By Ibrahim Tarawallie

Sierra Leone court monitoring programme (SLCMP), the international centre for transitional justice (ICTJ) and the parliamentary committee on human rights Wednesday engaged parliamentarians on transitional justice and peacebuilding.

Chairperson of the seminar Hon. Elizabeth Alpha Lavalie said there should be special funds allocated to individuals advocating against human rights violations.

She said the seminar would help parliamentarians get more knowledge about transitional justice and peacebuilding.

Speaker of parliament Justice Abel Stronge lauded the efforts of the organisers for giving members of parliament more knowledge on the framework of the peacebuilding commission.

Executive representative of the secretary general of the UN integrated office in Sierra Leone Ambassador Gebremedhin Hagoss said the framework, which was adopted in December 2007, was not a document imposed on the country.

He said the framework of the peacebuilding commission identifies six priority areas which include; youth employment and empowerment, justice and security sector reform and consolidation of democracy and good governance.

The aim of the seminar was to sensitise MPs on the peacebuilding commission and address substantive issues through the framework of transitional justice.

Issues discussed include the political role of parliament in terms of legislation, monitoring and evaluation and commitments made by the government.