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Trial / Charles Taylor
November 25, 2009 March 5, 2014 by Alpha Sesay
Taylor Admits He Sent His Chief Of Protocol To Accompany A Sierra Leonean Rebel Commander To Burkina Faso
Charles Taylor, Summary
Nicholas Koumjian, daily summary, Sam Bockarie, Burkina Faso, Eyadema, Roberts International Airport, RIA, Blaise Campaore, Chief of Protocol, Musa Sesay
Charles Taylor today admitted that he sent his Chief of Protocol to accompany a Sierra Leonean rebel commander to Burkina Faso in 1998 but denied that he helped him transport arms and ammunition through Liberia for use by rebel forces in Sierra Leone.
Mr. Nicholas Koumjian, stepping in for the indisposed lead prosecutor, Ms. Brenda Hollis, who fell ill yesterday and could not recover in time to attend court today, asked Mr. Taylor about Revolutionary United Front (RUF) commander Sam Bockarie's 1998 visit to Burkina Faso, during which it is alleged that the rebel commander transported arms and ammunition through Liberia for use by rebel forces in Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor admitted that he sent his Chief of Protocol Musa Sesay to act as an interpreter for Mr. Bockarie on his visit to President Blaise Campaore in Burkina Faso. Mr. Taylor agreed with Mr. Koumjian that Mr. Bockarie was under a UN travel ban at the time of the visit but that he approved the rebel commander's passage through Liberia.
"You sent him on this trip?" Mr. Koumjian asked Mr. Taylor, refering to the former president's Chief of Protocol Mr. Sesay.
"Surely I did," Mr. Taylor responded.
"Isn't there a better use for a Chief of Protocol than to act as an interpreter on a trip?" Mr. Koumjian inquired further.
"That's a very, very good use from my calculation. Other protocol officers in other countries did the same thing. Whether you are talking about Togo, I remember the Protocol Officer in Togo interpreting between Eyadema and myself, sometimes Musa did. So when you say better, that's a qualification, that was for me, a reasonable task." Mr. Taylor responded.
Mr. Taylor agreed with Mr. Koumjian that Burkina Faso probably had their own interpreters but said he was requested to have his Chief of Protocol travel with Mr. Bockarie and he did. Mr. Koumjian suggested to Mr. Taylor that it is the task of the host government to provide interpreters for their visitors.
"Sir, isn't it the protocol that when you are visiting the president of a country in that country, it's the host government that provides the interpreter?" Mr. Koumjian asked Mr. Taylor again.
In response, Mr. Taylor said, "that is a protocol, I will agree, but that is not what you will call the only protocol, there had been times when presidents had come to visit me and I will provide the interpreters and some of them will provide their own."
Asked whether the presence of his protocol officer in such a meeting will mean him knowing what was discussed in the meeting, Mr. Taylor said that "I was not spying on my friend."
The prosecution has led evidence pointing to the alleged relationship that existed between Mr. Taylor and RUF commander Mr. Bockarie. Witnesses have testified that the RUF commander used to take orders from Mr. Taylor. It has also been alleged that Mr. Bockarie used to transport Sierra Leone's blood diamonds to Mr. Taylor, who in return gave the RUF commander loads of arms and ammunition. Mr. Taylor has denied these allegations.
Prosecutors have alleged that during Mr. Bockarie's 1998 trip to Burkina Faso, the RUF commander returned with arms and ammunition through Liberia's Roberts International Airport (RIA). During cross-examination today, Mr. Koumjian pointed out that it would not be possible for a plane full of arms and ammunition to arrive in Liberia for use by RUF rebels in Sierra Leone without the president knowing. Mr. Taylor responded that it was possible to bribe corrupt officials, pointing out how he had also bribed officials in other countries to bring arms and ammunition to Liberia in violation of a UN arms embargo.
"It would not be impossible." Mr. Taylor responded.
"It is very, very simple. It depends on the quality of corrupt officials involved, it would never get to my attention. I, during tough times transfered arms and ammunitions through countries that did not even know. So that happens all the time. It depends on how much you are willing to pay and who you dealing with," he added.
Mr. Koumjian accused Mr. Taylor of using his position as an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) negotiator to support the RUF in pursuit of their war in Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor dismissed the allegation as wrong.
