Like it or not, there will be a Liberia War and Economic Crimes Court. All those implicated in the TRC Report will have their day in court. The Court will be based in Liberia and funding and security provided by the United States, the United Nations and Liberia’s international partners.
Liberians need to pay careful attention to Allen White and Stephen Rapp. Their utterances in the same week along the line of justice for Liberia in the country’s civil war are a clear signal to ALL Liberians.
All Liberian politicians who had no role to play in the Liberian civil war must cut all ties to anyone involved in the war or connected to anyone implicated or mentioned in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. Judgement day is coming and I am telling you this as a Liberian Journalist living in Washington, DC, USA.
Also, the possibility of a live television broadcast next month’s Sable Mining bribery trial in Liberia is very real. There is nothing that happens in Liberia without the political and economic blessings from Washington, DC. This trial will send a powerful message about the economic component of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia to be set up being mentioned by both Mr. White and Mr. Rapp. All those who have ears must listen now.
The election of Donal Trump as President of the United States of America has changed the old dynamics of business as usual between Washington and Monrovia. True accountability in Liberia for US taxpayers money will characterize the new relationship between the US and Liberia.
There will be no more free US taxpayers money until after holding people accountable in Liberia. It is all part of Mr. Taylor’s promised of “element of surprise” new foreign policy to keep the enemy guessing.
Liberian officials, both past and present, who milked the system to enrich themselves buy taking the money out of Liberia to buy homes in America and Europe will have their assets seized and bank accounts frozen and the money returned to the new government in Liberia after lame duck President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf leaves office. Mrs. Sirleaf will have to account for her leadership as president. It is a new ball game.
To send a clear message to some of the Liberians on the US “Black List,” the US Embassy in Monrovia, with instructions from Washington, has begun to deny visas to about a dozen Liberians already and the list will expand. We wish not to publish the names here for confidentiality matter in protecting our sources.
Again, if the United States can monitor the actions of its close allies, bet you that all Liberian officials and their so-called “secret dealings” are known and well documented by the ever present US multi-faceted global security apparatus.
All Liberian politicians who have “clean hands” so to speak must sever or cut all ties to those with “dirty hands” now or their political careers are doomed. Washington is watching your every move to include travels, meetings in and out of Liberia and contacts, phones and money transactions. For many, it is too late. You have been warned.
Jerry Wehtee Wion,
Journalist and Political Commentator,
Washington, DC, USA