Voice of Liberia
Fighting for Justice for all Liberians
Politics
California, USA - An advocacy group in Liberia is calling for the immediate replacement of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as President of Liberia. Although there has been no reaction from the government, which is currently holding a cabinet meeting in Grand Cape Mount County, the group, "STAND", has declared Ellen a war crimes suspect just like Charles Taylor is and that she is not eligible to hold the high office until she can be proven innocent.
A separate communique was sent by "STAND" to the United Nations General Secretary, Ban Ki Moon.
See the complete press release below.
STAND
The End Of Business As Usual
Email: stand@who.net Phone: (562) 394-0285
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TITLE: DECLARATION OF LEADERSHIP CHANGE
BY: THE PEOPLE OF THE
WHEREAS, it has been established that beginning 1989 and continuing through 2003 within the territory of the Republic of Liberia not less than five (5) different armed factions engaged in open warfare where combatants equipped with light as well as heavy weaponry arrayed themselves and exchanged fire in a contest for supremacy;
WHEREAS, it has been established that at the early stages of the war the constituted government was overthrown, resulting in the total breakdown of law and order, placing the entire population at great peril without protection, security, or defense against the onslaught of the various armed factions;
WHEREAS, it has been established that as a consequence of the war all institutions within the Republic collapsed and the various armed factions partitioned the country and governed their respective enclaves where combatants, acting on the command of their leaders, violated the conventions of war by engaging in rape, torture, mass executions, slavery, as well as the use of children in active combat;
WHEREAS, it has been established that in order to prevent mass extermination of civilians, an international military force - Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) - was deployed in the Republic of Liberia against fierce resistance from the armed factions;
WHEREAS, it has been established that the direct impact of the war on the Liberian economy in terms of lost revenue, productivity and goodwill, as well as destruction of the infrastructure, underemployment, accrued interests, etc. is estimated at between one hundred (100) and one- hundred-and-fifty (150) billion United States Dollars;
WHEREAS, it has been established that the human costs of the war, though incalculable, account for not less than 1.2 million people uprooted and displaced; a staggering 350,000 – 575,000 psychological and/or physical injuries, as well as a minimum of 200,000 killed;
WHEREAS, it has been established through public confession of accomplices as well as the preponderance of evidence that Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Mr. Charles Taylor were the principal planners, financiers, and decision-makers of the brutal 14-year war; and,
WHEREAS, it has been established documented evidence of atrocities committed in Liberia during the war are currently in the possession of, among others, the United Nations, the United States Government, the European Union, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the International Media, the Economic Community of West African States, the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as well as the victims themselves;
THEREFORE, by the power vested, as stipulated in Article (1) of the CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA;
- [“All power is inherent in the people. All free governments are instituted by their authority and for their benefit and they have the right to alter and reform the same when their safety and happiness so require. In order to ensure democratic government which responds to the wishes of the governed, the people shall have the right at such period, and in such manner as provided for under this Constitution, to cause their public servants to leave office and to fill vacancies by regular elections and appointments.”] –
WE THE PEOPLE HEREBY DECLARE MRS. ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF AND MR. CHARLES TAYLOR WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS AND FORBID THEM FROM HOLDING PUBLIC OFFICE AND/OR REPRESENTING THE REPUBLIC IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY UNLESS VINDICATED IN A COURT OF LAW.
With this DECLARATION, THE PEOPLE OF LIBERIA, by virtue of our CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY, hereby authorize the Legislative and Judicial Branches of Government to proceed expeditiously without fail in conferring upon the vice president, Hon. Joseph N. Boakai, the title of Acting President until such time Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is cleared of all charges related to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
As Acting President, Hon. Joseph N. Boakai shall present a petition from the People of Liberia to the United Nations requesting the creation of a war crimes court, or expansion of the
In honouring the will of the Liberian people, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf shall cooperate fully with the Legislative and Judicial Branches of Government to ensure a smooth, peaceful transfer of power. Overwhelming evidence of her direct involvement in the rapes, torture, maiming, as well as the executions, enslavement, and murders of tens of thousands of defenseless Liberians makes it impossible for President Sirleaf to heal this nation and restore normalcy.
As it relates to Mr. Charles Taylor (Mrs. Sirleaf’s accomplice), regardless of the outcome of his trial at The Hague; he along with others bearing the greatest responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity shall face prosecution at the war crimes court for Liberia which the United Nations shall authorize.
PREPARED THIS TWENTIETH DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT.