Mr. Taylor is responding to charges that he was involved in a joint criminal enterprise with RUF rebels in Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor has denied allegations that he supplied arms and ammunition to the rebels in return for Sierra Leone's blood diamonds and that he helped them plan certain operations during which atrocities such as rape, murder, and amputation of civilian arms were committed. He has dismissed the charges as a scheme by western countries, specifically Britain and the United States to bring him down. From July 14 to November 10, 2009, Mr. Taylor testified in direct-examination as a witness in his own defense. He is currently being cross-examined by the prosecution.
Mr. Taylor's cross-examination continues tomorrow.
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Aki November 25, 2009 at 11:44 pm
The Motion filed by the Prosecution asking the Trial Chamber to deny Mr. Taylor access to his attorneys during cross examination has been denied. You can read the Judges ruling at this website:
http://www.sc-sl.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=N9U9HfFZAb4%3d&tabid=159
Ken November 26, 2009 at 3:47 am
I see why Ms. Hollis has taken ill. Most likely the Judges are going to denied the Prosecution other motions.
Jose Rodriguez November 26, 2009 at 3:57 am
Aki,
these people are the most shameless people I have ever seen in my life time. However, thanks for providing the website. just last night, koumjian said, they did not deny the accused access through motion to his lawyers. Now, the document you have posted shows the contrary.
Aki, I still can not possibly imagine these so-call civilized people denying anyone/accused the right to his defense council with condition.
Shame on the prosecution of this innocent.
Noko4 November 26, 2009 at 9:03 am
And Mr. Koumjian started off after the break fighting to make it look like Mr. Taylor was breaking some kind of rules by meeting with his counsel during the break…..
King Gray November 26, 2009 at 12:20 am
Alpha, you have done it again by misrepresenting the facts of today's testimonies. It was not today that Mr. Taylor admitted to sending his cheif of protocol with Sam Bokarie to Burkina Fasso. During his direct examination by defense counsel Courtney Grifffens, Mr, Taylor at that time informed the court that he sent his chief of protocol Musa Sessay with Bokarie to Burkina Fasso.
Alpha, I do not know what is happening to your reporting these days but it appears like you are intentionally misleading others who may not have been following this trial. By reporting that Mr. Taylor admitted today in court without refering to Mr. Taylor earlier admission under direct examination creates an impression that it was the prosecutor questioning that compelled Mr. Taylor to accept this fact.
Under direct examination sometime ago, Mr. Taylor voluntarily informed this court that he sent his chief of protocol to Burkina Fasso. I am disappointed in this line of reporting which is attempting to prejudice the credibility of Mr. Taylor. This is why some of us do not have confidence in the outcome of the decision from this court. Because, it seems that as much as Mr. Taylor is very clear, you guys continue to mislead and misinform the world concerning the activities of Mr. Taylor. And this site is suppose to be objective and non-partisan. wow!!!
King Gray,
you are absolutely right. However, I challenged Mr. Sesay question on November 23, 2009 @5:45 PM. And his question was, "has Mr. Taylor trial made us safer" in reference to the Manor River Union Basin? However, I don't think as a moderator, you should be engaged in controversial question or statement like that, least to mention mis representing the facts; especially, when other people like Vaa Alie Mansaray, Bnker, and etc, have previously stated that keeping President Taylor from the Manor River Basin has made the region safe. Therefore, he should remain in the "slammer." Why will Alpha rehash such a controversial question like that? Vaa Alie and the rest do not have sufficient evidence to convince themselves why this innocent man should be found guilty. As the result, they have reverted to reasonings. Such as the question asked by Alpha Sesay.
King Gray, the reason why I did not go hard on him is because I was afraid that he will find every reason not post my comments. Therefore, I will have to use a different name instead of what you and other know me by, if I wanted to continue posting. But I agree with you whole heartedly.
Alpha Sesay November 26, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Jose,
I thought that this issue was clarified with my explanation that i did not intend what you thought. We agree that we all have different ways of expressing ourselves and i honestly still do not see how that question translates to me suggesting that Mr. Taylor was responsible for the Mano River Basin being unsafe. A question like that should stimulate good debate among us and the onus then will be on those who blame Mr. Taylor for the problems in the region to prove their point. It will also be for those who think otherwise to state their points. Is that not the basis of the debate that we have all had on the forum about this trial for all these months?
