allAfrica.com: Gambia: Mediation Committee Set Up Interim Government Before Doe's Death Without NPFL Approval

Gambia: Mediation Committee Set Up Interim Government Before Doe's Death Without NPFL Approval - Would It Work?

We have been focusing on politics, in general, and Gambian politics, in particular.

In the last three editions, this column has followed the narration of events as they unfolded in Liberia, during the civil war of that country.

In the last edition we stopped at where it was stated that PDOIS opined that Jawara should have appealed to the warring parties instead of ECOMOG, to cooperate with them to grant safe passage to Mr. Doe's associates and pull out of Liberia, immediately, since the carnage, at the ECOMOG headquarters, constituted a confirmation that it could not monitor a cease fire in a war situation.

Let us continue from where we stopped.

The Liberian civil war and ECOMOG's role in the conflict was of great concern to the Gambian people, since a substantial number of Gambian soldiers were sent to the war front. As the fighting intensified, people wondered what had happened to their sons and brothers sent there.

It was reported that a day before their departure for Liberia, young Gambian soldiers were dancing to reggae music, little did they perceive at the time the danger that lay ahead. They were made to believe that they were simply going on a peace mission.

The PDOIS party, which meticulously monitored the scene, in a press release argued that those who were entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding the destiny of nations and peoples should be persons of honour and compassion, who would not put nations on a war footing and close their eyes to the sure road to peace.

PDOIS indicted the heads of states for wining and dining, in lavishly decorated hotels, only to plan how to send the sons of their fellow citizens to their graves. They stated that history will indict all those who betray the aspirations of their peoples.

PDOIS' leaflet alluded to the possibility of ECOMOG being transformed into another warring party in the Liberian conflict and whose forces would maim and kill and would also be in a position to be maimed and be killed. They also alluded to the possibility of what they called the unfolding of a constitutional crisis with far reaching implications. PDOIS asserted that in simple juridical terms, the assertion that ECOMOG would be independent of all warring parties, while it maintained that a constitutional government exists in Liberia, even it if could not govern, qualifies it to be seen as an invasion force; that, secondly, the mandate given to it to safeguard the implantation of an interim government outside of the framework of the prevailing constitutional arrangement, transformed ECOMOG into an instrument for effecting a coup d'etat. The PDOIS Release warned against the setting up of an interim government while maintaining that Mr. Doe was still the president of Liberia, was to set up a rival government, which could only be operative by overthrowing the present constitution of Liberia. PDOIS also alluded to the fact that even if the warring parties were to cease hostilities, the most that could be achieved from a cease fire was a situation of no war and no peace.

What Did The Mediation Committee Do?

The Mediation Committee appeared to have their own agenda. They did not pay heed to the advises that were sent to them.

Despite the fact that the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) had reservations about the intervention, the Mediation Committee ordered the troops to assemble in Freetown and then invited Mr. Charles Taylor to a meeting that was convened in Banjul.

The statement issued by the Ministerial Meeting of the Standing Mediation Committee that took place from the 21st to the 22nd of August, 1990, stated that the NPFL attended the meeting with a view to securing an agreement to a cease fire. But the NPFL argued that the only option laid before the Front was either to agree or disagree. The statement implied that all the warring parties had consented to a cease fire, except the NPFL.

The PDOIS press release insisted on the contrary. It argued that the leaders of the warring parties had never met to sign an agreement indicating that they accepted the peace package put up by ECOWAS. Foroyaa also wrote that certain heads of state belonging to ECOWAS had questioned the Peace package of the standing Mediation Committee. They argued that it would not be accurate to say that all the warring parties had accepted the peace package.

Foroyaa accused the Western media for their deliberate attempt and the seeming attempt by the Mediation Committee to down play Mr. Doe's opposition to the call for the establishment of an interim government, while he was still in office.

The NPFL, in fact, submitted counter proposals to the Ministerial Committee, which were presented to the Committee. The NPFL proposal spoke about a ten-day cease fire to be put in place if the other parties give their consent to it. According to the PDOIS press release, the statement of the Ministerial Committee did not explain why the NPFL made such a proposal and what was to be done after such a cease fire was effected.

The NPFL Proposal

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