Charles Taylor this week reiterated a familiar position that he has maintained right through his testimony as a witness in his own defense–that he was a peace mediator and that he did not help Sierra Leonean rebel commanders to plan a military take-over of Sierra Leone. The former Liberia president also told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges that his fighters did not enter neighboring Guinea to attack the Guinean government but rather went there on missions of “hot-pursuit” after rebel forces fighting to unseat his Liberian government ran into Guinea.
On Thursday, the accused former Liberian president, answering questions under cross-examination by prosecutors told the court that in 1999, he hosted Revolutionary United Front (RUF) leader Foday Sankoh, his deputy Sam Bockarie and Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) leader Johnny Paul Koroma for a meeting in Liberia. The meeting, Mr. Taylor said was geared towards reconciling the differences that existed among the rebel commanders. Mr. Taylor explained that after the signing of the 1999 peace agreement between the RUF and the government of Sierra Leone, there was bad blood between the RUF and the AFRC and that such differences needed to be resolved in order to make the peace agreement successful. This, Mr. Taylor said was the reason why he hosted the rebel commanders in Liberia. Prosecution counsel Mr. Nocholas Koumjian, stepping in for the indisposed Ms. Brenda Hollis who fell ill on Tuesday and could not recover to continue Mr. Taylor’s cross-examination suggested to Mr. Taylor that he wanted to help the rebel commanders reconcile their differences in order to restore a military regime in Sierra Leone.
“Did you invite Foday Sankoh, Sam Bockarie and Johnny Paul Koroma to Liberia for reconciliation on how to return to military power in Sierra Leone?” Mr. Koumjian asked Mr. Taylor.
Mr. Taylor responded with a resounding “No.”
The AFRC which was formed by members of the Sierra Leone Army (SLA) overthrew the elected government of Sierra Leone in 1997 and formed a merger with the RUF. The AFRC/RUF junta regime ruled Sierra Leone until 1998 when they were forcefully removed from the country’s capital by West African peacekeepers. In 1999, the government signed a peace agreement with the rebel forces in the Togolese capital, Lome.
Mr. Taylor agreed with Mr. Koumjian on Thursday that when the three rebel commanders met in Liberia, the government of Sierra Leone was not represented there.
Why not invite the government of Sierra Leone?” Mr. Koumjain asked.
“Because the government of Sierra Leone was not part of the issues between them. There was bad blood between the SLAs and the RUF and their purpose was to sort out that bad blood,” Mr. Taylor said.
Mr. Taylor said that Sierra Leonean president Ahmed Tejan Kabbah “was kept informed” of the meeting between the rebel commanders in Liberia.
Right through his testimony as a witness in his defense, Mr. Taylor has insisted that his involvement with Sierra Leonean rebels was purely for peaceful purposes in the West African country. He has explained that upon his election as president of Liberia, he became a member of the Committee of Five, a body set up by West African leaders with a mandate of facilitating a peaceful end to the conflict in Sierra Leone.
On Monday, lead prosecutor Ms. Brenda Hollis accused Mr. Taylor of sending rebel fighters to Guinea in 2001, with an aim of destabilising the country. The attack on Guinea, which according to Ms. Hollis, was code namded “Operation Take No Sides,” was led by National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) commander Mark Guan. Mr. Taylor denied Ms. Hollis’ assertion.
“I know Mark Guan but i do not know of any operation of that name,” Mr. Taylor said.
Mr. Taylor admitted that he approved “hot puruit missions” into Guinea but denied sending fighters to attack the country.
“There were operations that crossed into Guinea but they were hot pursuit operations and I personally ordered those operations,” Mr. Taylor told the court today.
Mr. Taylor has consistently accused former Guinean president Lansana Conte (Late) of supporting Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels who were threatening to unseat his government in Liberia. Prosecution witnesses have testified that Mr. Taylor used this as justification to send rebel forces, including Sierra’s RUF rebels to attack Guinea. Mr. Taylor has denied giving any orders to rebels to attack Guinea.
In response to allegations by Ms. Hollis that based on Mr. Taylor’s orders, RUF rebels joined NPFL rebels in 2001 to attack Guinea, the former Liberian president said that “was not to my knowlege.”
“I am aware of hot pursuit missions in Guinea. These were standing orders approved by me. There are no operations planned but only of hot pursuit,” he added.