And let it be on record that i will not block your posting just because you question the things that i post. The only comments that will not be apporved are those that go against the policies we have tried to maintain on this forum, ie, no personal attacks or insults. Feel free always to question me if you think i have gone wrong. I always accept genuine criticisms from you guys as they help keep me on my toes. They also help me learn from you as well.
andrew jlay November 26, 2009 at 2:02 pm
I am inclined to concur with king Gray, the Bassa Chief on the language as phrased but not on the intent. The phraseology then to connote or impress upon a new reader that this was the premier disclosure of Taylor on this subject and that it was the prosecution who drew the admission out of Taylor.
In my opinion it would have been balance had we acknowledge that although during his examination in chief, Mr. Taylor told the court that he sent his chief of protocol to serve as interpreter to ……..he also admitted under cross examination that he sent ….
I hope again we are not pushing too hard acknowledging that you are doing us a huge service, given time constraints and other obligations that you have.
Andrew Jlay,
Yours is a constructive concern which i humbly appreciate. While i am not the perfect of persons, i do all i can to be as accurate and objective as possible. I am glad you know i will not intentionally mislead anybody on this site.
Thanks and your concern is noted.
noko5 November 26, 2009 at 5:59 pm
mr. Gray,
I want to take this time to honor your highness for job well done,,,WATCH THEM WITH THE EAGLE EYES!!!
I take very great exception to your allegations that i am "intentionally misleading others" or that i am part of "guys" who "continue to mislead and misinform the world" about Mr. Taylor. In as much as we are all free to express our views on this site, i think we need to do so with some respect for other persons. It is an obligation which we all owe to each other. While i know that i am subject to public scruitiny because of the work that i do, i don't think that should amount to an attack on my person or the work that i do. There are times when people on this forum will not agree with my use of words and they are free to say so. In doing this work, i strive to be as objective and accurate as possible and reading the contents of the report, i don't see how i suggest that the prosecution squeezed the admission out of Mr. Taylor. When dealing with prosecution witnesses, there were times when i captioned my reports with "inconsistencies in witness' testimony." That did not suggest that i was making judgment that any particular witness was inconsistent but i was only reporting things as they obtained in court. I did not see you reprimand me for that. To say that Mr. Taylor did admit does not mean he was squeezed. The former president explained himself and i said so in the report, even using his own phrases. See how well Andrew Jlay put his concerns. We must all agree that i will not always use the words or phrases that people expect me to. We all have different ways of expressing ourselves and in using words and phrases, i try as hard as possible not to jeopardize my position as an independent trial monitor. I do not do this work as a journalist but rather as a well trained and legally qualified practicing lawyer who believes in the presumption of innocence and the burden of proof that lies on the prosecution. I have tried to stand by these principles and will continue to do so.
Readers are always free to make their comments on the reports that i post but let us all kindly do so without it amounting to an attack.
King Gray, while i take your comment as a word of caution to me, i ask that you do the same with this response. My very best regards to you and if you are in the United States, a very happy thanksgiving to you and your family. The same wish goes out to all of you our wonderful readers residing in the United States.
King Gray November 26, 2009 at 6:26 pm
I can appreaciate your resentment regarding the way I attempted to characterize you, and I must apologize for giving any direct impression that you intentionally mispresented the facts. I can understand the human failing in all of us and so I would continue to give you the benefit of doubts as you do this very delicate task.
My intent was to use your summary as a reflection of how some of these characterization of Mr. Taylor was formed in the international community, by similar kinds of reporting and assertions. Again, accept my apology as I look forward to your summaries, your work is not an easy one, as the whole world is watching. Particularly, a new generation of African leaders.
