CHARLES TAYLOR EXTRADITION REQUEST IS A MOVE FOR HUMANITY
By Binneh s Minteh
The extradition request of former Liberian war monger by Africa's iron lady Liberian President Sirleaf Johnson is a move that should be embraced by the whole of Humanity. Liberia the first independent state on the continent was founded by Freed Slaves and since then the country enjoyed a stable and viable economy until the early 1980s, when the green boys intervened in the political affairs of the country.
Since then, Liberian affairs were tainted with political uncertainty, human rights abuses, and a crisis of power struggle between indigenous Africans and Afro-American Liberians. After falling apart with his one time friend and slain former President Master SGT Samuel Doe, Mr. Taylor led an insurgence from Neighboring Ivory-Coast that plunged the country into civil unrest for 15 yrs.
During the period of this civil war, Transnational civil society has found Mr. Taylor of committing Human rights abuses in not only Liberia, but also involved in blood diamond saga and the illegal dealing of arms with Former RUF fighters in neighboring Sierra-Leone.
This has cost many innocent Sierra-Leoneans their lives and many getting their feet, hands and other sensitive parts of their bodies amputated. A few years after he won an election that temporarily brought peace to Liberia, Mr. Taylor began falling apart with many of his close generals due to his dubious dealings and antagonism against certain tribes in Liberia especially the Mandingos. He was believed to have given orders for the brutal murder of scores of Mandingo men and women.
This has poised the beginning of another rebellion to oust him from power. The rebellion grew so powerful that as the rebels surrounded the capital, to eject him from power, the International community timely intervened, and instructed Mr. Taylor to step down to prevent bloodshed. This has lead him into sanctuary in Nigeria, and President Obasanjo has since then insisted that he would only hand over Charles Taylor to face crimes against humanity, upon the request from an elected Liberian President.
The United Nations War crimes Tribunal in Sierra-Leone has long since indicted Mr. Taylor for so many crimes against humanity. An executive order of the United States President has also long since frozen the assets of not only Mr. Taylor, but also all his accomplices. Mounting pressure from the US congress and other International human rights watch dogs in the past few years for Mr. Taylor to face charges remained fruitless.
However Liberia's President and Harvard educated economist Sirleaf Johnson has blown the trumpet and set the stage for Mr. Taylor to face charges of crimes against humanity.
Today there are speculations that Mr. Taylor will not go down alone as he was aided and abetted by some regional leaders. Many are uneasy in the sub-region today as the notorious war mongers image has tainted and tarnished many other images.This is not only a profound change, but also real progress in the underlying principles of transnational justice, and such a progress is largely due to the efforts of all global citizens in the transnational civil society.
It is a manifestation that those decades of impunity on the continent is beginning to end; a clear message to all despots on the continent that they shall be held accountable for all atrocities committed against humanity. African leaders must therefore act now in the interest of justice and the interest of generations to come.
To that effect, we salute Liberian President Sirleaf Johnson for setting such a humanely stage for dispensation of justice for the maimed,tortured, murdered, and all other victims who suffered as a result of Mr. Taylor's actions. We also urge President Obasanjo to assist insetting the stage to end impunity on the continent, by handing over Mr. Taylor to face the War Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity.
LONG LIVE FREEDOM, JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF LAW. LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY. MAY GOD BLESS THE AFRICAN CONTINENT AND CONTINUE TO BLESS AMERICA.
