For almost a decade, the international community has seen Charles Taylor’s role as one which fueled Sierra Leone’s civil conflict through gun running and drug smuggling, he lamented to Special Court for Sierra Leone judges today. Nothing he did could change this impression and Liberia suffered because of it, Mr. Taylor said.
“They had made up their minds, it really did not matter whatever I did,” Mr. Taylor told the judges today when responding to international community allegations against him that he provided support to Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels who waged an 11 years war in Sierra Leone.
Mr. Taylor has been responding to a 2000 United Nations (UN) Expert Panel Report which alleges that he was fueling the conflict in Sierra Leone through an arms-for-diamond trade with the RUF rebels.
Mr. Taylor told the judges that when the UN Expert Panel Report came out in 2000, accusing him of providing support to the RUF rebels, the United Kingdom, through its ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, proposed sanctions against Liberia at the UN Security Council. As a condition to lift the sanctions against Liberia, Ambassador Greenstock said that Liberia “needed to take urgent steps to stop support for the RUF and the trafficking of diamonds and arms to and from Sierra Leone.”
ECOWAS leaders, Mr. Taylor said, asked for a delay of the sanctions “so Liberia could take steps to address the concerns in the report in two months.”
Despite this plea from ECOWAS leaders, the UN Security Council went ahead and voted for sanctions against Liberia. “Sometimes, regional response does not matter. When one of these big countries want to do something, they will do it.”
Mr. Taylor said similar fate befell him when he became president of Liberia in 1997. Prior to his election as president, the UN had imposed an arms embargo on Liberia. After his election as president, Mr. Taylor said ECOWAS lifted the arms embargo on Liberia and requested the UN Security Council to do the same. The Security Council, Mr. Taylor said refused this request from ECOWAS.
In 2001, Mr. Taylor made another plea for the lifting of the arms embargo when he wrote a letter to the UN giving them the “list of weapons we wanted for self defense purposes and told them to send observers to monitor the use of the said weapons.” The UN, Mr. Taylor said, refused his appeal at a time when insurgents were attacking his government with support from Guinea.
As a condition to lift sanctions, Mr. Taylor said that the UN asked him to address the following concerns:
1. Expel all RUF members from Liberia
2. Stop all military and financial support for the RUF
3. Stop the importation of diamonds from Sierra Leone
4. Freeze all RUF assets in Liberia
5. Ground all Liberian aircraft
To address these issues, Mr. Taylor said that he gave a 72-hour ultimatum to all RUF personnel to leave Liberia. Mr. Taylor said that even RUF commander Sam Bockarie, who had relocated to Liberia with the approval of the international communit,y had to leave for the Ivory Coast with a handful of his followers. The bulk of the followers that Sam Bockarie took with him to Liberia when he left Sierra Leone in 1999 had to stay in Liberia because they had now become Liberian citizens and were part of Mr. Taylor’s Anti Terrorist Unit (ATU). He said he therefore saw no need to ask them out of the country. Mr. Taylor said that Sam Bockarie had become a “center of allegations and was bringing harm to the Liberian republic” and so he had no option but to ask him to get out of the country.
On the other conditions raised by the UN, including stopping all support for the RUF, Mr. Taylor said there was no need to respond, as he had not been providing any support for the RUF. He said that he took steps to stop the importation of diamonds from Sierra Leone and even asked for international support to monitor the Sierra Leone-Liberia border but he did not receive any such support. Mr. Taylor also said he took steps to check if RUF members had any assets in Liberia which needed to be frozen but he found none. Mr. Taylor said he further grounded all aircraft that was registered in Liberia.
Mr. Taylor also told the judges that Ambassador Greenstock accused him of setting up a meeting in January 2001 in Ivory Coast between the RUF and an international businessman Lionel Menning. Mr Taylor denied this allegation, saying that “Liberia was not involved in setting up this so called meeting.” He said that at the time of this “so called meeting,” Lionel Menning was in custody in Italy. “There was no such meeting,” he said.
Mr. Taylor is responding to allegations that he had control over RUF rebels in Sierra Leone and that in return for diamonds, he provided arms and ammunition for the rebels which they used to cause mayhem on the people of Sierra Leone. He is presently testifying as a witness in his own defense.
Mr. Taylor’s testimony continues on Monday.
Amazing…..Mr Menning is locked up in Italy but also in Ivory Coast???? The very FIRST science word I learned in the 1st grade was MATTER. It states ANYTHING THAT HAS WEIGHT AND TOOK UP SPACE, plus A MATTER CANNOT BE AT TWO PLACES AT THE SAME TIME. But it seems like the UN has taken it to another level equaling to LIES!!!
Is this a way to CONVICT a being??? Atleast show some PROOFS but to just say you did X, Y and Z because you have THE MIGHT……WRONG and EVIL!!!
Today, Mr. Taylor, in my view, convinced two of the judges……
Noko4,
Those are some of the socalled intellegent reports that brought Mr. Taylor in this powers control court. It is a shame and disgrace that the UN failed to investigate their sources before making a case against Mr. Taylor. Well, Mr. Taylor name was a bule diamond that anyone could make millions out off…..What a case?
Best wishes
Harris K Johnson.
Charles Taylor is an evil man who destroyed his country through hate and greed. It is amazing to me that anyone would stand by such evil. After many visits myself to Liberia in an effort to help the thousands and thousands of orphans there, I feel a personal disgust for what this person has done to so many wonderful people. I have studied much and personally know many in high positions who lived through that time so I am not coming from an area of ignorance. God will be Taylor’s ultimate judge and Jesus will be the hope that bring these great people out of their poverty and give them a new beginning. Thank you to President Ellen Sirleaf!! Great job you are doing.
Jana Williams,
How can you excuse Ellen from the woes that Liberia went through? Please explain.
Jana,
Why are you THANKING Pres. Johnson-Sirleaf??? Really I want to know…..for VIOLATING the agreement between Ecowas and Mr. Taylor??? Or the corruptions??
Noko4 & andrew jlay
President Ellen Sirleaf deserves thanks for the positive recognition she is receiving in the international community, her vision of developing Liberia’s Infrastructure, and her on going commitment to seek international investors. For the sake of Liberia “if it’s not broke stop trying to fix it”. We must forget the past to move forward. President Ellen Sirleaf should not be excused for the lives lost, but the Liberian people have spoken and elected her as the president.
Noko4,
Sorry it has taken me so long to respond. I have been off the computer all weekend. In response to your questions, Taylor never wanted ECOWAS involved nor did he want ECOMOG on Liberian soil. He said as much himself that if ECOMOG landed, it was war! Anyhow, does the role of ECOWAS have anything to do with excusing Taylor from raping his country? Literally? And President Sirleaf wasn’t even in Liberia during that time. She was in the U.S. As far as corruptions, you need to be more specific. Regardless of any of this, President Sirleaf has proven herself and her interest in rebuilding Liberia. I have seen it myself over the past 3 years. I have not seen anyone slaughtered as took place during Taylor’s leadership. So the proof is in the pudding. During Taylor’s control, Liberia was destroyed. There was no evidence of money going anywhere but into his and his croney’s pockets.
President Carter himself wrote to Taylor: ” I am very disappointed about the course of events in Liberia over the last three years, especially given the hopeful opportunities that were present after your election in 1997 following a terrible seven-year civil war.
