----- Original Message -----
From: "Pan-African Movement" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 06 August 2003 3:40 PM
Subject: TAJUDEEN's THURSDAY POST CARD 6TH AUGUST 2003


>
> > THURSDAY POSTCARD 6 AUGUST 2003
> >
> > If the words of a cornered warlord-cum-dictator can be
> > believed by 11.59 a.m. on Monday 11 August 2003 Mr
> > Charles Taylor will resign as President of Liberia, a
> > new transitional President would take over and Charlie
> > Boy and his immediate wrecking crew will leave the
> > country for their sunset asylum in Nigeria.
> > I do not know what is so special about that day for
> > him or the country. Maybe in his grand delusions he
> > wanted his departure to piggy bank on the infamy of 11
> > September. The day cannot be sooner.
> >
> > While there is nothing automatic about a return to
> > peace following his departure, it is the plain truth
> > that no kind of peace is possible with him around. So
> > his exit will increase the prospect for ending the
> > carnage and bringing the long suffering of Liberian
> > people and their neighbours to an end.
> >
> > Once Taylor is out there are challenges that must be
> > surmounted. There are too many negative media reports
> > about the role of the first West African Intervention
> > force in the country in the early 1990s. But while one
> > does not condone the excesses of the forces it must be
> > borne in mind that the world of 1990s is quite
> > different in many respects from the world we live in
> > today even if some things never change. In 1990 the
> > ECOMOG intervened primarily to shore up the
> > bloodthirsty regime of Master Sergeant Doe. The region
> > was dominated by military dictators of various levels
> > of mendacity against their peoples. The regional
> > power, Nigeria, was under the Jackboots of Babangida
> > and later Abacha. Babangida, Jerry Rawlings, Compaore,
> > Joseph Momoh of Sierra-Leone and others saw the
> > Charles Taylor uprising against Doe as a dangerous
> > precedent in a region where Soldiers (initially only
> > Generals but later Junior officers and even NCOs) had
> > complete veto over the political process. The business
> > of changing governments was that of the army not a
> > bunch of civilians. They reacted out of self-interest
> > but as time went on the intervention became the only
> > positive thing that ever happened to the country. It
> > stemmed the tide that was heading for the oceans
> > culminating in the transition that saw Taylor
> > successfully intimidating the populace into 'voting '
> > him to the Executive Mansion.
> > The so-called international community (often meaning
> > Europe and America, sometimes, the UN, and these days,
> > the US, alone!) failed Liberia then as it was engaged
> > in the Gulf. And even today despite claims of
> > historical linkages with Liberia, like father like Son
> > , Dubya, is still more interested in Iraqi oil than
> > saving Liberian lives. ECOWAS responded to Liberia
> > then and it is doing so now. One hopes that the bitter
> > lessons of the past have been internalised to
> > facilitate a comprehensive settlement this time. The
> > omens are good. One, there is greater sensitivity and
> > attempt to adhere to universal standards and rules of
> > engagement in addition to greater awareness. They
> > cannot escape with the excesses today as they did
> > before. No bush is beyond the Internet and other
> > multimedia attention these days. Two, there is AU and
> > UN support and even America's grudging and miserly
> > support. Three, ECOWAS can play an honest brokerage
> > now better than it did in the last intervention. It is
> > not supporting a crumbling dictator and most of the
> > states have no loyalty to the rebels.
> > But in spite of these there are other challenges.
> > First, is the future of Charles Taylor. There has been
> > a spate of criticism of Nigeria's offer of asylum.
> > While understandable I believe this is misplaced. What
> > are the alternatives? To leave Taylor there to
> > continue to destroy the country until the rebels get
> > to finish him off like Doe? While no one will mourn
> > his violent end what about the thousands of innocent
> > Liberians that are being raped, maimed, killed and
> > pained? How many more have to?  Getting him out of
> > Monrovia does not translate into impunity. Even if the
> > Nigerian government wishes, he is so unpopular within
> > the Nigerian civil and political society and also the
> > military establishment, his being in Abuja can only be
> > temporary. So let us do the first things first:
> > Charles Taylor has no hiding place. There is enough to
> > hang him even in Nigeria!
> > The second and most crucial challenge is the
> > management of the post Taylor situation in the
> > immediate, medium and long term.  On no account should
> > the armed rebels, LURD, MODEL and others be allowed to
> > capture power? For once Africa has to show that it is
> > no longer willing to reward militarists. The
> > government that will emerge should be broad based to
> > include all interests and sections of the Liberian
> > society. And they must not be beholden to any partisan
> > interests. This must require that all those
> > participating must rule themselves out of the
> > immediate post transition political offices. If not
> > the transition government will be weakened by
> > factional manoeuvres. Therefore the ECOMOG forces have
> > to be more than just a peacekeeping operation but also
> > have in its mandate a capacity for offensive and
> > coercive action.  The leaders of ECOWAS have to avoid
> > being hoodwinked into imposing candidates that may be
> > known internationally but often unpopular locally.
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> > =====
> > "Forward ever , backward never".....Kwame Nkrumah (1909 - 1972)
> >
> > ..................DON'T AGONISE!
> ORGANISE!!....................................
> >
> >
________________________________________________________________________
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> >



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