The NEWS (Monrovia)
Alloycious David
7 August 2008
Monrovia — National Security Advisor, Dr. H. Boima Fahnbullah, Jr., has narrated how he resisted the leadership role of former President Charles Taylor during the Liberian revolution in 1989.
Taking the witness stand Wednesday at the on-going Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Thematic and Institutional hearings at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Monrovia, Dr. Fahnbulleh said he attempted discouraging the Libyan and other governments not to allow Charles Taylor lead the armed struggle against the government of Samuel Doe.
Dr. Fahnbulleh, who claimed not to be part of the formation of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), said upon hearing that the rebel movement had listed 45 persons including him as their target, he asked the Ghanaian government to allow him see the Libyan Ambassador who later took him to Libya.
He indicated that while in Libya he requested for Taylor's agenda, which according to him, was never prepared by Taylor due to his limitation in politics.
Dr. Fahnbulleh noted that he told the Libyan government that Taylor was dangerous and would shed the blood of many people if he headed the war.
Fahnbulleh told the hearing that he turned down offer to join Taylor in executing the war but suggested that he be assisted to attack Liberia before Taylor.
"I told Mr. Taylor at a meeting in Tripoli that he would fail because he knows nothing about revolution, but he was angry with me and since that time I have not interacted with him," he told the hearing which attracted several persons.
He said the Libyan government asked him to leave their country within 72 hours.
Fahnbulleh: "I moved my men back to Sierra Leone and later to the Ivory Coast where I heard that Taylor's forces were repelled from Nimba County."
"Upon hearing that Taylor was beaten back. I said it was a wrong calculation. Taylor would not make it," he indicated.
He added that the President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Campore supported Taylor's forces with 700 Commandoes, who according to him, could not have happened without the endorsement of the French Government.
He said the governments of Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Libya supported and trained rebels of the NPFL.
He explained that he secured the released of Taylor in Ghana prior to the recruitment and training of Liberians in Libya.
He said following the aborted 1985 coup, Taylor called him from Mexico and booked an appointment in relation to the death of General Thomas Quoiwonkpa.
Fahnbulleh further indicated that during their meeting in Ghana, Taylor proposed revenging Quoiwonkpa's death, and added that judging from his (Fahnbulleh's) experience during the 1985 coup he declined involvement because Liberians were traitors.
He disclosed that Taylor was arrested by the Ghanaian security and imprisoned on grounds that he was wanted by the Liberian and American governments.
"Immediately, I told the Ghanaian government that Taylor could be killed if he was extradited to Liberia. He was released to me."
Narrating further, Dr. Fahnbulleh recollected that Taylor was rearrested and released through the assistance of the President of Burkina Faso who took Taylor to Libya and introduced Taylor to Libyan authorities.
He dispelled rumors that the Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA) established the NPFL.
He said he did not join any of the warring fractions and challenged members of those fractions to disapprove his claims.
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Boima, Boima, wait a little bit, it appears as if you guys are in the Hague serving as witnesss for the persecution. The only different is the accused counsel(Munyard) is not present to cross examie your hypocrites. The intended purpose of the TRC in my opinion is for one to go up and say the truth of the things that directly happened to you as a person, or your direct participation in the war. Period! Now you Boima and the rest of you all who were the major players are turning this whole thing around making it a Taylor issue… [Read Full Text]
All of this so-called "Truth and Reconcilliation" hearings are making me to have a different understanding and appreciation for the Doe or PRC's government. It seems to me that from day one, the so-called best and brightest and most seasoned our country all came together to try to topple the Doe's government. Imagine a twenty eight or nine year with little no eduaction or political experience battling the most affluent of Liberian society. They turned his friends and a whole tribe against him and they withheld all assistance from him. The only people he could then… [Read Full Text]
You are either dillusional or just plain ignorant to believe that Doe did anything to benefit Liberia. You forgot to list his numurous development projects & explain how he improved the lives of ordinary Liberians.
My statement is not in support of Taylor or any of the other crooks before him. Just like Doe, they were all imcompetant thieves who failed Liberia, miserably.
You are the ignorant and dillusional one, my friend. This is some of the reasons why we Liberians find ourselves in a never ending circle of self destructiveness. Charles Taylor killed your father and your mother, you still voted for him; Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said burn Monrovia to the ground and we will built it back up, you called her Iron Lady and Ma Ellen and made president with all the warlords in her administration. Now you want me to remind you of what Doe did in those nine years that he ruled. I will be more than happy to… [Read Full Text]
the truth will come to light just as it is said what ever done in the dark will come to light, the Big Liberian DR forgot to name those involved in the destruction of Liberia, the BIG DR'S CLUB. so educated the best they could do for our good old Liberia was to destroyed MAMA LIBERIA.DR SIRLEAF, DR FAHNBULLAH, DR SAWYER, DR TIPOTEH, and the list goes on and on PLEASE do not blame Samuel Doe, Doe did his best that even the present most educated elite never would have done rather than buy houses in America for them selves… [Read Full Text]
I totally agreed with prince johnson that if this big dr's club is not eliminated, liberia won't have everlasting peace.These people and their sponsers brought Doe and Taylor into This, thinking that they would have had quick election to enable them the (dr club) run for presidency. thisbig Dr's club commonly known as monkey work baboon eat all been in existance for centuries.Taylor is the right medicine for these people.
I am highly disappointed with these so-called educated Liberians, are they educated to destroy their country or they are educated to ease poverty and development a country with less than four million people? This is a disgrace, shame, senseless, miserable, ignorance, greed and unpatriotic. A country that had independence since 1847 (161 years ago), the unemployment rate of 85%, no infrastructure and governement institutions are functioning (rather, the government still renting individual premises). I am stressed, traumatised and surprised when I am in other countries in Africa that got independence in the 1960s. My brothers and sisters, let us think… [Read Full Text]
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how can u oppose someone's leadership if you are not a part of that oganization.(first lie)If it was you today Doe would have been here like mugabe.I thought you when there to say the truth and say sorry to the liberian people, instead you are boasting about opposing taylor,asking for political agender,pulling back your men who you train at all cost managed to join the war and killed people.(second lie)You think you are lieing but you are exposing your dirty work.Iam a bit carry away by the releasing of taylor from the ghanians. was it you or… [Read Full Text]