For a period following your election, you and I maintained a dialogue in which I repeatedly offered to assist you in efforts to demonstrate your commitment to building a genuine democracy in Liberia. On several occasions I raised serious concerns about developments in Liberia and unsuccessfully suggested specific actions your government could take to address problems. Unfortunately, however, the dialogue seems to have broken down, and it has become clear that your government does not share the same goals.
Much to our dismay, Liberia is a country where reports of serious human rights abuses are common, where journalists, human rights organizations, and political activists work in an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, and where there is little political space for meaningful democratic debate. Instead of being used to improve education, infrastructure, and development, Liberia’s resources have been diverted toward extra-budgetary uses. In addition, it is increasingly evident that Liberia’s role in the conflicts of the sub-region has been a destructive one.”
So with all that being said it is very clear to me that Liberia is in much better hands.
Two questions for you – why are you defending Taylor’s actions and what is it that you have against President Sirleaf?
Your current president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been involved in the distruction of Liberia since she desperately wanted the presidency of Liberia if you do not know go and ask your papa or mama are you say in Liberia.
Shame!
Jana, Andrew, Noko, Al-Solo, and Nii,
Jana–I fully am in agreement that CT and others have contributed to the incomprehensible atrocities and destruction of lives and property in Liberia. As such, he and others who committed the most hideous of crimes need to be held accountable. Unfortunately, I am in the minority who want war crimes court instituted in Liberia. The sad reality is that this might never happen, Liberians in general are tired of this non-sense.
I also think that though tainted, Pres. Sirleaf has done a great job under the prevailing circumstances. For those who traveled to Liberia in 2005 and again 2008 or 2009, the change is revolutionary. Institutions are operational, government entities to some degree is efficient. We have much cleaner streets, investments are flowing in, and you don’t hear, “you know who I am?”. Further, we have a military that is not feared, but widely respected and admired (can’t say that for the police). The general economic environment is improved, the unemployment rate dropped from 85% (CIA World Fact Book) in 2003 to 66% (UNDP report 2008), banking institutions are lending more and bank rates has fallen from 18% in 2003 to 12.2% in 2009 (Economic Intelligence Unit and CBL, 2009). Development (infrastructure) is seen everywhere, Tubman and SKD Boulevard done, Robertfield Highway redone, SD Cooper Road completed, and Robertsport Highway (from the Bambagida Highway to Robertsport) was being paved in May 2009. I personally drove on the road and took pictures. It’s obvious that she has done a good job. Now, that does not mean that there aren’t problems. There are tons of problems. There is still ineffective and undisciplined employees and pockets of corruptions. I think we have to be fair, what she has accomplished neither Doe or CT combined have accomplished them combined.
Though she has done a remarkable job she is not untouched by the curse of the consequence of the civil war. I would ask, which one of us would not want to seek to payback on a person who sought to kill us, jailed us, and publicly try to humiliate us? Last week, in one of Andrew’s thread he listed some things about the Gio and Manos (let me clarify he disclosed he is of one of these groups) that I thought was offensive and untrue. I try to explain that the acts of the Nimbadian was not geographically and ethically exclusively. Like I mentioned, I don’t condone the behavior of the people of Nimba, but I understand their reaction–its only a natural reaction, really! There is just no way one can justify beheading, rape, execution, looting, but when you have an indisclipined gang with little to no lettering, compounded by an ill-fate and criminals as their leaders and commanders things like these will occur and go unpunished. Back to Ellen, I think her support for the war effort is repulsive (my personal opinion); yet I understand where she stands. I think we all have experienced– even in this chat– instances we see our emotions taking the better part of our decision making and in the tone of the debates. Ellen Sirleaf is human and she will make mistakes some of which were costly for some people (lives). One would say so how about CT, PYJ and the likes of their kind, yea, they made mistakes too. The difference with their acts and Ellen involvement is that she left, but they continued with these evil acts unrepented and unwavering. I hope I’ve brought in another prospective to this conversation.
I think the conversation is better when we have various views from Liberians and non-Liberians alike, so I welcome the comments from all. Nii, thanks for being a great contributor, it is unfortunate and disappointing that Sirleaf help financed the war machinery of the NFPL (CT group). Similarly, Ghana went through its bloodbath in the late 70’s with Captain Rawlings; execution, and rape was the order of the day; yet, Ghana elected him president. Over the years, he later redeemed himself by putting Ghana on its current democratic path and economic vibrancy. Still, it does not eliminate or realign history, that crimes were committed in Ghana. That established, do you think there is a stark difference btw the act of sponsoring (as in the case of Ellen) and perpetrating the crime (as Rawlings)? Personally, I think both are grossly a violation of basic human rights.
bnker
Greatly said. Your comments are educational and factual. Keep posting
Bnker,
Are you talking about the same Liberia??? Tell us about Monrovia please…..for now MINUS the corruption. Just the general situation.
For an administration to have the WINDS of the world underneath her WINGS show us PATCHES is beyond believe!!!!.
My people please, please let all of us take a deep breath and exhale. We wanted justice for the people of Sierra Leone through the court system. This is the FREE World where JUSTICE prevails. The time for Moses law and Mob justice has past. We can’t have our cake and eat it too. Few years back when Taylor was arrested we all were singing the halleluiah song. Now the trial is going in Taylor’s favor some of us are bitching. We should direct our anger at the persecution for presenting a weak case and for not having competent lawyers to argue her case. After all, the chief persecutor Stephen Rapp promised us millions from Taylor’s off shore bank account, where is the money, SHOW US THE MONEY.
MY fellow COMRADES let us not be fool; this whole Taylor case is all POLITICAL the main people that were responsible for the atrocities in Sierra Leone the Special Court have some of them in jail, some are dead and some are plowing the streets of Free Town in their Big-Big SUVs.
The Struggle Continue
Noko4
When was the last time you were in Liberia? Maybe this could add some validity to your argument? I am talking about the same Liberia, if you have not been home for years then my point of reference might be different from yours because you might still perceive Liberia when you left. If you are back home, please tell me where I am wrong. If you need information on the data provided, I can provide them, I would hope you could counter with figures and facts.
Thanks Bro!
Noko,
if you did follow Mr. Taylor’s own V.P’s testimonies before this court, he admitted that Sam Bockarie was arrested and executed by Taylor’s top body guide and right hand man Benjanin Yetent when Taylor was still in power and Yetent was never arrested, investigated by Charles Taylor was this intended to silence Sam Bockarie for good? Taylor have more to answer to lets wait for the prosecution cross.
Ziggy,
I will like and want to RESPECT your view but you are becoming a JOKE. I saw Mr. Moses Blah’s testimony and NO WHERE did he say Mr. Bockarie was arrested. What he told the court was he was in Nimba and Ben and Sam stopped by on their way to the border of Liberia and Ivory Coast to stamp out MODEL…….few hours later, Ben and some of the ATU boys were headed back to Monrovia and there in the pickup he saw Sam’s body. He asked Ben what happened and Ben reply was they were fighting MODEL and there where he got killed……in a firefight.
The prosecutor brought in a former RUF now member of ATU, who told this court that I believe it was Dr. Manneh or someone who told him about a plan to kill all former members of ATU and that’s how Sam was killed. How did he know for FACT, his FACTUAL FACT was he BELIEVE.
