The one-time leader of the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL), now senator of Nimba County, Thursday claimed that the Independent Human Rights Commission (INHRC) has announced plans to forward him and others listed in the TRC report for prosecution to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for trial.
During a press conference held at the Capitol Building, Sen. Johnson, listed in the TRC report as the 'most notorious' that must be tried for war crimes, said he has
"serious problem" with such move by the INHRC.
"We want the legality to prevail, the INHRC has no legal ground, authority to contact The Hague or recommend anybody there for prosecution. You have to do that through the government.
"The government is not the executive mansion; there are three branches; it has to be legislated by law. The ICC does not take request from any human rights group; they take report from the government," Sen. Johnson said.
But contacted for clarification, Commissioner James Torh of the Independent National Human Rights Commission said the Commission has made no such recommendation.
"Sending people to the ICC is a grave matter and it must be the government's decision. We have not made any such recommendation to the Government and it does not mean we cannot make it in the future under the right circumstances. But at no time have we met to decide that Senator Johnson should be transferred to the ICC."
He said it is unfortunate that Commissioner Thomas Brewer gave held a press conference claiming that Sen. Johnson is slated for trial when no such decision was taken.
However, Sen. Johnson told journalists: "We came to free this country from oppression... from dictatorial regime. But if the law say we have to face prosecution, I am not above the law, but there are problems; the act that established the TRC gave it a specific mandate to be submitted to the legislature by the president within ten days."
"That submission has been made by the TRC to the president but she has refused to submit it to the legislature for almost two years now.
The whole report should be sent to the legislature for debate and the end result would allow the human rights commission to work," Sen. Johnson noted.
He suggested that the human rights groups should be "thinking on how to recover all the conventional weapons that were used to fight the war".
"These were conventional weapons that only people with so much money could get, we were not capable of purchasing a single barrel so how did we get those classical weapons that we used during the war? They were giving to us by Madam Sirleaf, Amos Sawyer, Richard Tolbert, Harry Greaves and many others who served in a group call the association of Liberians for constitutional democracy established in 1985," he charged.
He suggested that President Sirleaf should also be recommended for prosecution to the ICC for "aiding and abetting" them (warlords) during the war.
Sen. Johnson: "It could be US$10 million, because US$10,000 could not buy any guy. Because US$10,000 cannot be your contribution towards somebody that you push in the war front to fight.
"Who determines who goes to palaver hut and who doesn't go to palaver hut? Because those who aided and abetted are the key figures, if they have not sponsored and brought arms, we would not come forth to fight. So why are you only focusing on fighter, fighter, fighter?" he questioned.
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Well said Sen. Johnson.
The recent verdict against President Taylor at the Hague is certainly making the Senator nervous. At the height of the carnage during the dark days of the war, individuals like Senator Johnson, Taylor and other warlords thrived on the notoriety derived from mindless violence. Now that there exists the real possibilty that he and others could face the same fate as Taylor, Senator Johnson puts foth this pitiful argument.
Do not worry Mr. Johnson.No liberian will face the so-called court. enough of the nonsense. Mr. Taylor is last.
I don't know what Liberia is awaiting to sign an accord with ICC! It is because of people like Prince "Notorious" Johnson, Ellen "Heartless" Johnson-Sirleaf, Charles "Murderer" Taylor .... etc, some of us are parentless! Even though I am pleased to see that Taylor is convicted, I am saddened by the fact that he wasn't or hasn't been tried for the merciless, thoughtless crimes he and his good friends Ellen and Prince included, have committed in Liberia. Ellen, Prince and Charles all claimed they came to liberate Liberia from Samuel K Doe dictatorial regime but they ended up setting Liberia back about half a century by killing ten of thousands of innocent Liberians, destroying the entire country infrastructure in so doing! They were so obsessed with their ambitious to be president that they were willing to do anything, even if that include murdering my poor parents, slitting the throat of countless children and women! Prince shouldn't worry, I don't think any of them should get 80 years in prison! 80 years in prison does not befit the idiotic crimes they have committed in Liberia. Besides, I do not want a penny of tax payer dollars to be spent on keeping them in prison. The only punishment that would be appropriate for Prince Johnson, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Charles Taylor, just to mention a few, is the death sentence! Some might argue that Ellen, unlike Prince and Taylor didn't physically kill any Liberians; therefore shouldn't be given the death sentence! I tell you, what she did "financing Taylor" is just as worst as shouting someone on the battle front. Like Prince has said, if it was because of people like Ellen who financed the war, Taylor and the rest of the gangs might not have been able to commit the crimes they have committed in Liberia and elsewhere. I do not care whether Ellen $1, $10,000 or $10,000000! I can't prove how much she spent and to be frank, the amount doesn't matter! Ellen wanted to be where she is today, which is, to be a president and was determined that nothing would get in her way, not even the fact that countless of children would die from her action. There is a story in the Bible where two women were fighting over a baby, the King, perplexed by the situation and lacking resolution decision to please both women. He offered that the baby be cut in half, so each of the women would have a piece of the baby! One of the women agreed to the king proposal while the other woman, who turned out to be the rightful mother of the child refused! She offered that the would rather see the child alive and therefore offered that the woman who agreed to halve the baby,.... take the baby! Prince, Ellen, Taylor, ETC are like the woman who agreed that the baby be slit in half. They don't love Liberia! All they want is a piece of Liberia!
review ur history, liberia is a signatory to the ICC but that document has not been ratified by the gov't of liberia(legislature). if it is true that the decision is being taken to forward alleged war-crime suspects to the ICC, then nothing is able to stop it. the IHRC should not get involve with the selection process. let the ICC itself determine the facts based on the TRC thematic hearing. in order to stop and quiet the republic of liberia from the many threats from former combatants and their sponsors, all war lords shud be issued ticket for first class on board AIR FRANCE n taken to the HAGUE. FROM PRINCE JOHNSON, GVkromah, YAhya nimely, sekou konneh and later their commanders and finally their sponsors. this will quiet the too many threats on radio talk show.