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Liberia: Aicha Wants TRC Showdown
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The Analyst (Monrovia)
9 May 2008
Posted to the web 9 May 2008
Aicha Conneh, former wife of the head of LURD, a defunct armed rebellious group, is eager to show up at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to elucidate her role in the formation and operations of the movement, and mostly to name those according to her financed the LURD war.
From Guinea where she is based, reportedly serving as "spiritual advisor" to President Lansanah Conteh, she told this paper via telephone interview recently of her desire to come to the TRC.
"I want to appear at the TRC to call big names and supporters who financed the ex-LURD rebel faction," she said.
Aicha said the former LURD rebel network was established by political leaders for the sole purpose of removing former President Charles Taylor from power, something it succeeded in achieving.
Taylor relinquished power on August 11, 2003 to as he puts it "give Liberians peace." She told our reporter during the interview that 'trouble makers' in Liberia needed to be exposed so that coming generations would not follow their footsteps.
"I will not point at people who did play any active roles and this is intended to witch-hunt or disgrace people, but simply to bring to light people who did things in the dark," she said.
She also said exposing those she called 'trouble makers' would help foster genuine reconciliation in the country, but she did not say by what means that would happen.
While expressing her desire and determination to appear at the TRC, the rather boisterous lady urged the Commissioners of the TRC to invite ex-generals of defunct factions who, one way and the other, committed crimes against peaceful citizens but are living out of the country to appear before the TRC.
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When quizzed as to whether she would support the appearance of former LURD General K-1, now bodyguard to her, she did not comment. K-1, as he is generally known, is reportedly responsible for the death of several Liberians at the Free Port of Monrovia.
As other Liberians are doing to ensure the success of the TRC work, Madam Conneh has called on all Liberians to support the process. Observers say her call is timely because the TRC is at present embroiled in happenings that have the tendency to dampen its work.
Aicha Conneh is a household name in Liberia because of her association with the defunct Liberian United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), a belligerent group the fought Charles Taylor out of office. She is an estranged wife of Sekou Damateh Conneh, who headed the defunct LURD rebel organization.
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