Ziggy Salis,
Where have you seen a VP betray his boss as in the case of Moses Blah. There might be some methodological or procedural disagreements between bosses and subordinates, but in terms of protocol we are inclined to believe that subordinates yield in such circumstances, and they consider bosses position as policy.
In Mr. Blah’s case, it was astounding to have heard him testify against Taylor. But moreso, his testimony was of little significance or consequence to the defense. A case in point is the incident of Bockarie death that you referenced. That issue is not in contention.
Liberians will never trust Moses Blah again. Besides, the ethnic group from whence he hails(Gio/Mano) is a disgrace to civility. They are known for betrayals, undermining, deceit, backbiting, ungratefulness, salvagery, barbarism, you name it, they have it. I am from that ethnic group. Some may argue that not all members of the ethnic group are like that. But we are considering generalization here and not individualism.
Judging from the Liberian civil war, it became common observation that the Krahns were more merciful than the Gios/Manos.
In short, the behavior of Blah was not a surprise, at least not to those of us who hail from that ethnic group but had the opportunity to get exposed, learn from others and learn the tenets of gratitude. Maybe Mr. Taylor and his close associates were surprised given the closeness of their relations and the level of trust and confidence that Mr. Taylor reposed in Blah. Look in the NPFL Blah, as inspector general, had a sattlelite phone and ssb high frequency radio mounted in his truck. He could talk to Taylor anywhere and anytime. How many othe special forces enjoyed similar facility or position.
Brother, do if you could just refrain from mentioning the likes of Moses Blah, it could help maintain the demeanor of others.
Andrew,
Though you claim to be on this ethnic group, I still take exception to the generalization. Like Kesselly alluded that CT was a “typical americo-Liberian”, I was in uproar about it as I am about this statement. Let’s understand the dynamics and the catalyst of the actions of the so-called “Gio/Mano” fighters. Note, that all ethnic groups that were involved committed similar crimes. You mentioned,
“Liberians will never trust Moses Blah again. Besides, the ethnic group from whence he hails(Gio/Mano) is a disgrace to civility. They are known for betrayals, undermining, deceit, backbiting, ungratefulness, salvagery, barbarism, you name it, they have it. I am from that ethnic group. Some may argue that not all members of the ethnic group are like that. But we are considering generalization here and not individualism.”
You seem well lettered and exposed that I think I am comfortable discussing this with you. If I may recall you were one of those who supported my views on diversity in Liberia. Because you are either Gio or Mano, do you fit in these categories that you listed also? Remember, since 1981 the Gio and Mano have been suppressed, hunted and murdered, either by Doe soldiers, AFL, and/or Charles Julu. Over the years, an oppressed group tend to lose dignity and somewhat humanity; hatred and animosity takes over were rationale once existed. The possibility of honest negotiation and resolve problems amicable is eroded by distrust, pain and trauma. Moving forward, then in 1993, the Nimba Raid took place, again the people of Nimba were victims (not the perpetrators of the act but the innocent). Julu, a security (or rent a cop) for LAMCO Plant Protection Force (PPF) executed several people. Two years later Qwinwonkpa springs up again with another attempt; the aftermath of that was the same, the innocent were hunted like animals. Years, past, comes Charles Taylor; again using Nimba as a launch pad. Why everyone used Nimba, the former is obvious; the latter, people they were already an angry group waiting and seeking liberation from the grips of Doe’s killing machine. As CT advanced his war, what did the AFL do, burned villages, randomly executed people, drowned babies and children in wells, while that the Executive mansion, it’s alleged that Doe buried kids from Nimba alive. Before that, members (GIO/Mano) AFL were murdered and beheaded (in and around Monrovia) even though they were serving their nation. Then comes the Lutheran and UN Compounds massacres, followed by the death squads preying on Nimbadians. Now think about it, the behavior of Gios and Manos are not justifiable, but the Nimbadians reaction is somewhat a natural resistance to oppression. The actions of the AFL fueled CT war, young men and women who were sole survivors of their families and village were more vulnerable and traumatize then ever, the NFPL was a hedge of protection.
So, Andrew, your stinging words does not reflect the general attitude of Gios or Manos. As I asked to Kesselly, because a larger percentage of the overall African American population is “locked up” is it right to then generalize (as you suggest) that all African Americans are criminals and violent? Remember before anyone gets to know who you are, you from the virtue of your skin color, you are thought off as an African American. To be quite honest with you, I am somewhat shock that you would be so “thoughtlessly”. FYI there are cases where the VP and president didn’t get along, one classic example; Thomas Sankara and Blaise. Blaise killed Thomas, ALLEGEDLY with the help of PYJ and CT.
I sure hope your comment joining me in the diversity cry was genuine, as I would takes the new comments as emotional outburst and not who you are or how you honestly think.
Thanks bro!
Bnker,
I agree with you that one cannot openly generalize. Although I did not reach such conclusion from study or survey, it is a common opinion that exists amongst Liberians. It is summarized as ” you cannot trust the Gio man.” I believe it would not be your first time knowing about this statement. Given that mindset, then an individual of stature as the VP to have reduced himself to that level is not only mind buggling but tends to grant credence to the impression that existing amongs Liberians about that ethnic group.
Here in the states, eye brows are raised when one mentions that the VP testified against Taylor. Whatever his reasons were, they would never outdo the characterization of his action as a betrayal.
What’s more did they not prove their merciless attributes against common Liberians. Even those who sympathised with them during their ordeal, they vented revenged upon. It is not far fetched to conclude that most of the claims of astrocity levied against Taylor during the Liberian civil war were due to their barbarism and malice.
I hope you understand that there is no justification for their actions even if they felt that the Doe regime had targeted their ethnic group. This is where they missed the opportunity.
I have to leave now, but I would continue later.
Bnker,
Sorry that I had to end my post abruptly because I had to. But in summary my point is diversity, as I understand it and correct me please, is to coexist with and to be tolerant of one another admist varying culture, values, background, ethnicity, tradition, race, etc. I do not believe diversity implies betrayal. If we engage in acts of betrayal we lose trust and conflict will ensue. I understand Blaise overthrew Sankara(and by the way CT said he was in jail in Ghana at the time), but whatever the situation that was also an act of betrayal. What VP Blah did was outright betrayal. And we should not allow our leaders to be mislead. For whatever reason that he had I believe his input to the prosecution’s case was marginal. How much weight and in what direction did his testimony influence the case overall.
But his behavior in this trial was representative of his ethnicity, I could be wrong but that is my view. And being a part of that ethnic group, I know of many similar situations.
We are all aware of the ordeal of that ethnic group under the Doe regime. But given the opportunity to resist the tyranny and protect themselve, they could have been more humane and humble in their actions, than what we experienced from them. That again is my view. I hope you are not justifying the waves of astrocities. For in resisting tyranny, one has to be mindful so that he or she would not be label a tyrannt as well.
so I was not just generalizing, it is a common view amongst a cross section of the liberian citizenry. I was not being thoughtless as you consider it, in my view are realistic. And lastly brother, true I was genuine in my earlier comments, for diversity has no room for betrayal.
