Charles Taylor and Sierra Leone's rebel leader Foday Sankoh did not have any pact to render mutual assistance to each other for their respective wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia, the accused former Liberian president told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges today at his trial in The Hague.
"I had no pact with RUF leader Foday Sankoh for mutual assistance. That could not have been necessary," Mr. Taylor said.
Mr. Taylor asserted that if such mutual pact ever existed between himself and Revolutionary United Front (RUF) leader Foday Sankoh, the prosecution would have led evidence to show the assistance that Mr. Sankoh rendered to Mr. Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL).
"There has been no evidence in this court about Sankoh being involved in the conflict in Liberia or commanding an NPFL post. There was no such thing because I did not know him at this time," he said.
Mr. Taylor was responding to questions from his defense counsel Courtenay Griffiths –back in court today after falling ill last week – about allegations that while in Libya in the late 1980s, Mr. Taylor entered into an agreement with Mr. Sankoh for the RUF rebels to assist the NPFL during its initial war efforts in Liberia in exchange for Mr. Taylor's assistance to the RUF in attacking Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor denied that this was ever the case. The accused former president reiterated his earlier position that while he was in Libya, he did not know about the existence of the RUF and that he did not meet with Mr. Sankoh.
"I did not know about the creation of the RUF in 1989. I did not know Foday Sankoh. I only knew Alie Kabbah and the Sierra Leone Pan African Movement," he said.
Mr. Griffiths also read in court today an RUF official document called "Footpath to Democracy," explaining the ideology of the RUF as well as its reasons for fighting a rebel war in Sierra Leone. The document presents the RUF as a decent organization with a clear agenda to liberate the people of Sierra Leone from years of misrule and corruption. The document was admitted into evidence as a defense exhibit. Mr. Taylor agreed with the contents of the document that the first set of RUF fighters were Sierra Leoneans who were recruited in Liberia. He insisted that he did not provide those personnel for the RUF.
"A lot of these people that were in Liberia are, some of them will have maybe a mother Sierra Leonean or father Sierra Leonean or both. We've had evidence led in this court, for example, Isaac Mongo, Nyaa, Lansana, a lot of them had these connections with Sierra Leonean parents," he said.
Mr. Taylor also had praise for Libyan leader Muammar Ghadaffi who provided initial support for both the RUF and the NPFL. According to Mr. Taylor, Mr. Ghadaffi's actions were necessary to destroy Western influence in Africa and give Africa back to the Africans.
"On the African continent, Ghadaffi was and, for me, is still considered an African hero,"Mr. Taylor said. "Because getting rid of the colonial and neo-colonial rule on Africa took the strength and the will of a Ghadaffi to assist in liberating Africa and giving Africa back to the Africans."
In the words of the accused former Liberian president, "Ghadaffi is not a terrorist."
Mr. Taylor also reiterated his earlier position in court that he had no reason to exploit Sierra Leone's natural resources as Liberia already had so much that he could benefit from.
"We have resources in Liberia. We were trying to plan out what was good for our country. What benefit will it bring to another country when you don't have stability in your own country? It will be nonsensical for anybody to suggest that," he said.
Mr. Taylor was responding to allegations that he provided support to RUF rebels in Sierra Leone through planning of attacks against the people of Sierra Leone, and supplied arms and ammunition in return for diamonds. Mr. Taylor has denied the allegations against him.
Mr. Taylor's testimony continues tomorrow.
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Oh yes! Mr.Taylor. After Ulimo captured Voinjama city,on March 6,1993; RUF did several attacks on Voijama which led to mass massacre of young people by Ulimo accusing them.
yguluma, The trial timeframe start at Nov. 1996, anything before Nov. 1996 is irrelevant. Mr. Taylor stated he had dealing with the RUF during the time you are talking about, as NPFL Leader not as president. Mr. Taylor also stated his dealing with the RUF was border defense against ULMIO because of their attack on Liberians out of Sierra Leone and Guinea. From all information it was the Sierra Leone government who hired ULMIO to attacked the RUF and ULMIO continue on and attacked NPFL.
Libya was a terrorist nation until recently. Libya has thousands of people trying to escape to EU every month. If Libya is such a great place for all of Africa why are people trying to leave it. Taylor & Gadaffi are both examples of dictators. Western influence can not be lumped into one description just as Africa is not of one mind. There have been some bad people from Western Countries that have done no good for Africa. But there are also many people trying to help Africa. What did the USSR do for Africa? Libya acts as if the World is divided by East and West. I suppose next we will hear of how the wonderful Arabs are saving Africa. Ask the people of Sudan for references on that one.
It does matter Kbormor. If Taylor can not get his activities with the RUF clear, from the time he started his quest to become President of Liberia; what make you think he has any prove, that he was not involve with them when he became president? This a fact Mister, if I helped you start a rebellion while carrying out my rebellion, and finally succeeded, what should make me stop my support for you.
By the way, ULIMO was not even on the Liberian stage in early 1991. The War in Sierra Leone started a year before ULIMO ever entered Liberia. This war crime trial is not a matter of what time it started; It is about how did RUF get their support to entered Sierra Leone, and cause so much attrocities. Like all other war crime trials including World War Two,in which people are still being arrested as early as last June in Argentina; the charges goes to the roots. And not from the middle as some of you are thinking. even if Taylor is tried from 1996, there are enough evidence against him. And you know what? He is not going free just like the other Warlords in Liberia today, their time is coming.
People who're defending Taylor today,must not be carried away by the enjoyment he gave them from the illegally acquired fortunes in cash that he got from Sierra Leone and Liberia,feel that Taylor is so right.This free cash must not put them into a coma to forget what Taylor had done to Sierra Leone.
Had Sam Bockarie been alive today to see this trial,things would've been more nasty for Taylor and his Supporters.But,yet still, nothing will free Taylor from this court.He can continue barking as long as he chose to,at the end he'll be dock in that British cage.
It's a shame to hear Taylor say that Gaddafi fought to restore Africa back to Africans. When Gaddafi took over power he exported morethan five hundred spies and agents all over in the world,paid by the peoples oil money, to eliminate all his Libyan opponents.Today, this Leader is flying around with a white leaflet asking Africans to Unite under his ideologies.
He changed the name OAU to AU,knowing fully well that his support to destroy other African Countries,as such,the OAU name wasn't a suitable one,so he came with the AU.If he achieve to Unite the whole of Africa by his ideologies,trust me the AU name will change.
Well,a bad man can become a good man if he/she acknowledgies the wrongs and make public to ask for forgiveness,people may change their minds.Once this is not done,the clouds will always remain dark on them.So to Taylor advocates,keep your flames burning.All Sierra Leoneans and Liberians need from Taylor is a sorry for what he's done.Anything,falling short of this,there will be no peace for Taylor.
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