The Analyst (Monrovia) 
COLUMN
March 14, 2006 
Posted to the web March 14, 2006 

By Frank Sainworla,Jr.


Liberia is once again caught up in a dilemma that if not handled prudently
may unravel the great accomplishments made after 14 long and brutal years of
civil war. Less than two months into the elected government of President
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the issue of what to do with exiled former President
Charles Taylor has taken center stage, with the disclosure by Nigerian
newspapers that Liberia and Africa's first woman President has sent a letter
to President Olusegun Obasanjo requesting the surrender of Taylor to the
international court to prosecuted for war crimes allegedly committed against
the people of neighboring Sierra Leone. 

Although Information Minister Johnny McClain had earlier denied that such
letter was written by the Liberian leader, stalwarts of Taylor's National
Patriotic Party (NPP) said President Johnson-Sirleaf admitted to them during
a 12 March meeting that she indeed wrote a hand over request to the Nigerian
President for Mr. Taylor to be sent to the Hague for trial. But the 23rd
Liberian president is said to have said she wrote the hand over letter under
immense pressure from America and Europeans, who even before Ellen could be
inducted had set Taylor's surrender as a pre-condition for economic
assistance to war torn Liberia. 

So it is no surprise to hear that this president has finally bowed to
pressure from the west, which has persistently tried to turn a blind eye at
the deal that took Taylor into exile on 11 August 2003 amidst a rebel
onslaught on Monrovia. The "great" US and its European allies have
repeatedly played up the issue of Taylor not escaping Justice at he
UN-backed Sierra Leone war crimes court over the issue of the deal that was
struck for the once powerful rebel leader-turned elected president to
peacefully resign his president! ial post and take refuge in the quiet
Nigerian town of Calabar. 

THE RISK A decision to surrender Taylor before the new government is even
fully constituted, in the absence of a restructured army and security
apparatus, and in the lack of a solid program for the reintegration and
rehabilitation of over 100,000 ex-combatants and national reconciliation
could very well proved to be counter productive. Are the US and its European
allies prepared to do what West Africa and other African brothers have done
to quench a blazing fire that could be sparked by any untimely and unwise
decision at this point in time? Have they calculated the level of mistrust,
distrust, tension and bad blood that such a move would engender? 

Indeed as UNMIL has repeatedly said 'there are 15,000 strong United Nations
peacekeepers here in Liberia and they are prepared to arrest Taylor when he
step foot on Liberian soil and take him to Freetown.' But what good will be
the restoratio! n of law and order after the mess would have been created if
rash decision triggers serious public backlash? 

Yes Taylor and all those who started, finance and executed his 1989 NPFL
rebel war as well as all other post-Taylor rebels that followed in the same
path of atrocities and destruction must be made to account for human rights
abuses in both Sierra Leone and Liberia. 

On the other hand, the likes of Taylor and his military opponents during the
war in neighbouring Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast must also be made
to account for the mayhem caused in Liberia too. When and how this will be
done will ultimately have to be decided right here in the sub-region by the
very people who suffered from those atrocities and dehumanization. A
referendum on such a question could well one of the best ways of deciding
such a matter and not one that is superimposed, because if it backfires,
it's the very masses that will stand to suffer again. Judging by the ! mood
of the ordinary people and their expressions, it would be better for now to
experiment with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) process. 

But the writing is on the wall that any unilateral move outside the theatre
of the Liberian people and the concerns and caution of the African Union and
ECOWAS would have the propensity to cost Liberia dearly. President
Johnson-Sirleaf herself is on record to have said "the security situation in
Liberia remains fragile." This simply means that Liberians cannot afford any
rocking of the boat at this time only to have Taylor in chains in the cell
of an international court, when the sense of apprehension and psychological
fear are reignited amongst war weary Liberians. 

    
  

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Copyright C 2006 The Analyst. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica
Global Media (allAfrica.com). 
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U.S.: Support Liberian President in Seeking Taylor's Surrender
14 Mar 2006 18:19:52 GMT

Source: Human Rights Watch
 
(Washington, D.C., March 15, 2006) - When Liberia's newly elected president
visits Washington today, the U.S. government should give her strong support
in seeking Charles Taylor's surrender to face trial at the Sierra Leone war
crimes court, Human Rights Watch said today. The Bush administration should
commit to assist in maintaining stability and democracy in Liberia and
toward strengthening U.N. peacekeeping forces there as necessary. Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf, who was inaugurated as Liberia's president on January 16,
is expected to brief a joint session of Congress and meet with U.S.
President George W. Bush. 