John Sayee November 26, 2009 at 1:56 am
Where are all the Taylor supporters today? We will need your scores for today's hearing once again (i.e.: Taylor 6, the prosecutors 0). Most of you do not even care that approximately ½ a million people lost their lives in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia as a result of this wacky psychopath Taylor senseless war on our people. If you believe this guy is ever going to be release, then you are day dreaming. At some point in this trial, he will have to admit his dealing with the RUF and we are seeing that happening slowly. We all Liberians know Taylor is eloquence. However, what most Liberians fail to understand is that, Taylor is a psychopath just like Adolf Hitler who was also eloquence, but almost led the Germans to self destructions until he was stop. Taylor was on the same path until he was stop in West Africa and taken away from Liberia. How many of you Taylor's loyalist ever remember an African Leader been escorted out of his own country where he is popular as most of you Taylor's loyalist think? How do you explain to a common person in Liberia or Sierra Leone that sending your Chief of Protocol to accompany a know rebel leader who is on the list of UN travel ban to Burkina Faso as an interpreter? You have to be crazy to believe that Taylor did not have any vested interest in sending his Chief of Protocol with Sam Bockarie to Burkina Faso. I personal know this former Chief of Protocol Musa Sesay very well and he was one of Taylor's inner cycle responsible for buying weapons for him. Musa Sesay is dead now and his sour in hell; that is the sad part. Musa Sesay die a miserable man. I did travelled with him at one time on the same flight from Abidjan to Monrovia when he was dying back in early 2007 and I couldn't wait for this guys to die from all the sins he accumulated during the war buying weapons to kill our people in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
John Sayee,
If this is true, you knew the Chief of Protocol Musa Sesay very well and he was one of Taylor's inner circle people responsible for buying weapons for him, then you need to contact the Prosecution and give them a little help. You still got time the Prosecution can call you to the stand as "fresh evidence."
The Prosecution should have been presenting evidence that the Chief of Protocol and Bockarie was buying and transported arms and ammunition through Liberia for use by rebel forces in Sierra Leone instead of who was the interpreter. I am sure Mr. Taylor had a stake in sending his Chief of Protocol with Bockarie to Burkina Faso, but the reality is the Prosecution did not know and fail in his effort to find out.
Well, John Sayee,
Thanks very much for saying nothing, least to say doing something. Everything you have said, has been told over and over again. There is nothing new you have said. Hitler, half a million death, psychopath, and etc is not news. As the matter of facts, we have heard worse than that.
John, show us the proof. Show us evidence. Show us documents. Show us video recording like the one that is in circulation on this website. Show us voice recording. Show us the 5 Billion dollars.
John, that's all we ask. How hard is that? To me, it is not hard, especially when you have it, or you havee super powers on your side.
WILK November 26, 2009 at 4:50 am
shame ON YOU.SO SAY TO LET YOU KNOW THAT GOD HAS NOT TURN HEAVEN OVER TO YOU YET.YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT MUCH OF A POWER TO WISH SOMEONE DEAD.TAYLOR IS A GOOD MAN AND IT IS PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND THAT DEVIL WHO IS PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA WISH THAT HE DIED.BUT LET US ALL PRAY FOR LONG LIFE TO SOME DAY SEE THE END OF THIS WESTERN STYLE AFRICAN SL BACK UN TRIAL COME TO A END……ABOVE ALL ELSE THE PEOPLE AND SO SHALL IT BE
Aki November 26, 2009 at 6:24 am
Stop contradicting yourself in your own commentary. You said that Charles Taylor was responsible fore the killing of half a million people. Did he fight himself in the war ? Wasn't it a popular uprising to remove Doe and then have democracy restored? I am sure you don't care but when Taylor won elections he the first truly democratic elected president in the history of Liberia. Ofcourse you didn't like him so you don't care about that. You also mentioned about him being escorted out of his own country. According to your logic you should have been happy with this decision that he made. As Mr. Taylor said in his testimony a few days ago " You can't have it both ways"
Jensen Kortu November 26, 2009 at 9:30 am
I'm not sure if you have been following this trial from the start or during direct examination of Mr. Taylor. However, let me remind you that Mr. Taylor informed this court that he sent his protocol officer along with Bockarie to Burkina Faso in 1998 upon request. I'm sorry that Alpha did not include in his post that Mr. Making it appear as thou it was the prosecution that asked Mr. Taylor about this, but it is not. Secondly you said that you traveled with Musa Sesay on the same flight from Abidjan to Monrovia in 2007, can you please give us the flight number, name of airport, date, and time of take off? I work in Abidjan and would like to follow up on this sir. Finally, everyone is still waiting for proof of arm shipment for RUF via Liberia. Until that is done, let us not prejudge Mr. Taylor. He has his right to be free like anybody else. Have a nice day sir John.
