What if the warlords don’t accept responsibility of abuses?

Tamba Dabah Aghailas

June 9, 2006

"We must face our “bygones” – the past, instead of letting the many questions go unanswered."

 

Liberians across the globe are hoping, as the Truth and Reconciliation Committee begins its work of collecting evidence of abuses during the Liberian civil war, that light will be shed on war crimes. They are hoping that former warlords turn politicians and rebel commanders responsible for abuses and killings of civilians during the civil war (1989-2003) will be brought to justice. I am hoping too, against all odds that some rebel commanders who put me against the wall in the northern Liberian town of Foyah in 1993 to be executed, will come forward and confess to atrocities committed against civilians (see photos | Monrovia in blood).

 

We are all hoping that those who led young boys to chop off limbs; threw grenades at innocent civilian in churches and mosques; buried children and mothers alive in water wells; rapped innocent young girls and turned them into sex slaves, and those who dropped bombs on villages while profiting from the guns and bombs trade, are tried so justice can be served.

 

But what if… what if the warlords and war lards do not accept responsibility for their acts and for the actions of rebel fighters under their command? What if they refuse to come forward to give an account of their actions? What if civil war survivors do not feel safe and refuse to come forward to bear witness? What could happen to Liberia’s newly found democracy? What influence will warlords like Prince Johnson, Adolphus Dolo, George Boley, Sekou Konneh, Alhaji Koromah, and others have on the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission? What if…?

 

Success is on our side

The most feared warlord, Charles Taylor was arrested on March 29, 2006 in Nigeria by security forces at a remote town near the Cameroon and Nigeria border. Taylor attempted the impossible – he escaped his temporary asylum in Calabar in a dubious plan that tested the resolve of the International Community. A high-power campaign led by Human Rights organizations and the United States compelled his host, President Obasanjo, to find Taylor and hand him over to the United Nations backed-court in Sierra Leone. He is awaiting trial.

Guus van Kouwenhoven, a gunrunner and diamonds and timber smuggler, was sentenced to eight years in prison but was acquitted of war crimes charges, after a Dutch court found him guilty for violating UN sanctions on Liberia. It is a small victory, but a significant progress in the fight to bring to justice those responsible for the suffering of innocent civilians.

Liberians crave peace and may be afraid to steer the boat. But what a big difference it will make when former warlords are brought to justice for their wicked deeds. Let us be reminded that never again will the most feared rebel lord instill fear and harm upon the brave and steadfast people of Liberia. Let it be known now and then by profiteers of the Liberian civil war and their lieutenants that their days are numbered.

 

Should bygones be bygones?

No! It’s only in Liberia and among Liberian communities I have heard such outdated statements. Go read history – after World War II people who bore the brunt of human rights abuses were tried. Allied Forces hunted Adolf Hitler of Germany and his lieutenants and those arrested were tried. Read about the Nuremberg war crimes trials.

 

History has repeated itself in recent times: Serbia eventually found peace when Slobodan Milosevic was arrested and sent to The Hague, where he died in custody during his trial. Foday Sankoh’s (picture at left) arrest in Sierra Leone helped pave the way to peace and stability in that country. The rest of the world is fighting terror, injustice, and impunity, so will Liberia. There is no turning back to the old days of impunity.

 

Why must Liberians let bygones go by? We made similar statements for one hundred thirty years during the one-party rule under the True Whig party, a political party dominated by so-called Americo-Liberians. The term “Americo” was added to deceive the people while a few privileged individuals looted the nation’s resources and monies. The same bygones phrase was borrowed when Samuel Doe took power in a military coup in 1984 and assassinated several former government officials under the pretext of wiping out corruption. Doe and his cohorts became as corrupt as the government they overthrew.

 

To rephrase Howard Pinter, Nobel Price Laureate, politicians are interested NOT "in truth but in power and in the maintenance of that power." We must deny them that privilege and bring truth to Liberia and to the sub-region. Every peace-loving human being knows that Liberians deserve peace and stability after a decade-long of bloodshed. Nothing less. The questions are numerous and I am certain answers will emerge overtime. But until these questions are answered, the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission will be like a shadow under the moonlight, while efforts and resources are wasted.

 

For Liberia to build a sustainable democracy and to become a beacon of peace and prosperity, justice must be served. We must face our “bygones” – the past, instead of letting the many questions go unanswered. Let us answer the questions!