Mr. Taylor also denied allegations that his subordinates in Liberia killed civilians during the country’s conflict as well as when he became president of the country. According to Ms. Hollis, in November 1994, NPFL rebels killed over 100 civilians in Bong County. Ms. Hollis further alleged that after the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO) attack on the NPFL headquarters in Gbangha, NPFL rebels killed civilians who were alleged to be ULIMO supporters. Mr. Taylor denied these allegations, insisting that if he knew of any NPFL rebels killing civialians, they would have been prosecuted.
“Not to my knowlege. I can’t say it did not happen but if someone did, he would have been prosecuted by the NPFL courts. The NPFL was the only organization in Africa and Liberia that had courts,” the former president said.
Ms. Hollis also pointed to allegations that NPFL commander Mark Guan killed 9 civilians in 1998, that in March 2001, 14 civilians were killed by Momoh Jibba, that in July 2000, 170 people were killed at Tubmanburg on orders of Mr. Taylor’s Director of Special Security Service (SSS) Benjamin Yeaten, and that in July 2003, over 70 wounded combatants were massacred on Mr. Yeaten’s orders. Mr. Taylor dismissed these allegations as “totally incorrect.”
Ms. Hollis suggested to Mr. Taylor that his “subordinates” in Sierra Leone understood how Mr. Taylor conducted himself in Liberia and so they saw no reason not to commit the same attrocities in Sierra Leone.
“Sierra Leonean perpetrators understood that was the way you conducted yourself in Liberia,” Ms. Hollis told Mr. Taylor.
“I disagree with that interpretation. No NPFL of mine went to Sierra Leone. Liberians went there but not anyone did i send there except in 1991-92,” Mr. Taylor responded.
Also on Monday, Mr. Taylor dismissed allegations that his rebel forces were involved in canibalism during Liberia’s conflict.
“No subordinates of mine involved in canibalism. I know that some parts of Liberia are involved in canibalism. If anybody had been caught in the act, he’ll first of all be dealt with for how he got somebody killed.” he said.
Mr. Taylor has previously dismissed as allegations of his involvement in canibalism as “racist.” In 2008, a former member of Mr. Taylor’s NPFL Joseph Zig Zag Marzah, testifying as a prosecution witness against Mr. Taylor told the court that he feasted on human beings in the same bowl with Mr. Taylor. Mr. Taylor denied the witness’ claim, saying that prior to seeing the witness in court, he had never known him in Liberia.
On Wednesday, Mr. Taylor told the court that he sent his Chief of Protocol to accompany a Sierra Leonean rebel commander to Burkina Faso in 1998 but denied that he helped him transport arms and ammunition through Liberia for use by rebel forces in Sierra Leone.
Mr. Koumjian asked Mr. Taylor about RUF commander Mr. Bockarie’s 1998 visit to Burkina Faso, during which it is alleged that the rebel commander transported arms and ammunition through Liberia for use by rebel forces in Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor admitted that he sent his Chief of Protocol Musa Sesay to act as an interpreter for Mr. Bockarie on his visit to President Blaise Campaore in Burkina Faso. Mr. Taylor agreed with Mr. Koumjian that Mr. Bockarie was under a UN travel ban at the time of the visit but that he approved the rebel commander’s passage through Liberia.
“You sent him on this trip?” Mr. Koumjian asked Mr. Taylor, refering to the former president’s Chief of Protocol Mr. Sesay.
“Surely I did,” Mr. Taylor responded.
“Isn’t there a better use for a Chief of Protocol than to act as an interpreter on a trip?” Mr. Koumjian inquired further.
“That’s a very, very good use from my calculation. Other protocol officers in other countries did the same thing. Whether you are talking about Togo, I remember the Protocol Officer in Togo interpreting between Eyadema and myself, sometimes Musa did. So when you say better, that’s a qualification, that was for me, a reasonable task.” Mr. Taylor responded.
Mr. Taylor agreed with Mr. Koumjian that Burkina Faso probably had their own interpreters but said he was requested to have his Chief of Protocol travel with Mr. Bockarie and he did. Mr. Koumjian suggested to Mr. Taylor that it is the task of the host government to provide interpreters for their visitors.
“Sir, isn’t it the protocol that when you are visiting the president of a country in that country, it’s the host government that provides the interpreter?” Mr. Koumjian asked Mr. Taylor again.