Bnkr,
Thank you for your postings. Very well written. It is my understanding with regards to the NPFL that Increasing support came from a nationwide population that neither knew nor necessarily trusted Taylor, but that desperately hoped the end of Doe’s ten year reign of terror would be ended. The money that was raised was to go for food for Taylor’s troops and for the citizens of Nimba county. President Sirleaf was never a part of the NPFL nor had any knowledge of its plans.
Taylor had many people believing he was all about the people of Liberia. Even the U.S. believed in him in the beginning. It wasn’t until President Sirleaf’s face to face visit with Taylor that she realized he was all about himself.
Regardless, it is great to see Liberia rise again! The people are amazing!!
Folk,
Do I see disconnect here, the case NOT about the life, transfer to Liberia, and/or death of Bockarie or Bejamin Yeaten (his time will come), the trail is about RUF atrocities and CT involvement and financing of the war. What I will suggest to you Ziggy, push for war crimes court in Liberia then we can focus on Bockarie and Yeaten.
I find it difficult to keep up you Ziggy sometimes. My brother, please help me out sometimes and be more explicit. I am of low IQ.
thanks
Crown-Hill Peking and Bnker,
I have seen the article that Peking provided a link to. The article in my view confirms our assertion that Super powers always meddle in the internal affairs of weaker nations in an unprecedented manner. The case as I see in this article was that America had its candidate of choice during the 1997 Liberian Presidential election, and they would go to any extent including war crime indictment, to bring down a winner that was not desirable to them. So the imposition of economic sanctions on the Taylor Government, one can safely conclude, that it had other undertones. That is why rubber as an export earning commodity was strategically excluded from the list of items that the sanction affected.
Other revelations that the US manufactured arms made their way into Guinea and were used in the war against Taylor. So it was not only the British that supported the arms insurgency that undermined the elected government.
These are the kinds of super power control that Taylor was attempting to resist.
Brother we have to think beyond these barriers. I was wondering whether we could capitalize on this exchange so that we can establish some network. I was thinking that we could maintain some commonl networking system so that when the trial is over and this medium ceases to exist we can still be in contact. I think the civility that were are demonstrating here should not evaporate due to the lack of vision. We can seek assistance or use media like facebook or twitter. But I think we should remain in contact and develop our ideas into some machinery to assist the development of accountability.
I hope Tracey can permit this post. I hope also I can get your views on this suggestion.
I support the idea! I like to think that Liberia is our collective responsibility and no individual is bigger than Liberia—collectively, we are LIBERIA! God Bless our nations!
Andrew,
Thanks, I do not justify the wave of violence or any. I guess you may have overlooked my quote in my original respond to you, “Now think about it, the behavior of Gios and Manos are not justifiable, but the Nimbadians reaction is somewhat a natural resistance to oppression.” I don’t ever think violence is a means to and end–logically speaking, however at time logic does not always prevail. Another thing to consider about these groups, most of their members were of no discipline; starting from the leadership. Further lower ranking individuals possessed little or no education–we both know that formal education creates a form of discipline. These three combination creates a lethal recipe for disaster (we’ve seen that already). Maybe, I need to sometime explain my trend of thought. I usually try to look at things from both prospective and then render my judgment.
In explaining your choice of words, you made a very important statement, “For in resisting tyranny, one has to be mindful so that he or she would not be label a tyrannt as well.” We could not be more in agreement on this one, emotional outburst and pain allowed some to lose their “humanity” temporary, but it does not and should not permanently put them in that status either. There are individuals within all ethnic groups that are twisted and do weird things, but I think a blanket statement is wrong. Because we disagree does not mean your views are not respected though, believe me they are.
Speaking about trust Moses Blah, he was subpoena to the court. If he didn’t appear, there were consequences. If you were in his case, knowing you have some skeletons in your closet, would you not appear? Understand, we stand from the outside and we are looking in. We don’t understand the torment that this guy went through (if any), neither do we understand if there were threats made to him. We are all onlookers and speculators.
Again Andrew, I so much enjoy reading your threads. They are always so well thought out. Btw, I explanation of diversity was GREAT. Let’s debate with respect….we all need that these days.
bnker, I can only say STOP perpretrating this myth about Ellen doing good in Liberia. This is the myth that continues to keep the Liberian people in squalor living conditions . Are you suggesting that Taylor should have done these things while at the same time fighting a war? Ellen is getting funding from the international community to do anything that she is doing but Mr. Taylor did not get one penny from the very international community. So if i have to give anybody credit for keeping Liberia running it would be Charles Taylor that despite all of the sanctions and undermining of his government yet the living conditions in Liberia were better than what is obtaining now under Ellen’s government.
So let focus on this trial to understand some of these issues as to why Taylor did not get any help and why Ellen is getting help. Is it because Taylor refused to sell our natural resources for pennies and Ellen has given our resources without regards to the future of the people?
This trial is a big disgrace to the international criminal justice system. It is based on prejudice and lacks any legal basics to be in any court.
Ziggy Silas,
Remember on cross examination the Defense counsel for Mr. Taylor showed a sworn affidavit from someone who worked at the Samuel Stryker Funeral Home. This affidavit stated that the body of Sam Bockarie was brought to the funeral home in VP Moses Blah’s pickup. So please do not assume everything Blah said is true. We are only at the beginning 2001 of evidence by Mr. Taylor. Do not worry he will adequately explain the events leading up to the death of Bocakarie. For your info I do know this much. The first prosecutor of the Special Court Mr. David Crane told Charles Taylor he must arrrest Sam Bockarie. If he failed to do so he Charles Taylor would be indicted. Which ofcourse we all know was a trick because there was already a sealed indictment against Mr. Taylor. So what ever happened to Bockarie happened because Mr. Taylor was trying to comply with the tricky order of David Crane.
King,
While I do agree with you the trail is a disgrace. Further, I support your argument that Ellen is being supported by the International community. Why do you think that is so and why do you think they didn’t support Taylor? First, Taylor was not proven to be trustworthy. I don’t understand some of the arguments about the success and Ellen. Remember the argument that Rush Limbauch started, when he said, “I want Barrack Obama to fail”. Its the same pretext of some, it may not be as glaring, but people; the success or failure of Ellen falls on all of us. A failed state means long-term suffering. I am not a fan of the acts of CT (yet I respect him as a person– and wish I had the charisma that he posses; its only a gift) and was and still am disappointed that Ellen was involved, but I understand why? I am a bigger fan of Liberia. If CT gets out of jail and provides a platform since he claims to be a “progressive” that he can genuinely adhere to for the future of Liberia, I will be one of the first people on the band wagon. But, Liberia is greater than CT, Ellen and all trouble makers out there. Like Andrew, who revealed his links with Nimba, I have links to Charles Taylor, however, that still does not mean that I like the things he did–and repulsed by Ellen support.
King, sorry I deviated a bit, but, Ellen has done a great job. Remember she inherited a country where systems and infrastructures had to be rebuild, and realigned. At the same time, they needed to attract investment, did you know since 2006 there has been over 2.9 Billion Foreign Direct Investments in Liberia. The latest Sim Darby, 200K acres rubber and oil palm plantation providing over 20,000 jobs. The next tax code and Investment act, requires all companies to provide funds for education and training for their staff. Also, it requires that a percentage of their upper management team be Liberian and after some years, 75% upper management must be Liberian (if you need facts on this I can provide them to you). Further, the government is now focusing on the Liberian private sector. there are other achievements like CBL reserve has grown 150% in three years, our budget has grown, salaries are current, tax revenue is up (from previous years), though the collection process could be improved on as with all sectors. I CAN PROVIDE REFERENCES FOR ALL THESE, MOST OF WHICH ARE OUTSIDE SOURCES TOO!