UN Letter
STAND
The End Of Business As Usual
Email: stand@who.net Phone: (562) 394-0285
May 21, 2008
H.E. Ban Ki Moon
Secretary-General
United Nations
United Nations Headquarters
Your Excellency:
On behalf of the People of the Republic of Liberia, and in my own behalf, we are pleased to inform you that in an effort to preserve the hard earned peace we now enjoy and are grateful; and, in the cause of protecting our young fragile democracy, we, in exercising our Constitutional privileges, have declared the current head of state, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and former president Charles Taylor morally, ethically and legally unfit to hold public office and/or represent the nation in any capacity based on the preponderance of evidence connecting them with atrocities perpetrated against civilians during the country’s brutal 14-year civil war.
Desperate to halt the carnage, the beleaguered population yielded under the crushing demands of Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Mr. Charles Taylor, giving them the opportunity to lead in 1997 and 2005 respectively; but neither one has been able to heal the wounds and instill rule of law, due to their participation in the rape, torture and murders of tens of thousands of defenseless citizens. These horrific crimes perpetrated against the Liberian people must not go unpunished because this nation cannot survive their being repeated. This is why Liberians collectively have spoken through the Declaration of Leadership Change (enclosed for your convenience).
Your Excellency, we are grateful for the contributions the United Nations has made and continues to make in order to stabilize our country. The UN Mission in
However, an objective assessment of the overall progress shows the Liberian Government is not carrying its full share of the weight so that efforts by the international partners may produce anticipated results within a reasonable period of time. The Government has shown no interest in addressing longstanding issues that are responsible for the lack of meaningful progress since the founding of the nation. And in the aftermath of the extremely brutal civil war, reconciliation has not yet been given the priority it deserves.
From all indications, President Sirleaf is not interested in reuniting the Liberian people. Rather, she has rekindled the old destructive culture of division, mistrust and hatred. Ironically, rule of law is a low priority for the first elected post-war government. In the absence of rule of law; is it possible to achieve stability or lasting peace?
It appears President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is reluctant to prioritize rule of law for fear the people might demand accountability for the murders of friends and loved ones, especially in light of evidence pointing to her and the indicted war criminal Charles Taylor as the principal organizers and financiers of the recent brutal war. But what are the chances of
With the scars of war visible in every facet of the society, the people of
It must be noted Mrs. Sirleaf’s behavior since becoming the president is the basis for the Declaration of Leadership Change. She has become the number-one impediment to lasting peace, positive change, and meaningful progress. And she continues to downplay the worse disaster (the brutal 14-year war) ever to hit this nation. By all accounts, Mrs. Sirleaf’s election to the presidency has been a disappointment.
Following are four citations which support the decision by the people of
1. Although the Nigerian Government made it abundantly clear long before the Liberian (2005) elections that it would only release Mr. Charles Taylor to an elected Liberian head of state; upon her election to the presidency, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf did everything she could to avoid requesting transfer of the indicted war criminal to the
2. Not long after Mr. Charles Taylor had been placed in the custody of the
3. Since becoming president, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has refused to enforce the UN- imposed travel ban and assets freeze against Mr. Charles Taylor’s cronies. Rather, she has forged alliances with these individuals, ignoring the suffering of their victims.
4. And though Mrs. Sirleaf has seen firsthand the devastating effects of the war on the people of
Your Excellency, we do not in any way take lightly the decision to remove the elected Head of State. However,
Therefore, we humbly appeal for your assistance in preventing
Mr. Secretary-General, the reason Liberians have taken this audacious stance against Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Mr. Charles Taylor is best summarized in these words by Justice Robert H. Jackson, Chief Counsel for the United States at the 1945 war crimes tribunal in Nuremburg, Germany: “The wrongs which we seek to condemn and punish have been so calculated, so malignant, and so devastating, that civilization cannot tolerate their being ignored, because it [Liberia in this case] cannot survive their being repeated.”
Thank you for your time.
Most respectfully,
T. Q. Harris, Jr.
LEADER , The Movement STAND
CC:
President,
Vice President,
Speaker of the House of Representatives –
President Pro Tempore of the Senate –
Chief Justice, Supreme Court -
U.S. Secretary of State
U.S. Ambassador to
Speaker of the House of Representatives –
Chairman –
Chairman –
President – European Union
UN Secretary General Special Representative in
Secretary General – African
Secretary General – Economic Community of West African States
Global Witness
Amnesty International
Human Right Watch