Amax November 26, 2009 at 10:13 am
John Sayee, please tell the name of individuals that you can compare with Mr G.W.Bush and T.Blair former US President and former Prime Minister of the UK???
You are making a big mistake by comparing Mr Taylor with Adolf Hitler. I don't care about you hating mr Taylor, but what I want to tell you is that if you have nothing to offer in this on going trial/debate then sit back read and listen. What will you gain tomorrow if you have Mr Taylor executed today? That is my question to you.
Jocone November 26, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Nice post but your point didn't show any evidence for which Mr. Taylor should be held responsible for what happened in Sierra Leone! First of all, it was president Kabbah who sold the People of Sierra Leone to their own Killer.
For example, signing Contracts with Diamond Mining companies about about 35% of Sierra Leone to one of those companies with connections in Canada and the UK!
In doing so, he hired Nigerian and Guinean Soldiers to fight in Sierra Leone just so he could restored himself to the Presidency! Today, many Sierra Leoneans are the victims of arms he brough into the Country through Guinea. Infact, part of the Sierra Leonean Land ( Yankah area) is under the controlled of the Guinean Military! So how can you Justify that, John Sayee?
All I have to say to you is watch the trial learn some facts before making some of the waywarded statements you are making. Can you provide any portion of the liberia constitution that prohibits the president of liberia from sending his protocol officer as interprater with or to accompany anybody for that matter…please find something else to talk about.
Madman November 28, 2009 at 5:12 am
Can you explain to me why an appointed mediator who claims his aim was to bring an end to the conflict would let a rebel General who's on a UN travel ban travel through his country into Burkina Faso? I'm baffled. We all know the relationship Taylor had with Compaore. @Aki, did taylor leave Liberia for the betterment of the people or for his own safety (he remembers what happened to Doe), because from my understanding, the rebels were already in Monrovia and closing in when he made the decision, because bush wasn't going to send any help due to what happened in Somalia. @Amax. I personally don't want to see Taylor get executed, but if he does, it will set an example for future Charles Taylors. I do know though that he will pay for his sins. He's slowly giving out clues to his involvement but smart enough to hold the main parts back. I said it before that Taylor is one of the most intelligent leaders Africa ever produced, sadly enough he used that intelligence negatively. He was smart enough to cover his tracks. I agree that the prosecution did a very poor job. Another case of the white man undermining the African. All those who would've nailed his coffin are all dead and gone. Interesting how 99% of those who post on this site are Taylor supporters, because the non supporters know the outcome of the trial. He will rot in hell, and all those who support him will follow suit.
Or Are some of you mad at the fact that he's being tried for what he did in another country and not for what he did in Liberia?
Helen November 30, 2009 at 1:53 am
Really Madman,
You are so far off track. You speak as if you are not full occurent with issues. Let me clarify some things here for you.
Compaore was the chairman of the OAU at the time and therefore give him a right to speak to Bokarie if Bokarie so requested or if Blaise Compaore himself requested same. It was not the place of Taylor to interfere with these two individuals especially if they claimed that the trip was in persuit of the peace process. This was not in contravention of the Travel Ban as the Ban allows travel for religious purposes, in futhering the peace process or for medical reasons. So as you can see this trip was allegedly for furthering the peace process therefore Mr Taylor was not contravening any UN Ban.
noko5 December 1, 2009 at 1:43 pm
MAD Man,
Look s like you just woke up from sleep. Taylor did not let Bokarie Travell. This guy was already in his process and was accompanied by a language expert. Notthing is wrong with it. All of these were done to get the peace process going. That's what being proactive as a chairperson is. Taylor was damn right..
Sam November 28, 2009 at 2:25 pm
John Saye is it a war crime for a negotiator to send an interpreter with one of the beligerent party to visit another negotiator in the conflict? I do not see how this confirms the prosectution assertions that Mr Taylor Planned, instigated and controlled the RUF to terrorise the people of Sierra Leone and exploit their resources in exhange for diamonds. and just a reminder Mr Taylor has stated this long ago in his examination in chief so this is noting new.