I just wanted to through this in there since you claim that I am “perpetrating myths”. These are all facts and the numbers are there to show it. If you need them, let me know, OK.
Thanks
It’s Myth buster
Ziggy Salis, again you are just too clever by half. You have the world’s most Supers on your side, the Liberian government, and the Sierra Leonean government helping your oblique cause, why are you still dwelling on the dead. Are you taking the dead over the living?
Ziggy Salis,
The execution of Sam Bockarie is bigger than the execution of General Sam Lato, Caucius Jacobs, Oliver Varney and other top commanders of the NPFL; moreover, Sam Bockarie was no longer a Sierra Leonean. Therefore, what was he doing trying to cross with weapons from the Ivory Coast into Liberia secretly?
Due to that, Charles Taylor order him to report to Monrovia but he didn’t do it; therefore, Taylor order his arrest. During the process of his arrest, he put up a fire fight, it was this time that Bockarie got killed. You may ask as to how I got to know but my answer is, I am a Liberian Serving in the world most powerful Military at a high rank ( that’s all I can tell you for now)!
Trust me, the prosecution knows all of this that’s why she didn’t make it part of her case against Mr.Taylor. If Mr. Taylor was to allow Sam Bockarie to return to Sierra Leone to start another fighting, you would have held Charles Taylor responsible since Mr. Bockarie was then a Liberian Citizen. So on the case of Bockarie, you shouldn’t worry instead you should pray for long life and you will hear what I have just told you when the time comes.
Salis,
My understanding of the V.P’s testimony does not seem to help the prosecution case because he did not actualy directly accuse Taylor of any invovment with the RUF. Even the Bockarie Death Story he to a large extent attributed his knowledge of the incident to more or less hearsay and assumptions in his immagination. in any case, this case has not lost its appeal to its audience. I hope its being positoned for an Oscar Award.
Ziggy Sails,
Why are you bringing back those disgraceful scene of Mr. Moses Z.B Blad testimonies? Moses helped to clear Mr. Taylor of any connection in the death of Sam Bockarie. Moses told this court and he is on record that Mr. Taylor sent him to bring to Monrovia the living body of Sam Bockaire should he ever step on Liberian soil. Moses stood there as a VP sent by the President and watched a general allegely murdered a man that he was sent to protect from all forms of harm. No Ziggy, Mr.Taylor never intended to hurt Sam Bockaire, but to protect him once he enter Liberia. This was the reason for which he sent is most senior and next in rank government official Moses Z.B Blah. I’m sure Mr. Taylor would had sent one of his military commanders if he wanted Bockaire dead, but that was not the case as you think. Please let me know if you need help.
Regards
Harris K Johnson
jkortu@yahoo.com
I try to figure out the connection between Sam Bockarie and 300 or so of men being relocated in Liberia with the knowledge and acquiescence of ECOWAS and other members of the Committee of Six on Sierra Leone and his expulsion from Liberia. What was ECOWAS’ position on Sam Bockarie presence in the Ivory Coast since ECOWAS infact sanctioned his relocation to Liberia? By the way, Sam Bockarie was now a Liberian subject to the Liberian Laws. If Mr. Taylor’s testimony is anything to go by, why Sam Bockarie was not made to answer to mercenary charges for his continue meddling into Sierra Leone conflict after he (Sam) renounced his citizenship as a Sierra Leonean. Why will GOL expel a Liberian citizen to another country for violating Liberian Laws?
What puzzles me most is the fact Mr. Taylor testifies in the Hague that Sam Bockarie and 300 or so former RUF rebels were recruited in his elite Anti Terrorist Unit that provided him personal security. Huh! a proof of complicity or exoneration?
Musa,
You missed the point again and I am sorry to say. Please review pages 26920 – 26922 of Mr. Taylor’s testimony of August 17, 2009. Mr. Taylor testified that Mr. Bockarie was not naturalized as a Liberian citizen but his entourage, him men were. If we grant that premise, then we can lay you inquest to rest. Because Mr. Taylor was pressured to expell Bockarie that is why Bockarie had to leave Liberia.
Your second point, recruitment of Bockarie’s men following their naturalization was an administrative decision of Taylor’s government. Whether it was strategic and beneficial is debatable. But that was the decision of the sitting government of Liberia.
Governments do make decisions that later become questionable. But that was the action of the government. And I believe you can attest to this assertion. We can point to numerous examples. Whether that decision signals complicity or exoneration depends on opinions.
For example the decision of Sierra Leone Government to assist General Quiwonkpa in his failed coup attempt of 1985, led to blood letting in Liberia and the accompanying malice existing between the peoples of Grand Gedeh and Nimba. And you are aware of the extent to which that malice manifested itself in our civil war.
But of importance is that this trial has underlined Sierra Leone’s lenghty involvement in efforts to destabilize Liberia.
Ziggy sails
You should understand court proceeding Mr. The death of Sam do not have anything to do with this case so, one it is outside of the indictment and two this happen before the indictment until you tell me that Charles Taylor is a miracle man to know he was going to be indictment.
Ziggy i want to know the relevance of Sam death in this case if you have time you can please help me.
Court is not base on speculation but facts my brother
BYE
Zobon
I must say that, you are mistaken in your claim that Bockarie has nothing to do with this case. As a matter of fact, the issue of Bockaries life and death goes to the heart of this complex case, it specifically goes to the question of ‘Linkage’. Had he survived he would have been in a position to confirm or deny the whole question of ‘Linkage’, he would have been able to give credence or otherwise to the prosecutions claim that taylor was the ’eminence grise’, that diamonds were passed to him, that he provided Arms, instructions etc to the RUFand their Allies and as such culpable.
In a word, Bockarie could have destroyed taylors defence and it is for this reason that it is suggested that taylor had both a motive and interest in having Bockarie and his followers killed., and indeed, is suspected of doing just that…….In this narrative taylor could be said to be covering his tracks by murdering those who could provide direct linkage. If this narrative is accepted or given weight then it would go some way towords solidifying the prosecutions case.
We have to ask ourselves, ‘Is it purely ‘coincidence’ that nearly all the major potential witnesses (Sam Bockarie, Daniel Tamba AKA ‘Jungle’, Dennis Mingo, Johnny Paul Koroma etc)`were mostly murdered in Liberia?’
It is one of the questions that the judges will have to consider in their deliberations.
As Always Wadi’The Zima’
Mus,
I challenge you to show me in the trial transcripts where President Taylor said that Sam Bockarie was recruited in the ATU. Stop misleading the public!!!
Andrew and Golf,
I reproduced here an excerpt of the Daily Summary on the trial of Mr. Taylor posted by Alpha Sesay on August 17, 2009:
“Mr. Taylor said that once Sam Bockarie and his men were in Liberia and had obtained Liberian citizenship, his government decided to recruit them into the security sector. They were all trained and became part of Mr. Taylor’s Anti Terrorist Unit (ATU)–an elite force that provided security for Mr. Taylor. The ATU was headed by Mr. Taylor’s son Chuckie Taylor, who himself has been convicted in the United States for crimes of torture committed in Liberia.”