In response, Mr. Taylor said, “that is a protocol, I will agree, but that is not what you will call the only protocol, there had been times when presidents had come to visit me and I will provide the interpreters and some of them will provide their own.”
The prosecution has led evidence pointing to the alleged relationship that existed between Mr. Taylor and RUF commander Mr. Bockarie. Witnesses have testified that the RUF commander used to take orders from Mr. Taylor. It has also been alleged that Mr. Bockarie used to transport Sierra Leone’s blood diamonds to Mr. Taylor, who in return gave the RUF commander loads of arms and ammunition. Mr. Taylor has denied these allegations.
Prosecutors have alleged that during Mr. Bockarie’s 1998 trip to Burkina Faso, the RUF commander returned with arms and ammunition through Liberia’s Roberts International Airport (RIA). During cross-examination on Wednesday, Mr. Koumjian pointed out that it would not be possible for a plane full of arms and ammunition to arrive in Liberia for use by RUF rebels in Sierra Leone without the president knowing. Mr. Taylor responded that it was possible to bribe corrupt officials, pointing out how he had also bribed officials in other countries to bring arms and ammunition to Liberia in violation of a UN arms embargo.
“It would not be impossible.” Mr. Taylor responded.
“It is very, very simple. It depends on the quality of corrupt officials involved, it would never get to my attention. I, during tough times transfered arms and ammunitions through countries that did not even know. So that happens all the time. It depends on how much you are willing to pay and who you dealing with,” he added.
Mr. Koumjian accused Mr. Taylor of using his position as an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) negotiator to support the RUF in pursuit of their war in Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor dismissed the allegation as wrong.
Mr. Taylor is responding to charges that he was involved in a joint criminal enterprise with RUF rebels in Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor has denied allegations that he supplied arms and ammunition to the rebels in return for Sierra Leone’s blood diamonds and that he helped them plan certain operations during which atrocities such as rape, murder, and amputation of civilian arms were committed. Mr. Taylor has said that he did not have arms and ammunition to fight rebel forces in his own country and therefore could not have supplied any materials to the RUF. He has dismissed the charges as a scheme by western countries, specifically Britain and the United States to bring him down.As he continues his testimony, the former president has challenged prosecutors to present evidence that he used Sierra Leone’s diamonds to enrich himself and open bank accounts in various countries as alleged. From July 14 to November 10, Mr. Taylor testified in direct-examination as a witness in his own defense. As his cross-examination commenced, prosecutors sought to present “fresh evidence” to impeach Mr. Taylor’s testimony but the accussed former president’s defense objected, calling it a “trial by ambush.” The judges will use Monday to determine whether such “fresh evidence” should be used by the prosecution. There will therefore be not court hearings on Monday.
Mr. Taylor’s cross-examination continues on Tuesday.
Taylor; you are an impulsive liar, to say the least! Taylor did you not sent Mark Guan to Guinea on on this mission;’Operation take no sides?’ Mark is the guy you sent to kolahun, lofa county just before the the operation took place! I have gathered enough information on Mark Guan, a Mano illitrate commander, who later forcefully had a Bandi girl from kolahun marry to him by the name of Nesii Trial, and presently lives in Monrovia? Unfortunately, we still have some witnesses alive anf ready to testify againt you should, in case , you run for the next presidency in Liberia, according to your Irresponsible loyalists that have no clues of your shady character! I am doing lot of research on you Taylor! For that Reason; I will honor you here for the last time by recognizing your distasteful name!
J. Fallah Menjor,
You are wasting time. What does Guinea have to do with this case? I wish this case was about Guinea then all of your LURD rebels and the Guinean authorities would be on trial for invading the sovereign country of Liberia. With regards of your comments of someone being an illeterate mano who married a Bandi girl. All you are doing is showing your prejuidice against your own people.
Fallah your personal hatred for Taylor will lead you no where. you and your paymasters in Ellen Johnson sirleaf and co can do notting about Mr Taylor’s popularity if you people are so confident of victory in an election against this man why are you people jettery everytime you hear the name Charles Taylor? you people have tried to demonise Mr Taylor’s supporters standing for elections but your tactics have failed woefully thus far. the latest testament is the Last senatorial bye-election in Montserado County. your final downfall will come in 2011 I promise you. Go! Ghankay Go!!