Amazing…..so what did he gain as a substitute?? ZERO except NOISE.
Ms. Hollis and Mr. Koumjian must be thinking they are infront some US jury. To keep repeating some silly intepretation of an event to suit their taste. What Mr. Koumjian did today was tilt the hands of the prosecutors in waiting for the judges to rule in her favor. He brought in ALL Ms. Hollis couldn't format in asking……
Again, Mr Taylor 7 vs Ms. Hollis and Mr. Koumjian 0.
Noko4,
What do you mean by "Ms. Hollis and Mr. Koumjian must be thinking they are infront some US jury." Just what is your point?
Noko4 November 26, 2009 at 12:24 pm
It's the REPEATING the same damn thang into thinking the judges are a jury to be fool. Compare the difference between Mr. Griffith and the prosecutors style……US style and int'l style.
Noko4
Ken November 26, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I disagree with you that this trial is about US style and int'l style. The court is set up I believe on Roma laws. The Defense leader hail from UK and the Prosecution leader lawyer hail from the U.S.A. They both are following the rule of the courts. What case or cases of Ms. Hollis or Mr. Koumjian in the U.SA. they prosecuted, that would lead to say "Ms. Hollis and Mr. Koumjian must be thinking they are in front some US jury." "REPEATING the same damn thang" do not make the judges believe they are a jury to be fool.
The Prosecution seems to be in the habit of laying it on thick in their statements. One would say if Mr. Taylor was using his position as an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) negotiator to support the RUF in pursuit of their war in Sierra Leone, why was the end results of his negotiation a peace agreement, despite the fact that both parties violated the Lome Agreement shortly after.
After the Lome Agreement, the ECOWAS became nine or the Committee of Five became the Committee of Nine. However, it is hard to believe that the other eight countries did not suspected, have a feeling or knew that Mr. Taylor was supporting the RUF in pursuit of their war in Sierra Leone and did not exposed Mr. Taylor.
Before arguing Taylors positions and applied functions , I want you to understand one simple fact. Taylor was mediating and not negotiating.. now can we commence from here???
You are sounding like the Prosecution, kick picking at something that is unimportant. I want you to understand one simple fact, it was in Alpha summery and the Prosecutor said negotiator, therefore Mr. Taylor would have been negotiating.
It does not make any difference whether Mr. Taylor was a mediator or Negotiator. Whether Mr. Taylor was meditating or negotiating, the results of Mr. Taylor's involvement was a peace agreement and not war. To me the results of Mr. Taylor's involvement divulge the truth not what Mr. Taylor was label as by the prosecution.
If you Noko5 are going to be hung-up on words or labels, then there is no need further to commence on that comment of mine. Let us move on.
noko5 December 1, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Sometimes misguided misiles kill friendly forces. lets move on . Sorry for the attack…Ken you know right now the kitchen is hot!!!!
I know you one of Taylor's inner cycle. We know who you are. keep up your propagandas. Your day will come.
Can you honestly denial that Musa Sesay was one of the person buying weapons for Taylor?
Musa Sesay went with Bockarie to Burkina Faso to buy weapons for both the RUF and NPFL. He was frequently in Burkina Faso buying weapons. I traveled with him numerous times to Abidjan where he transited to Burkina Faso. This is a known fact in Liberia and you know that. Your propagandas will not work this time, you evil people. You want to tell us that Taylor did not murdered a single soul? Even if he murdered only one person, he deseved to be on trial and lock up for life. You wait until they dump him into prison for the rest of his life like his son in the USA.
You guys are enemies of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Maybe you should visit Liberia these days to see the differences from the days Taylor was in power when gangsters such as you were murdering and beating people on the streets.
If I was, believe you me, I will tell you and the rest of the world. But to answer your concern, NO and NO…….never ever in his cycle or circle. Why you think I am John???
How am I an "ENEMY" John??? And please don't even go there about SAFETY in Liberia….let's stay on this trial I beg because SAFETY in Liberia is same as it was under Mr. Taylor as under Mrs. Johnson-Sirleaf.