The above testimony by Mr. Taylor strengthens the Prosecution’s position that the alliance formed between Mr. Taylor’s NPFL and RUF to combat ULIMO back in the years 1991 -1992 was sustained deep into his presidency.
The continuous bragging contention that the Prosecution’s evidence against Mr. Taylor are inconsistent and insufficient is baseless as far as the Judges’ ruling on the Defense Counsel’s Motion of Acquittal consistent with Rule 98 is concerned. Mr. Taylor has a case to answer and from all indications he is messing his own defense. I see a lot incoherent statements in his testimony as an ordinary person that it will take the seasoned Prosecution no time and energy to blow the whole defense into discridible pieces. Stephen Rapp made that assertion in his last press conference in Monrovia.
While Mr. Taylor is presumped innocent in this trial, the dilema of inclining to a not quity or guity opinion is gradually fading out giving these incoherent statements unless he performs well in the cross examination. Until then, I am afraid he is doomed for damnation.
Musa,
I reproduce below excerpt from the trial transcript that I had referred you to.
CHARLES TAYLOR
17 AUGUST 2009 OPEN SESSION
SCSL – TRIAL CHAMBER II
Page 26920
“Q. Now, it is a fact that you had incorporated into your
security apparatus many of Bockarie’s ex-combatants, hadn’t you?
A. That is correct. That is very correct. We had – now they
are not his people. They are citizens of Liberia that are
brought into the ATU, and here where it says “Sam Bockarie as
well as Bockarie’s entourage”, a part of his entourage, yeah, but
Sam Bockarie, no. And evidence has been led in this Court where
one of those individuals that was brought before this Court did
say that there were no contacts in terms of orders from Sam
Bockarie to them from the time they entered the ATU. We made
sure that we did that separation.
Q. So that this suggestion that “Sam Bockarie as well as his
entourage” was false, was it?
A. False. False. Not Sam Bockarie. False. ”
Again I admonish you not to dwell heavily on Alpha’s representation of the court’s proceedings. I hope the above excerpt should help to dismiss any confusion that might exist over this subject.
The other issue that you raised concerning the rule 98 decision, in my view that decision favored Taylor. Rarely do we see jurists upholding mid-term motion to dismiss the case. The filing of the mid-term motion is a common criminal trial protocol. Permit me to digress a little, but I can recall that the during the famous Michael Jackson sexual abuse trial the defense filed a motion to acquit following the defense’s presentation. Like this case similar ruling was handed. But Michael Jackson was acquitted.
So brother, the ruling does not imply guilt. It only means there could be valid grounds for the defendant to answer questions based on the allegations. As I said, it was good for Taylor to respond because doubts, misconceptions, confusion and misunderstandings are being cleared. A case in point the world now understands that behind the scene, Sam Bockarie was granted asylum in Liberia, but was also given the choice of a third country. these are things the public was not aware of.
So brother, let us pray that the Judges will rule according to law: impartility, no fear nor favor, and above all innocent until proven guilty. These tenets are enshrined within the statute of the special court. And the judges swear to uphold them.
Hey Andrew,
I reproduce excerpt of Mr. Taylor’s testimony where he mentioned Sam Bockarie and his men (300 – 400 in number) were granted Liberian citizenship and subsequently recruited into Liberian security apparatus August 17, 2009 Pages 26863-64 on the transcript:
“And, in fact, we did two things when Bockarie came to
Liberia. Under the constitution of Liberia, individuals of Negro
descent, according to the constitution, are entitled to
citizenship in Liberia. We can grant citizenship to any black
man from anywhere in the world within 48 hours, you are entitled
to citizenship and land. So what we did immediately Bockarie
came, Sam Bockarie and all of the individuals that came with him
were granted upon their own acquiescence citizenship in Liberia.
The combatants were granted citizenship and we will explain this
later where they were put into security. They were retrained
into certain security agencies, but they were granted full
citizenship that we would have control over them.
Q. Did that include Sam Bockarie?
A. Yes.”
So, Alpha Sesay was right and he can be reliable. You referred me to pages 26920-22 of the August 17, 2009 transcript that is incoherent to statement made by Mr. Taylor earlier on. Your trick did not work. Mr. Rapp asserted in his last press conference that Mr. Taylor is lying in his testimony. Is this not the case?
Musa what trial are you watching?
Musa, how some of you guys reason is beyond logic. You are posting a summary by another person and claiming it to be Mr. Taylor’s testimony. Did you not see Jlay’s reference to Taylor actual words. HATE is not a good thing to function by , it weakens your spirit and demoralize your humanity.
Unless, ULIMO and most of those other warring factions, Mr. Taylor’s war was a popular people’s uprising very different from the terrorist behavior of those other group. The people of Liberia have the rights under our constitution to alter their government. And they can choose which way is best for them although I disagree with the war method which to me cannot be justifiy since we had all of our socalled intellectual class in the opposition including our current president Ellen Johnson. They should have form a coliation to contest the upcoming elections against Samuel Doe but their greed could not permit them to do the right thing so they decided instead to work together to destroy the nation. What a bunch of socalled educated people????
But the point remians that Taylor war was very different from those other terrorists who were burning down villages and towns and simply on a killing spere. So my brother, check your facts about Taylor’s statements before making unreasonable conclusion that exposes some other form of mental problem.
King,
My answer to Andrew’s rejoinder is posted right above your commentary which labeled Mr.Taylor’s NPFL and other warring factions during the Liberian civil conflict as terrorists. Ironically Mr. Gray, you are defending a man who headed a terrorist organization. That is BAFFLING!!!!!!!
The issue at bar is about justice and reparation, not hate for the heinous crimes that were meted out to the innocent and civilized people of Sierra Leone. I wish the Government of Liberia will petitioned the UNSC for the establishment of the war crime court in Liberia. I will appreciate that such court will be established in Liberia to expose the crimes perpetrated from Boutou all the way to Monrovia.
Actually Musa is quoting directly from the transcript,those were the actual words of taylor in reponse to his counsels question. And taylor does confirm that Bockarie was granted Liberian Citizenship.
As Always Wadi’The Zima’
I believe this case is no longer about Prosecution VS Defendant (Charles Taylor). It’s now (on the inside) more about the Justices thoughts about the trial, so far, VS the people who wanted to see Taylor ousted from day one. The judges already, now, know that for the prosecution to prove beyond reasonable doubt there has to be a miracle that has a less than .0000099% degree of confidence.
In the court of law, when judges arrived at such conclusion; they already know that the trial is not worthy, that the prosecution has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt, and the case needs to be kicked out. Heartbreakingly; in this situation, they appear not to have the stomach to attempt that; thus, the docket of the trial has now evolved into “Justices of SCSL VS the People who wanted to see CT falls from grace”. Instead of kicking the trial out, they (judges) appear to be troubled about how the framers and financial supporters of the trial will think if they ever do that.