Fallah, Thanks for your rambling yesterday. Since you didnt reply to my post, I have decided to repost it. could you please comment on the performance of the prosecution so far in this trial? are you impressed? I thought you were boasting about us waiting until the cross examination when Ghankay’s “lies” will be unravelled. well as you can see that hasnt happened yet after a month of cross examination. I think the prosecution really needs your help at this point Ms Teage’s efforts will also probably be appreciated along with Eagle-eye’s. Brave can also be called upon to provide some brave assistance.
Fallah Menjor,
You are the most contradictive charracter I have ever verbally encountered . You are an AMERICAN CITIZEN remember?? I taught you are now retired. Did you retired just to get into doing research on Charles Taylor?? Fallah, when people retire they go for site seeings and plan vacations. Why hurt your head over Charles Taylor.. he is winning his case and is going to be your next president…like it or not..
How long did the meeting between Taylor and Sierra Leonean rebel leaders last?
Can someone help tell me?
Just shut up!!! or explain the damn meeting…..meeting.. meeting….meeting….!!!!!! gush!!
Big Joe,
you have been caught red handy for flagrant violation of copy and paste.
Ladies and gentlemen, Big Joe does not have the mental stimulus to engage our current posting therefore, he has reverted to copying and pasting what he wrote on November 25, 2009 to November 26, 2009 and vice versa .
Big Joe, your tricks have been discovered bro. This is not a hide and seek game, because we know where you are. For me, all of my responses to your post of November 26, 2009 was copied and pasted the same way you did it to counter your tricks on November 25, 2009.
Noko4,5 and others, go back and check the 25 and 26 of November posts. However, you will see what i’m talking about. Do not write anything fresh, but instead, copy and paste your previous respond to Big Joe post, the same way he had embarked on this kind of scheme.
Big Joe, no way buddy. You have been caught. However, I highly encourage you to write fresh postings and do not indulge in copying and pasting previous posts, making it seems like you are writing new post. I personally think you are making a fatal miscalculation if you think this new generation of Africans will not discover your tricks
What a way to go BIG JOE.
Jose Rodriguez,
It has nothing to do with lack of mental stimulus and all to do with the simple fact that I am not on payroll to write on this site. i am in no competition with you.
Unlike you who have accessed to Taylor’s ill-gotten wealth and have to be here 24-7 doing a PR work, I have to work very hard to make a living. So, It is very normal for me not to have the physical stimulus after a hard day work.
Big joe,
Total nonensense most of us here work. The only stay home MOM here officially is your FALLAH MENJOR… he is angry at charles taylor because he fail his interview and could not get the job he wanted…..
Big Joe,
Do you know that what you hve resulted to is a serious crime??? To proof to you that you anti Taylor are the thieves and looters in liberia has been proven by your illegal tranfers of our posts..I hope you know that you are plagerising….For your information, if I see my statement in your post , you will be taken to the hague..that’s one place I know all of you prosecution big mouthers are afraid of…
Big Joe,
where did that come from: competition and I have “access to Taylor’s ill-gotten wealth”?
Big Joe, if I’m doing PR work, what kind of work are you doing on this site?
Big Joe, do you really think that I care whether you work hard for your living or not?
Big Joe, why are you telling me this in the first place?
Big Joe, I don’t want to know.
Big Joe, so the only logical reason you could come out with why you have embarked on this copy and paste practice is because, “it is very normal for you not to have the physical stimulus after a hard day of work?
Big Joe, I am laughing writing this post. Sorry, but I can’t help it, but to laugh.
I personally think your inflammatory remarks Mr. Rodriguez have continuously been more than distasteful. Stick to the arguments instead of trying to belittle fellow commentators for their own opinions which they indeed have a right to, no matter how many times they choose to post.
The truth is alot of your own posts and those of your Taylor supporter compadres are raging with miscalculations of their own. People have disagreed without insulting your faculties. Your tactic however often seems so combative.
Guess what, the new generation of Africans do not/ should not support their ideas being hushed down simply b/c YOU do not wish to hear them or acknowledge them. It’s fine to disagree but your attempts at insulting the above commentator are unnecessary and I’ve witnessed similar desultory remarks again and again on these posts from you.
