The way I see Liberia

A deal is a deal: Liberians (50% plus one) cried to the rest of the civilized world and begged that President Charles McArthur Ghankay Taylor be encouraged to take his grand exit and give Liberia her wanting peace. The great leaders of Africa who could leave their individual countries without fear of been overthrown whilst away, in consultation with the United Nations and with the advise and consent of the concerned leaders of the free world, made a deal with Charles Taylor with a seal of approval that he leaves Liberia and accept the asylum granted by Nigeria as a free man, a complete blanket amnesty, that he will not be touched by any man if he abides by the agreement of his asylum.

If President Olusegun Obasanjo or any subsequent government of Nigeria turns Taylor over to the court in Sierra Leone or to any sitting government of Liberia, the leaders of the free world will not have any respect for any African leader, because African leaders will now be considered as unworthy partners to keep a bargain and will never be trusted. In the presence of these leaders, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Ghanaian President John Kufuor, Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano and Togolese Prime Minister Koffi Sama with a host of members of the international community, President Taylor delivered his final speech on August 11, 2003 and left Liberia to take up his asylum. A deal is a deal.

Do not strangle Liberia in a chokehold: The indictment was announced and a warrant for Taylor’s arrest was issued on June 4, 2003 while Taylor was in Ghana for peace talks. The court's chief prosecutor, David Crane carefully timed the announcement of Taylor’s indictment and organizers of the peace talks, criticized Mr. Crane’s timing. Diplomats suggest that the need for peace talks on Liberia has been judged more important than the need for Charles Taylor to stand trial. Why do you think Taylor was not arrested in Ghana? The president of Ghana, Mr. John Kufuor knew that had Taylor been arrested while he was there as a guest of Ghana, Ghana could have invited chaos right at her door step.

There were 101 opportunities to have Taylor arrested, before and after he was granted asylum, prior to the election of a new government in Liberia. For all those who are calling on the new government for the extradition or the like of Charles Taylor, do not have Liberia at heart and do not want lasting peace for Liberia. I do not believe that turning Taylor over to an elected government in Liberia, if requested, was part of the deal brokered between Taylor and the rest of the negotiators. The Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo might have made that statement to appease those who called for Taylor's head.

There are cries from all corners of the globe, including some from parties that were part and parcel of the deal, with the hope to give Liberia a little chance for peace, that are now calling for Taylor's head. It is my believe that those in the international community crying for Taylor's head do not really want to see lasting peace in Liberia nor do they envision the far reaching implications their threats to withhold aids if Taylor was not brought to book at this time.

Let a referendum be organized by the newly elected government so Liberians can decide whether Charles Taylor should be extradited from Nigeria to Liberia to answer lingering questions. I will bet that Liberians (50% plus one) do not care one way or the other what ever happens to Charles Taylor and do not share the sentiments of the International community. We are a peculiar people who will extend a helping hand to our executors. International community, please do not strangle Liberia in a chokehold.

I am no fan of Charles Taylor: The UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone indicted The Liberian President Charles Ghankey Taylor on 17 charges of crimes against humanity for his role in Sierra Leone’s conflict. The indictment charges Taylor with “bearing the greatest responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity and serious violations of international humanitarian law within the territory of Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996.”

What about Liberia? Were there crimes committed that we Liberians can charge Charles Taylor with? Were there crimes committed that the international community can charge Charles Taylor with? How about all of the other war lords Liberia had encountered while Liberians lived and died under their territorial control? Will Liberia bring them all including Charles Taylor to book? Every warlord is responsible for carnage and destruction. What are we going to do as a nation? Will we all agree to the old cliché, that I believe we Liberians practice inwardly, let bygone be bygone? I call on all good Liberians to stand up and be counted and call for an assembly of all Liberians to discuss our past, present and path to the future; not for us alone, but for our children and for all those yet unborn. I am no fan of Charles Taylor.