Long before Taylor ever became president of Liberia it was concluded that by the CIA in its classified report that:
“In terms of the May 30, 1997 elections, all transmissions from Capitol Hill and 1600 Penn seem to not favor any of the current candidates in Monrovia. Mr. Taylor is out of the question due to his double dealings with international shady figures, including his ties to Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi. Mr. Matthews on the other hand is very inconsistent and unreliable. He is too close to many of the problems in the country. Mr. Tipoteh is a card-carrying Socialist. He is the type who will turn away from the U.S. and align with Socialist nations. Mr. Fahnbulleh is a very divisive figure with a narrow support base. He tends to be a sectionalist. He has close ties to China, Cuba, and other Socialist nations. According to classified reports, the U.S. opposes almost all of the standing politicians in the country. They are generally corruptible and short on vision. Should any one of them become elected, immediate action will be taken, including threats of a war crimes tribunal, to bring down the government”.
With all these known and on minds, couple with the inexistence of credible evident to convict CT, I believe the judges would soon be entering into a three way unorthodox plea bargain with the Defense and the people who wanted to see CT ousted in order to get Taylor to accept an asylum in another country, as mean of getting him off the hook.
He is seen as a threat to western inference, and they are determined not to see him go back to the shore of the land of his nativity. By him accepting an asylum – probably to go to Libya with certain conditions that he will not be involved in Liberia’s politics for as long as he lives; that will be his only way of getting out of jail.
This trial should have been a “Guilty – Guilty” occurrence as was in the case of “WMD – WMD” that took Sadam down, but the prosecution didn’t do her homework well. The “Not-Guilty” phase was not and is still not written any where in the minds of those that framed the indictments. That’s why, since the prosecution has blundered, the “unorthodox plea bargain” would come in to balance the reputation of the SCSL in the eyes of the many observers, because the character of the international court is at stake here.
I will love to here your views on this, I posted this before and didn’t get any comment…..let me know!
Crown-Hill Peking
Your posting is very interesting. I have always been a strong believer of diplomacy. One of the key foundations of a successful diplomacy strategy is having a “controllable source”. A report of this caliber, clearly exposes the limits at which the US government is willing to go, in order to stabilize a “controllable assets”. The strategy is more than brilliant, but in the case of an “uncontrollable source” this “deal or don’t deal” policy can be a nightmare. I question the authentication of this classified CIA report. If it really exist; How can I bear witness?
Pekin,
Nice posting! Where did you get that quote from about the elections of 1997. I would like to read more on it.
I think we can all agree that the prosecution didn’t do due diligence to pursue the case. All stones were not turned over and resources checked. Further their witnesses were all weak and inconsistent. Moreover, I think the prosecution under estimated the competence and commitment of the defense team. The defense team I believe is not only doing a good job, one can easily gather that they are passionate about their job. Yeah, the money in involved, but they (in my opinion) think that this case is frivolous. Additionally, the prosecution have blundered so much, I am not convinced that the defense is winning the case, but the prosecution defeated their argument without the help of the defense.
Since the prosecution in my opinion has blundered badly, I actually never thought of what you termed as an “unorthodox plea bargain”. I always thought that because of the political nature of the trail, CT will serve 20 years. Being free on a plea some world leaders might think it is no guarantee that he will not be involved in dis-stabilizing Liberia (especially with Yeaten still on the loose). While in Nigeria, there are reports that he was accused of not abiding by his terms of his asylum agreement.
If there is a plea that provides him political asylum, it will not be in Libya. Remember both Ghaddifi and Taylor have a fondness of each other. Even in his testimony, CT is still an avowed follower of the Libyan leader. He said, like him or hate him Ghaddifi is a true African hero. To avoid the disgrace and shame of the fail trail, CT might get a plea deal as suggested. Yet, I find that the Superpowers will let things go. Remember most of the larger power countries suffers from big “egos”. I won’t be surprise if there are backroom works to get CT on trail somewhere else, Liberia included (which I support). But a CT without bars is perceived as a threat.
I guess, we shall be in a wait and see posture….I really enjoyed your post. Thanks!
Crown-Hill Peking,
Where can one find the document that you quoted? Is there a link?
Because if that document actually exist as a CIA tool, it could be a damaging evidence that the defense could introduce, at least for the world to be aware.
Great post.
Andrew,
Greetings my friend! Like you, I enjoyed the thread from Peking, I also asked for where he got the quotation from, I am curious as you.
I was wondering, why do you think the quote could be damanging evidence for the defense. Daily, the CIA does security briefing of the hot spots around the world. If my memory services me correctly, the CIA has more analyst than any organization in the USA. So the report on Liberia (though I would like to see its source), could be a daily or periodical occurrence on Liberia. I am sure there are also documents on the 2005 elections and the candidates. I am sure you will agree with me, that when you are about to deal with someone, you try to study and learn who they are and their associates? Same is the case as the report reveals. Somehow, I don’t think there is ammunition here. If the document states that covert operation needs to be conducted to alter the elections, then maybe there is something, but as long as the act didn’t take place, then a crime was not committed.
But, I would be interested to hear your prespective.
Thanks
Bnker,
I concede, once the act did not occur, the intent, in some instances do not constitute a crime. But what I was alluding to was the premise that a war crime indictment could be another medium through which the winner whom the writer did not support could be targeted.
If a report contained such a recommendation and years little a trial of this nature occur, one can draw a conclusion that link s that report to this trial.
Below is the link to the article as it appeals on teach peace (I have also copied and pasted the entire article). I actually came across this when I was studying for a graduate degree in Nation Security Studies at the American Military University while enrolled in a course called Covert Action and national Security – few years ago…..In that course we dealt with lot of declassified documents from the DOD and the CIA. At the time this report was presented to the by the field officer, the election was stilled anticipated to be held in May of 1997.
http://www.teachpeace.com/learnmore1.htm
PEOPLE READ THE ARTICLE PROVIDED IN CROWN-HILL PEKING THREAD! ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW AND WOW AND WOW!
It is true that Liberia is the most friendly African nation to the US and they need us. Peking this operation Green Sand, I wonder if it is the current situation in Liberia. We have international auditors and observes at all lucrative agency, some of the high command of the military is under foreign command, the US military is in Liberia on a 5 year mission, presidential security to some degree is under Dyncorp. etc.
This article is deep….
thanks Peking.
This trial is becoming a complete nightmare for victims of the crisis.The prosecution claimed that they had a very strong and convincing case against Mr. Taylor. I am not in any way implying the innocense of taylor but It would be difficult to imagine a conviction base on proceedings so far.You don’t need to be an expert to know that time and money was wasted on a very lazy and incompetent prosecution team. The integrity of the entire process is at stake here.Maybe a plea bargain would be the best way to save face.Is it possible at this stage of the proceedings?? I don’t know. Mr. Taylor and his defence team must be very happy at this stage of the trial.
Jana Williams,
I must correct you that the trial of Mr. Taylor has nothing to do with Liberia at all; therefore, you should be commenting on the evidences the prosecution have presented in the courtroom for Sierra Leone. The distructions of Liberia wasn’t done by Taylor alone.
In July of 1990, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf told Taylor on BBC to level Monrovia to the ground and she was going to Build it in 6 Months, do you remember that?
How can you now say Taylor is the one who is so evil than those who secured his release from Jail in the US to have him serve as leader of the NPFL? Do you really think they will have a war crime court set up in Liberia? If so, you think Liberians will allow people you and those who finance the Killing of Liberians to walked away freely?