Again, everyone is entitled to their own opinion so all the extra dialogue aimed at bringing down fellow Africans (if you are even ethnically so) does not help the bigger picture. It’s about helping each other not trying to hush someone b/c of their differing opinions. One might say it is the combative, competitive, and uncivil attitudes like yours Mr. Rodriguez that has contributed to the fray of fraternal solidarity in the arena of African politics. One person trying to shut the other up is NOT Democracy, while we observe this trial, we should at least pretend to have a modicum of decency to everyone’s free and unlimited right to think for themselves!
Furthermore as you are NOT one of the mediators of this site again you have crossed the boundary of tact in accusing someone of a “flagrant violation”. In the spirit of helping you out brother the phrase is “red handed” not “red handy”. It might behoove you to slow down with the defensive and combative words in your next post so as to watch out for simple errors like these.
cocern Liberian,
Your assertion that jose is being insultive is one of the least that has appeared in the postings today. Some of you always love to jump the gun and accuse people of not being demoncratic… Actually you are misdirecting your claim.. If you want to accuse the moderators of not doing a better job, say it and stop trying to pick at somebody else for notthing. Did you read most of Fallah posts today??? Or you are one of those who’s precheaching justice for some and those you may favore. right?????
In response to the above court proceedings:
“I, during tough times transfered arms and ammunitions through countries that did not even know. So that happens all the time. It depends on how much you are willing to pay and who you dealing with,” he added.”
Mr. Taylor, in this statement alone there is an admission of malfeasance. Why should you as honest and righteous head of state be sneaking ammunitions through countries illegaly. Furthermore to admit to the bribes that you offered is to also admit that you are guilty of fueling corruption like this on the continent. It is behavior like this that make laws useless, if you a formal criminal embrace further criminal behavior. You expect the families of victims murdered on your orders or lack therof,
to believe that you have metamorphed into some righteous peace mediator? It sounds like straight bull…
Your ascent to the Liberian presidency is furthermore questionable, because you would have the world believe that you were elected fair and democratically. Yet less than a year into your presidency the election was deemed unfair and corrupt. The name “Charles Taylor” amongst Liberians today still carries the stigma of fear, hopefully your prayers are enough to save you. Good to know that a former Nazi has gone to court today in his ripe 80s…thus the statute of limitations to prosecute Mr. Taylor are not finite.
Justice will be served if not by this court by the pending gathering of evidence being done by the Special Criminal Court of Liberia.
Concerned Citizen in the US,
You ask people not to insult others on the forum because they may disagree with you. However it is posting like yours above that makes people want to use profanity. How in your right mind can you question the democratically elected president of Liberia importing arms and amunition in anyway possible to defend the people of Liberia? You are in America thats why but I who live in Liberia was glad that he did which saved countless lives and stopped LURD and MODEL from taking power.
concerned Liberian,
Jose is doing an excellent job..keep up the hard work brother….
Concerned Liberian,
Well in response to your last statement may I point out to you that had there not been a draconian and unnecessary arms embargo imposed on the Liberian government, Taylor would not have had to pay people to bring arms into the country. Was it fair that a government was not allowed to purchase arms legally but all of the rebel groups were being armed openly by powerful countries and neighbouring countries to Liberia?
Have you forgotten that upon taking the oath of office a President has the duty to protect the territorial integrity of his country? How onesided can you be to now brand the man as committing malfeasance when he was only doing what was legally with his right as head of a sovereign nation.
Do not forget tha one of the very things that defines a nation as a nation state is its ability to govern its territory and its ability to protect the territorial integrity. International law exists because nations accept them but it cannot superceed national law. It was in the intrinsic interest of Liberia to have arms and armunation to defend itself from invaders; end of story.
So why exactly was it ok for the big countries to purchase and sell drugs covertly in the sixties in order to undermine some communities? Why was it ok to carry out rendition flights in contravention of the human rights of those individuals?
In order to pass judgement on Mr. Taylor first examine why were the US, Guinea, and Sierra Leone supplying arms to ULIMO, LURD and MODEL in contravention of the very arms embargo? Oh I see when Taylor does in even though he had the legal constitutional right and responsibility to do so then it is malfeasance right?
Look we know that all over Africa, there is smuggling going on of all kinds of things so let us not get overly righteous and moral here. What is good for Peter is also good for Paul.
Fallah
So you have reconized that there is no evidence to convict Mr.Taylor good. Don’t worried about his re-election we will make him President again Brother.
