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Taylor Admits
to Sending “Hot Pursuit Missions” into Guinea Courtesy:Liberia Observer December 02, 2009  THE
HAGUE – The trial of former Liberian president, Charles Taylor, took an
early adjournment on November 23, 2009, when immediately after the
mid-morning break, one of the judges reportedly fell ill.Prior to the court’s adjournment, the accused former warlord had denied allegations that he sent his rebel fighters to attack neighboring Guinea, clarifying that he gave approval to “hot pursuit missions,” which entered into the neighboring country. When the trial resumed after the court’s mid-morning break, presiding judge, Justice Richard Lussick, informed all parties that the court would take an early adjournment because one of the three judges, Justice Julia Sebutinde had fallen ill. Since it is important that Justice Sebutinde hears all the evidence in the trial, the other two judges would not proceed in her absence, Lussick said. With that, the court adjourned for the day. Prior to the court’s adjournment, however, lead prosecutor, Brenda Hollis, had accused Taylor of sending rebel fighters to Guinea in 2001 with an aim of destabilizing the country. The attack on Guinea, Hollis said, was code named “Operation Take No Sides,” and was led by National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) commander, Mark Guan. Taylor, however, denied the prosecution’s assertion. “I know Mark Guan, but I do not know of any operation of that name,” he said. Taylor admitted that he had approved “hot pursuit missions” into Guinea but denied sending fighters to attack the country. “There were operations that crossed into Guinea but they were hot pursuit operations, and I personally ordered those operations,” Taylor told the court. He has consistently accused late Guinean president, Lansana Conte, of supporting another rebel faction, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), which he said was threatening to unseat his government in Liberia. Prosecution witnesses have testified, however, that Taylor used this as justification to send rebel forces, including Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels to attack Guinea. Taylor has denied giving any orders to rebels to attack Guinea. In response to allegations by Hollis that based on Taylor’s orders, RUF rebels joined NPFL rebels in 2001 to attack Guinea, the former Liberian President said “not to my knowledge.” “I am aware of hot pursuit missions in Guinea. These were standing orders approved by me. There are no operations planned but only of hot pursuit,” he added. Taylor also denied allegations that his subordinates in Liberia killed civilians during the country’s conflict and continued even after he became president of the country. In November 1994, NPFL rebels killed more than 100 civilians in Bong County, Hollis said. The prosecution further alleged that after the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO) attack on the NPFL headquarters in Gbarnga, NPFL rebels killed civilians, whom they accused of being ULIMO supporters. Taylor again denied the allegations, insisting that if he had known of any NPFL rebels killing civilians, they would have been prosecuted. “Not to my knowledge. I can’t say it did not happen; but if someone did, he would have been prosecuted by the NPFL courts. The NPFL was the only organization in Africa and Liberia that had courts,” the former warlord said. The prosecution also pointed to allegations that NPFL commander, Mark Guan, killed nine civilians in 1998; that in March 2001, 14 civilians were killed by Momoh Jibba; that in July 2000, 170 people were killed in Tubmanburg on orders of the director of Taylor’s Special Security Service (SSS), Benjamin Yeaten; and that in July 2003, more than 70 wounded combatants were massacred on Yeaten’s orders. Taylor dismissed all of the allegations as “totally incorrect.” Hollis also suggested to Taylor that his “subordinates” in Sierra Leone, who understood how Taylor conducted himself in Liberia, saw no reason not to commit the same atrocities in Sierra Leone. “Sierra Leonean perpetrators understood that was the way you conducted yourself in Liberia,” she said to Taylor. “I disagree with that interpretation,” he responded. “No NPFL of mine went to Sierra Leone. Liberians went there but not anyone did I send there except in 1991-92.” Taylor is alleged to have had control over NPFL rebels in Liberia as well as RUF rebels in Sierra Leone. Prosecutors allege that Taylor was in a superior position over RUF rebels and that he knew or had reason to know that they were committing atrocities in Sierra Leone but failed to prevent the commission of those atrocities or failed to punish them when he knew that such atrocities had been committed. He is accused of bearing the greatest responsibility for the crimes committed by the RUF rebels in Sierra Leone. Prosecutors put it to the former Liberian President that because the RUF saw how his NPFL rebels conducted themselves in Liberia, crimes committed in Sierra Leone “were a continuation of business as usual.” “The whole of Liberia will tell you that Mr. Taylor did not tolerate crimes. That’s nonsense,” Taylor said. “Prosecutions were just a cover,” Hollis told the accused former president, who insisted that he ensured that all perpetrators in the NPFL were prosecuted and punished. “You cannot have it both ways,” Taylor responded. “On the one hand, Taylor encouraged impunity by not punishing for crimes; and when he did, it was a cover-up. You can’t have it both ways.” Cross examination continues. |
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