The NEWS (Monrovia)
Stanley Mcgill
15 February 2002
Monrovia — President Charles Taylor says the failure of the United Nations to lift its arms embargo on Liberia may lead to genocide in the country, as the war in the western part of the country escalates to the capital.
The president made the observation yesterday when he appeared before a joint session of the legislature to provide facts and circumstances surrounding the state of emergency he had declared throughout the country.
Speaking amidst complete silence in the joint chambers of the Capitol Building, President Taylor lamented that "the defense of this nation against violent attacks by a band of terrorists is severely hampered by the continuation of the arms embargo against this Republic."
He indicated further that "the right to self-defense by our people is now being threatened by outside forces," noting that his Government is being prevented from exercising that right guaranteed under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
President Taylor, in a rather serious mood, told the legislature that "inspite of the glaring and incontrovertible evidence of violence being perpetrated as a result of the ongoing fighting between his Government and forces of the rebel Liberian United for Reconstruction and Democracy (LURD), the most powerful nations on earth, whom by their outright condemnations might give the terrorists and their supporters reasons to pulse, have chosen to remain silent . . . a conspiracy of silence that might have energized these evils forces . . . "
He informed the legislative forum, attended by the cabinet, the diplomatic corps as well as local and foreign journalists who had assembled for the address, that his Government has requested the international community to prevail upon the Guinean Government to curb support to the rebels but has apparently failed to yield fruitful results as the war encroaches on the capital.
Further, President Taylor pointed out that the resources of the nations have already been stretched to the limit by the war . . .
He indicated that in the face of the difficult situation being experienced by his Government, he is under constitutional obligation to defend the nation and its people against any form of violence.
Predicated upon this, the president beseeched the legislature to grant the state of emergency so as to give all leverages to utilize every power and resource to his disposal to fight the rebels.
He told the legislature that the quest for the "terrorist" fighting his Government has worsened humanitarian crisis, and has also gone beyond perpetrating mayhem against the ordinary citizen to unseating his Government.
Following the address, House Speaker Nyudueh Morkonmana, invited the leadership of both houses, to the Executive Mansion, apparently to meet with the president.
Under the constitution, the legislature is allowed seventy-two hours to determine whether or not the state of emergency could hold. This can be determined by two-thirds majority votes of each of the two houses.
Meanwhile, Capitol Building sources have hinted that the legislature will meet in an extraordinary session this morning to consider the president's request. Given the nature of the situation, it is expected that the legislature will act favorably to the request.
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