression; Correction systems including recreation and schooling opportunities for kids and adult prisoners will help in the all-round rehabilitation program and could reduce the cases of relapse where people released from jail are likely to go back to jail; Recommendations The Legislature should be made to pass the torture bill in fulfillment of Article 4 of United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) and its Optional Protocol to which Liberia is a state party; Increased voter/ civic education should be given the voting populace months in advance to any general elections; When the National Elections Commission is composed of representatives of political parties, civil society and religious organizations, it will likely have prisoners to vote

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than a commission composed of regime loyalists who may not have vested interest to protect prisoners; Police and corrections officers should be more internationally exposed and given trainings in their respective areas; The security sector particularly the police, still needs more trainings in human rights and international rights instruments to provide them the required tools that will transform them into a people‟s police and not a regime force; That lobby actions for the bill to declare the Bureau of Correction and Rehabilitation autonomous must be increased (that is to add international flavor by lobbying with the Liberian Senate) to concur with the House of Representatives; That the National Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitations should be constructed outside of Monrovia to allow for seclusion and non-interference; That the government should ensure that public defenders and county attorneys remain in their respective county of assignment on duties than unnecessarily plying the streets in Monrovia and consuming more fuel which imposes serious burdens on government.

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