The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia (TRC) Thursday commenced Pre-County Consultation Mobilization throughout the country in preparation for its ensuing Regional County Consultations.

According to a press release, the TRC, already,  has deployed mobilizers to the 15 political sub-divisions of the country to engender the massive participation of Liberians in the commission’s forthcoming consultation scheduled to be held simultaneously in three regional capital beginning Monday, May 18, 2009.

The mobilization exercise kicked off following the just ended two-day Regional County Consultations Mobilizers Training Workshop in Monrovia.

The Mobilizers Training Workshop was a precursor to the Commission’s Regional County Consultations which will discuss national and county specific issues relevant to the mandate of the TRC.

The Training focused on the TRC’s policy as regards to reconciliation, reparation, prosecution and amnesty.

The Pre-County Consultation Mobilization is being conducted by the TRC, through the County Coordinators and the TRC Media and Outreach Department in collaboration with the county authorities, to identify and sensitize representatives through selected counties and districts coordination committees.

From May 18-22, 2009, the commission will then convene Regional County Consultations scheduled to be held in Region I: Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County; Region II: Gbarnga, Bong County; and Region III: Tubmanburg, Bomi County.

The consultation is one of the remaining key activities of the TRC Planned ahead of the expiration of its mandate in June 2009.

The consultation is designed to promote transparency, inclusion, participation and ownership of the peace-building and reconciliation initiatives that will help support social cohesion, democracy and national development. It is aimed at providing an opportunity once more for Liberians from the 15 counties to share their perspectives on how peace and reconciliation can be sustained in Liberia.

It is expected participants of the Regional County Consultations will share their concerns, best practices, lessons learned and recommendations on the peace and reconciliation process. Moreover, the consultations will pave the way for follow up mechanisms and approaches on the implementation of the TRC recommendations.

Evidently, the civil conflict came with its challenges and there is a need to undertake post-conflict peace building and reconciliation initiatives that will help support social cohesion, democracy and national development.

The County Consultations will bring together 13 representatives from each county and they will consist of women, county authorities, children’s parliament, religious leaders, traditional leaders, civil society groups, clan representatives and vulnerable groups.