The Inquirer (Monrovia)
Morrison O.G. Sayon
1 February 2008
Prince Johnson, former leader of the defunct National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL) now Nimba County Senior Senator, says he is prepared to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) only if those who instigated the 1980 coup d'etat and killed President Tolbert are made to appear before the Commission.
Reacting to a statement from the TRC that he failed to appear before the TRC to explain about the death of Samuel K. Doe, Sen. Johnson stated emphatically that at no time did he refuse to appear before the TRC. He wondered, "How can I appear before the Commission when no one has accused me yet?"
The Nimba County Senior Senator then noted, "If I do not appear before the TRC, my character will be at stake. I'm willing to appear only if my name is called by victims but not people from the TRC who want to cause problem in this country."
He said prior to its hearing, the TRC sent out statement takers to every part of the country and even abroad to hear from people who were grossly affected by the war and now that the TRC has opened officially, they are expecting these victims to come out with names of those who carried out those atrocities in the country.
"If I refuse to appear before the Commission whenever my name is called then I will be putting my future and character at stake but if my name is called then I will appear to defend my character," Sen. Johnson said. He said it should not be the TRC to cite him for the death of the late President Doe when in fact he has since reconciled with the Doe family.
He further noted, "There were other people who came before me and killed President Tolbert, many of them are in government today, why is it that the TRC is not inviting these people to explain their role in the death of President Tolbert and the execution of the thirteen government officials who were all civilians?
He then wondered, "There are people who constituted the 17 men of the AFL who killed Tolbert that morning who are in the very Legislature that I'm in presently, why is the TRC not talking about inviting these people? The TRC talked about investigating matters from 1979, why are they now starting from the 90s?
Sen. Johnson said the families of Doe who are victims should have complained to the TRC but have forgotten about the matter. "If you are interested in the death of Doe, why are you not interested in Tolbert's death? He said the people of Nimba County are unhappy about his name being in the media by the TRC noting, "The people of Nimba were the direct victims under the Doe regime. They were killed in their numbers by the Doe government and I came to redeem my people."
"If the TRC is interested in knowing the death of a sitting president, let them start from Tolbert. Let the Tolbert people begin to appear and explain their roles in his death then I will have no choice but to also appear before the Commission," the former rebel general added.
Sen. Johnson stated further that his appearance before the TRC will cause many big names to come out. He added that it was an international conspiracy that led to the death of Doe. He said the death of Doe was initiated by the international community and Liberian politicians as well as Church leaders in the country.
Sen. Johnson disclosed that the international community including the then UN Secretary General, OAU (now AU), Chairman and the ECOWAS Chairman were all in The Gambia to form an interim government when in fact Doe was still a sitting president.
Sen. Johnson said he was being used by ailing Archbishop, Michael Francis and some Liberian politicians to remove President Doe so as to make way for former interim President, Amos Sawyer.
In conclusion, Sen. Johnson said, "I'm a target; this is witch-hunting and I will resist it; you can put rope on my neck and hang me but I will never appear when others who should have appeared before my turn have not been invited."
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Prince johnson has a legititmate point. If justice is to be served in Liberia, it must inclusively be applicable to all. Justice should never be selectively infavor of the well connected.