Sence you have reconized that I rest my case
Bye
Zobon
what away to go.Some time it always good to wish for the best.As for me I will always say the same thing that the real elected president of Liberia said when he was going to Nigeria “GOD WILLING I BE BACK” SO SOME DAYS SHALL IT BE.To all the hater keep hating why we share LOVE.
Can anyone one tell me why the transmission was abruptly aborted this morning before President Taylor answer the prosecution’s question? I believe it had something to do with Cohen’s book which had been maarked for evidence. I am not a lawyer, but it seems that the prosecution is going fishing trying to prove it’s baseless case. Thanks for any information.
Big Joe,
what a way to go copying and pasting of OLD POST
Good for you bro.
I need clarifications, brothers and sisters: Was Sam Bockarie killed in Liberia, or in Ivory Coast?
Noko6,
He was killed in Liberia.
Noko6, we are done with Sam Bokarie, and now on new thing about your man! Now that the Prosecution request has been granted to bring new evidence in the cross-examination, you are done done and roasted as human intestine! you can say all you want but gankay is in hot seat,boy!
Fallah have you read the Decision of the court on the motion filed by the prosecution? let me tell you that decision in no way favors the prosecution more than the defense and just to remind you the prosecution is permitted to present only fresh evidence to impeach the credibility of the witness evidence as to fresh probative evidence they have a harculian task of convincing the court to admit those.
To all Taylor support is true the prosecution case is weak but one thing Charle Ghankay Taylor will never go free this man Charle Ghankay Taylor is a heartless killer and if he even win case we will still go after him, Charle Taylor murder our people both in Liberia and Sierra Leone and he will never be a free man anymore before he will even think about being President again.
Joe,
Since you have acknowledged and conceded that the prosecution case is weak, I will highly encourage you to join us in advocating the release of this innocent man.
However Joe, I agreed with you also that the prosecution case is weak, and so are many people think so too. Joe, if you think Taylor killed your people, you may also join us to advocate for war crimes court in Liberia if you are a Liberian. That way, you will be able to confront the accused directly. One more thing, you joining us to advocate for war crime court in Liberia should not be after President johnson Sirleaf is no more president and perhaps living outside of Liberia.
Hi Gabriel — I don’t think I have seen a comment from you before this weekend if I am not mistaken. Welcome to this forum — glad you could join us here.
Just a quick note for a few reasons:
One is regarding our moderation policy here in response to your question: there is just one main rule for this site – we encourage readers to focus on the issues arising from the trial and not to focus on other readers personally when they submit comments. Comments that do not adhere to that rule are not let through the moderating queue, and we either let the person know that their comment did not meet our policy and ask them to resubmit their comment so it can align with the policy, or else encourage readers who do not see their comment appear to review their comment independently and repost it. We will happily post any comment that meets our policy.
In response to your question about our moderation policy and why we would let people comment with names that are not familiar Liberian names make comments about Charles Taylor and Liberia — as background, we have started this website as a forum where everybody and anybody is encouraged and entitled to express his or her opinion about the Taylor trial and issues related or arising from it. We make no distinction as to names or nationality.
This is also the reason why we could not post your comment you made on January 2 at 10.10pm. It focused on another reader’s nationality. I know you are new to the forum so may not have been aware of our policy but I hope this explanation helps to explain why I could not post it — I will happily post it if you could resubmit it to align with our one rule here.
We look forward to hearing from you again soon, Gabriel.
Best,
Tracey
Concerned Liberian in the USA,
A special court of Liberia? where will it be head this time, Monrovia or Guinea?
you guys can go no gather what so ever you want, but will it be acceptable by the Liberian people in Liberia or only you so-call Liberians that live in the USA?
Please do ur HOME WORK. Liberians are sick of this American justice, that is only in there interest.
What has happen to the reports from the TRC?
Why have you guys not started the SPECIAL COURT OF LIBERIA? when all the WARLORDS are walking around the country.
Or, are you guys only waiting for Taylor to get released from this SPECIAL COURT FOR SEIRRA LEONE that has no evidence to proof that he guilty.The concerns LIBERIAN IN THE USA that give no support to the Liberians that lived in Liberia alone with there Mr PAYMASTER, will like to started a court of such in Liberia? hahahahahahahahaha
We Liberian will never never learned.
But please remember that most of us have not yet sold our soul to the DEVIL.
Noke 5,
Where and when did I illegally transfer your posts? Don’t you know the difference between quotation and plagiarism? Anyway, I am not surprise at all. Lying and deception are trademarks of the Taylorists.