Don’t you think alot of Liberians know that President Sirleaf was involved in the killing of the late Williams R. Tolbert Jr? I don’t see what much of a great Job she is doing when the US government alone have spend 2billion dollars on this Ellen Johnson Sirleaf led Government and there’s nothing she can show for it. There by causing the newly trained AFL Soldiers to go AWOL! Common, Jana, I think you know better than that!
Jocone,
You are right about one thing. Liberia was not destroyed by Taylor alone. However, as I can see it, this is the only thing correct in your statements. I would like to read the BBC report for myself. Where might I get that report backing your statement? This statement taken out of context can have many meanings.
And where are you getting your information on Taylor’s so called release from jail in the U.S.? He did not have any U.S. backing but as the reports go he escaped from jail. On the evening of September 1985 when Taylor asked a guard at Plymouth House of Correction to bend the rules and let him pass from the north wing to the east wing so that he could play cards with a friend the guard for some reason complied then left his post for a few minutes. When he returned Taylor and four other inmates were gone. They had used a hacksaw to cut an opening in the iron window bars and tied bedsheets together to climb down from the second floor. Taylor disappeared.
President Tolbert’s daughter is a personal friend of mine and I find it hard to believe if she thought President Sirleaf was in any way responsible for her father’s death she would be supporting and working along side her to better her country. You need to get your information straight.
And then as far as you not seeing anything to show for President Sirleaf’s efforts to restore her country, you need to take a good hard look. Are you there now? If so, there are many visible signs of progression. Take a look at what our friend “bnkr” lists in previous comments.
The hate needs to be put aside. It is a new day for the people of Liberia. Now is the chance to make it what it can be. The people are resilient and wonderful and hopeful. The children have suffered long enough. There are so many outsiders who are dedicating their life to see that the people of Liberia rebuild. It will take much time, patience, dedication and hope. There is nothing positive in reliving the past and harboring hate. Move forward!
The hope lies only in JESUS!
I am not sure that jesus is an issue,or part of the solution, after all, jesus, mohamed,allah jehovah etc etc were presumably all around when our children,brothers,sisters,mothers and fathers were been tortured and butchered,I am sure they were all around when those blood thirsty ‘lunatics took over the asylum’ and unleashed terror upon the innocent. Are we to understand that they simply stood by and watched
We need to move away from the corrosive poison of these religions!!!
As Always Wadi’The Zima’
Wadi,
Let me shed some light on this. Jesus was and is around during these times. That doesn’t mean that all is well with the world. He has given us the choice of free will. Which means all the evil that implies is still around us. Those who choose not to accept Him as their personal Savior (the ONE AND ONLY SON OF GOD!) are still all around us. But He does give us comfort in those very difficult times. If you know anything about the bible and Paul’s life it might shed some light on the power of prayer and faith in Jesus and the strength and comfort it provides. Paul, like so many, was persecuted, jailed, beaten, etc. but remained strong in his faith. Corie Ten Boom who lived in a concentration camp, starved and abused, watched innocent people all around her, including her own sister, die merely because they were of Jewish decent and yet drew strength and comfort from her “relationship with Jesus”. She didn’t blame Him for not plucking her out of her personal torture chamber! One of your own who escaped during the war has told me his story. And let me tell you, Jesus was with him during this time. There were many situations in which he should have been dead but time and time again JESUS (not mohamed) reached in and carried him out. My friend tells his story with love in his heart and a smile on his face. Where Jesus is, there is no room for hate. Hate and evil is of this world. As long as we live in this world we will always be faced with it. Jesus never said believers would walk a life without any pain or trials. But He did say He would never leave us or forsake us. And in that I draw much comfort. Jesus fills our otherwise evil and hateful hearts with His love. As a born again, spirit filled, Christ centered believer, I am able to love even the vilest of offenders in our society. Being a christian is not a religion! IT IS A RELATIONSHIP!! The choice is given to all of us.
Jana,
Thank you for your contribution. I understand that you wanted to explain your beliefs in response to Wadi’s comment. And I know this site addresses a range of issues raised by the Charles Taylor trial, and some which are closely related but beyond the immediate scope of the trial — including the credibility of witnesses and evidence, events that occurred during the wars, the rule of law, the possibility of national trials for crimes committed during war, reconstruction in Liberia and Sierra Leone after the wars and where the law fits into that rebuilding process.
This also seems like a good opportunity for us to be reminded of the focus of this site: the trial of Charles Taylor. To the extent that we can keep our comments focused on the trial and the issues it raises – like the ones I’ve noted above — we are all placed well to engage actively and constructively as we are all following the trial’s progress.
Thanks again for your comment, Jana, and we’ll look forward to continued conversations with you about the trial and the various issues it raises.
Best,
Tracey
Jocone,
You stated, “In July of 1990, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf told Taylor on BBC to level Monrovia to the ground and she was going to Build it in 6 Months, do you remember that?” Point of correction this interviewed happened and another after Doe was captured. She didn’t say “she” was going to build Monrovia in six months”, she said “we”, and that they had secure millions of dollars to do so. You are right a statement similar in nature was made, but not exactly.
Some people are saying here that Ghangay granted Sam Bokarie Liberian citizenship but that is not true. Ghangay explained that only those others who accompanied SB to Liberia were granted Liberian citizenship and some were put in the ATU.
Sam Bokarie was not granted a Liberian citizenship because according to Taylor he was expected to go to a military school in the United States.
Hey,
Musa, I just read your post. I concede that there is literally an inconsistency between both statements. That could render Mr. Taylor’s statement impeachable. But let us see how the prosecution handles that on cross-examination.
But there was one aspect of your post that I did not appreciate. You wrote that ” your trick did not work”. I believe that this is in intellectual exchange. There is no trickery from me, concluding from your comments and correct me if that was not the intent.
Andrew,
I mean no harm when I say, your trick did not work. Honestly, I don’t intend to cause injury to your feeling and I owe you apology for taking my statement as an offense. What I mean is that you try to dodge the incoherent statements Mr. Taylor made by referring me to one that supports your argument. Please accept my apology.
I love serious and honest intellectual discourse without injury.
Thanks for your understanding.
Musa,
Accepted and thanks. But sincerely I overlooked the disconnect in both statements. I guessed I was overwhelm because I have seen Liberian documents during the same period that refer to Bockarie as a Sierra Leonean. So when Mr. Taylor refer to that I assume he was right.
But again, this law, it is evidence that matter.
so let us continue the discourse.
Jana,
You have said that the late William R. Tolbert daughter is your personal friend but I am a blood family to the Tolbert’s. I was born in Bensonville on Sept. 24,1972. I am from Dee Tolbert side of the family. All of Johnney Tolbert Children, Frank E. Tolbert Children, Stephen Tolbert Son and William R. Tolbert sister ( Aunt lucia and her husband Hunphy Vamplet) knows me. The interview of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf that I am talking about on BBC, was done 7 July 1990….. I didn’t telling you that I read it in the paper instead, I listing to the interview on BBC at the VOA compound in Caresbury.
I can tell you the names of few families from Bentol who you can ask since you’re a personal friend to Uncle william daughter and I am sure she know many of them and you might know some them as well. The Carter family, the Cooker’s, Garnett’s, Fagans, Parkers, the Holder’s, the Brents, the Snyder’s just to name a few.
You are truly from Bentol! You know the families for real…some of which I know well! So do I call it Bensonville or Bentol? I know some family members still refers to it as Bentol!