"The Bush administration has played a positive role in pressing for Taylor
to face trial at the Sierra Leone war crimes court," said Richard Dicker,
director of the International Justice Program at Human Righ! ts Watch. "Now
the administration needs to see this through by giving Liberia's new
president strong backing to request Taylor's surrender. She should not be
expected to shoulder this burden alone." 

Over the past two weeks, Sirleaf-Johnson and Nigerian President Olusegun
Obasanjo discussed former Liberian President Charles Taylor, according to
news reports. In 2003 Taylor left Liberia for Nigeria. In taking Taylor in
as a temporary measure, Nigeria acted with the support of the United States,
the African Union and other actors in the international community in efforts
to secure a peaceful transition in Liberia. 

For his role in Sierra Leone's armed conflict, Taylor has been accused of 17
counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Special Court for
Sierra Leone. The crimes include killings, mutilations, rape and other forms
of sexual violence, sexual slavery, the recruitment and use of child
soldiers, abduction, and the use of forced labor! by armed groups. The
Special Court was set up in 2002 to try those most responsible for war
crimes committed during Sierra Leone's armed conflict. 

Nigerian President Obasanjo has thus far been reluctant to surrender Charles
Taylor to the Special Court, however. He has indicated though, that he would
consider surrendering Charles Taylor upon request from a duly-elected
Liberian government. 

"More than any other individual, Taylor is associated with atrocities and
murder in West Africa," said Dicker. "Nigeria should promptly surrender him
to face trial at the Sierra Leone Special Court and immediately comply with
any request from Liberia's president for his surrender." 

Time is of the essence for Taylor to face trial, Human Rights Watch said.
The Special Court is already advanced in its operations, faces major funding
difficulties, and will confront increasing international pressure to
complete operations. 

The U.S. governme! nt also needs to send a strong message in support of
accountability for serious crimes committed in Liberia, Human Rights Watch
said. Liberia's recently inaugurated Truth and Reconciliation Commission
provides an important forum for establishing a record of abuses. However,
prosecutions for serious crimes will also be essential. Given the
devastation of the Liberian justice system, international support is likely
to be necessary to rebuild the national courts, including ensuring justice
for serious crimes. 

"This is a crucial moment for Washington to help West Africa break a
devastating cycle of impunity," Dicker said. 

NO LASTING PEACE FOR WEST AFRICA IF  

TAYLOR IS NOT ARRESTED........Says Prof. David Crane 

 

Former Chief Prosecutor of the International Court in Sierra Leone Professor
David Crane has told a US House Committee that there will be no prospect for
lasting peace in West Africa, if exiled Former Liberian Leader Charles
Taylor is not surrendered to the International tribunal. Professor Crane
says when Charles Taylor is handed over; he will be out of the local and
regional political dynamics, and will not undermine President Ellen Johnson
Sirleafs initial efforts to develop a legitimate and accountable government
in Liberia. 

Professor Crane testified Wednesday before the US House Sub Committee on
Africa, Global Human Rights, and International Operations. He was among
several officials invited, including US Assistant Secretary of State for
Africa, Jendayi Frazer, to discuss "The Impact of Liberia's Elections on
West Africa".

The former Prosecutor called on the International Community to forcefully
urge the George Bush administration and President Johnson Sirleaf to demand
that Nigeria hand over Charles Taylor to the special court in Freetown,
Sierra Leone. He noted that Taylor is the catalyst for most human tragedy
and political instability in West Africa, and he is a dark cloud over war
ravaged Liberia, which he personally destroyed for his own criminal gains.

He said Charles Taylor's continuous meddling in the affairs of the
sub-region attests his determination to fulfill his promise to "come back",
when he was boarding the flight to go in exile in 2003. Mr. Crane warned
that Taylor must not be under estimated, because he has wealth, influence
and a supportive military and political base in the Mano River basin. In his
twenty-two page presentation, Professor David Crane also wants the
Government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to establish a Truth and
Reconciliation Commission to allow war victims tell their stories, which he
said will help them begin putting their horrors behind. 

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor is in exile in Nigeria, waiting to
be prosecuted on seventeen counts of war crimes and crimes against Humanity.
Nigerian President Olusegun Obassanjo has been reluctant to surrender
Charles Taylor to the special war court in Sierra Leone, and that he can
only turn him over to the elected government of Liberia if requested. 

David Crane is now a visiting Professor of Law at the Syracuse University's
College of Law in the United States.

 

 


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