What is all this noise about Taylor did this, Taylor didn’t do this or Taylor will see and all that.
Look, I have some problems with the Charles Taylor out there, but this is not time to express it. I see my Ex- President out there straightly as my country. I can do anything now to save my country’s image and come home and deal with it if it calls for even abusing people. But let us put our hadred behind us and find way to to bring our Ex- President home and settled the matter the TRC way. After all we have people in our country now that did worse things yet we forgive them and allowed some of them to even be called representattives and senators. We are forgiving people and let us not allow another country to use their own problems to bring disunity amonst us. We need to stand together to bring our Ex home and deal with him out way. I cant forget the day I saw Liberia being handcuffed on her own airport without her own daughter who had the power to say something. It was regrettable and let us not play with the situation.
Your argument, my fellow Liberian is counter-intuitive. Its equivalent to telling a police officer not to give you a speeding ticket because there are others going faster than you. It was my profound and honest wish that Liberia did have the ability to try Charles Taylor in our own courts. But as of today (January 2, 2010) we don’t have anything close to that ability. What’s worse, I don’t foresee us having that ability even in the next 20-30yrs. Here’s proof. We just made another mass murderer (Prince Johnson), who should’ve been hanged about 5 yrs ago, an effin SENATOR. That’s right! A SENATOR, charged with creating laws by which Liberians ought to abide. (I just threw up in my mouth). If that isn’t an indication that our country doesn’t have the resources to host such a trial then I don’t know what is.
In my opinion, every Liberian should be hoping that this illegal and ‘rubbish’ of a court presents false evidence and witnesses just so that we can finally get rid of this worthless human being. Is it an appropriate judicial process? Not by any imaginative stretch, but you all know that our poverty stricken country doesn’t have anything close to the necessary structures and resources to try this idiot in our own courts. We just made Prince Johnson a SENATOR for God’s sakes!! Liberians will always be living on the edges of our seats as long as these mass murderers are walking around.
Hi Gabriel,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the trial. Your opinion seems quite similar to one also expressed by others here on this site: that the only way forward for Liberia as a nation is to ensure that people considered most responsible for the war that Liberians suffered through for so long are brought to trial to answer for their alleged role in crimes committed during the war — but at the same time, you (and others) have expressed disillusionment with the ability of national (and indeed, international) structures to be able to ensure that type of accountability occurs.
Your comment raises three questions out of curiousity for me: one is your thoughts on the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Can you help me understand why you think it is illegal and “rubbish” of a court?
The second is about the judicial process — there are other readers on this site who share your desire to see Mr. Taylor convicted, and there are others still on this site who worry about Mr. Taylor’s ability to receive a fair trial. As monitors, we are concerned to see that Mr. Taylor accounts for his alleged role in the crimes that he is charged with during the Sierra Leone conflict, and that as he does so, he receives a fair trial under international standards. To us, a fair judicial process is the only way that the final decision on his guilt or innocence made by the Special Court judges will have legitimacy and credibility. If false evidence and witnesses are brought before the court, and that is found out by the judges, it would actually undermine the case against him when the judges weighed the evidence brought before them — so such a strategy may in fact lead to the opposite effect of what you are hoping. Which brings me to my question: is your main concern with the process that Mr. Taylor may be set free and then never be held to account for the role he (and others) are alleged to have played in the Liberian conflict and the crimes committed during that conflict?
Which brings me to my third question: the Liberian TRC just recommended a hybrid court be set up to try people for the alleged crimes in the Liberian conflict — Charles Taylor and Prince Johnson are two names on the TRC Report’s list of those recommended for prosecution (you can see the full list here:https://www.trcofliberia.org/reports/final/volume-two_layout-1.pdf at p.349 — however, the final decision for who is prosecuted rightly lies with any future prosecutor appointed to such a court). Are you worried that this court may not be set up — or if it is, are you worried about its ability to bring high level people to trial?
I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts, Gabriel.
Best,
Tracey
Gabriel,
Could you update your post to the most recent date for others to at least share their take on it? Bro. bring your evidence to court against this innocent man. Besides, why you not talking about Ellen who said she was with the NPFL, but prince Johnson? On top of that, you are not more Liberian than us. However, you are entitled to your opinions. Notwithstanding, we voted for him (Taylor) and we will still vote for him. Nice try though.