Please, let us be objective in our analysis on International Issues. I am
still waiting for a quote from the International Law Commission of UN which
mandates any country to effect the arrest of the Sitting President of
another Sovereign Nation. Emotions and personal sentiments do not help in
solving any problem.
The fact that Sadam Hussein was ousted by the so called coalition forces on
the pretext of searching for WMD does not justify the credibility of their
action. Tell me whether there was any UN sanction for Iraq's invasion and
occupation by those who deemed it fit to pursue a regime change in Iraq. If
the so called powerful nations of the world will not respect the UN which
was established by them but will continuosly prefer to undermine its
integrity, then that is unfortunate.
How did Slobona Milosovic end up the at the ICJ. He was arrested by his own
people when he was kicked out of office by his own people. That is
International law. You do not instigate another country to arrest another
country's president. That is tantamount to declaration of war by the country
effecting the arrest.
Efforts are being made to pursue peace in the West African community by its
leaders, please, let us give peace a chance.
Thanks and have a good day.
Joe
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.ghanaweb.com: General News of Thursday, 05 June 2003
Coup Attempt Foiled
MONROVIA (Reuters) - Liberia's President Charles Taylor said on Thursday a
coup attempt sponsored by foreign powers had been foiled, just after the
former warlord had been indicted for war crimes while attending peace talks
in Ghana.
"While the conference was going on in Accra certain actions were being
perpetrated in Liberia...the attempt was foiled because the general of the
army refused," Taylor told state radio after returning to Liberia's capital
Monrovia.
"Contacts were made by certain embassies near the capital to senior Armed
Forces of Liberia personnel but they did not accept their proposition,"
Taylor said. "As in every organization, there are weaklings. Some succumbed
to that process."
Taylor is a former rebel who started a brutal civil war in Liberia, which
cost 200,000 lives in the 1990s, to end years of dictatorship. He won
elections in 1997 but his former enemies launched a revolt in 2000.
The Ghana talks are aimed at pushing Taylor and the rebel Liberians United
for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and Movement for Democracy in
Liberia (Model) to strike a truce, paving the way for a government of
transition.
But it was Taylor's links with rebels in Sierra Leone's civil war in the
1990s that caught up with him on Wednesday. A U.N.-backed court indicted him
for alleged war crimes during the war, in which he supplied weapons in
return for diamonds.
VICE-PRESIDENT DETAINED
After the indictment was served, there were rumors in Monrovia that Taylor
had been arrested and panic gripped the capital. Civilians raced to their
homes, shops and banks closed and soldiers spilled onto the streets.
Military sources in Monrovia said that the U.S. embassy had contacted
vice-president Moses Blah and told him to take over, because Taylor would
not be returning from Ghana. Blah has since resigned and is being held by
the Liberian authorities.
The U.S. embassy was not immediately available for comment.
"(Blah) will be explaining in the next few days to the nation and the world
what perpetrated this action on his part," said Taylor, adding that 30
senior government officials had been involved in the failed coup attempt.
Liberia has had close ties to the United States ever since the nation was
founded in 1847 by freed American slaves. Taylor did not accuse any foreign
embassies by name and referred to the United States as Liberia's "best ally"
on Thursday.
Soon after rumors of his arrest circulated in Monrovia, Taylor went on
national radio from Accra on Wednesday to say he was free and would return.
The head of an elite security force also spoke on state radio, calling on
soldiers to remain in their barracks and for civilians to stay at home.
Taylor said on Thursday that Liberia's cabinet would be asked to resign at
the end of next week to pave the way for a government of national unity,
once the peace talks had ended.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Reuters
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