You can accuseed anyone as being supporters of Mr. Taylor but what you understand is that, Many of us who speaking here against this trial are not saying tha Mr. Taylor's NPFL didn't commit crimes against the people of Liberia. Mr. Taylor even said this when he was running for president of Liberia and he told the Liberian people to forgive him!
What we're saying in a large part is that, if the ICC wants to prosecute Mr. Taylor it should be for what he did in Liberia not Sierra Leone because there are documents infront of this court from Mr. Taylor that proved what the prosecutor have said so far is not true.
Jensen Kortu November 26, 2009 at 2:24 pm
John Sayee ,
Why are you making all these noise sir? I asked you small question you did not answer me, but ran to Noko4 because you think you are the only one that know Abidjan and so you can lie about anything here and go with it. Please tell us which flight you and the late Musa Sasay traveled on to Monrovia in 2007 sir. I also ask that you include airport name for me do some follow up. I sometimes wonder why some Liberians hit each other so much, yet say they are followers of Christ. Sir, what does Liberians stand to gain from Sierra Leone if Mr. Taylor is guilty? Lastly, why didn't you present you many evidences to the prosecution and now they are struggling? Sir, as for changes in Liberia, I say there is none apart from the sound of guns . The people are still poor, no running water, toilets, and no roads even in the city of Monrovia. My home Grand Kru, is another sad sorry. Well sir, the people have proven in the by-election that Ma Ellen has failed below 0% meaning she has no hope for 2011. NPP and CDC are the choice of the true Liberians for the next ten years. Remember vision 2024 still live on in the minds of our people. Again sir, hit and lies will not help rebuild Liberia. We all need to go back home and help our people. Have a Godly day my brothers and sisters on this great site.
Jensen Kortu,
Thank you very much brother. However, you are focused like a laser beam. Kortu, I forgot totally about "vision 2024." Good reminder buddy.
Happy thanksgiving to all.
Jocone November 26, 2009 at 4:34 pm
If you don't know, those you're accusing of being enemies of Liberia are the very people who are building Liberia today! I am one of them; I do served in the US Military but you know what I am doing with my money? I am duilding apartment complexs and Schools in Liberia, ok! If I didn't love Liberia, I wasn't going to do that for the people of Liberia. Infact, in my schools, students are only allow to pay registrations fees and they go to school free pretty much!
But the president of Liberia did a school on the Robertfield highway for special class of people which campus the country man child can't step on because they are not in that upper class level, do you understand that?
Because of that, I have decided to built another school on Robertfield highway, around the Dwuzon area.As I look at it, you don't know what is going on in Liberia! I'm also building apartments in Johnsonville and Barnesville around the area where defense Minister live! Those of us who are commenting here are not enemies of Liberia, you tracking that?
at what time Noko4 day will come? For me, I just want to know in order to be ready when my day comes. I guess so many people will also want to know when their day will come, Mr. soomth sayer and prophet.
John Sayee, stick to the issue and forget about when someone day will come.
It is so pathetic that some of you guys would never never change. Are you telling us now that you are so furious at noko4 until you are threatening him too?? I can tell you that you don't have the ability to do a damn thing to anyone in monrovia. so do not make your self feel good. Now lets get back to the trial. All of us Liberians supportted thewaroneway or the other.. so stop blaming taylor and blame your self…
Jocone November 30, 2009 at 3:56 am
John Saye,
How is your new training going with the AFL? Brother, don't forget that new AFL is not what the old one use to be. There are professional military guys who are leaving the US to become part of the new AFL! Don't think this will be the same AFL that used just target people without being punish!
So, all members of true Justice on this site have nothing to worry about as far as their security! Noko4, your cousin noko5 already know who I am and infact he went to BWI with some of my family and I will contact you as soon as I get to the US on Dec. 15 from Iraq! I know who John Saye! By the way John, how is Sabina?
The New Democrat News Paper, other media institutions of Liberia, and the Liberian government have being once more reminded of how President Taylor is still the most popular politician in Liberia. However, the just ended by election, the CDC candidate Ms. Geraldin Doe Sherif was campaigned against as an NPFL fighter and very close allied to President Taylor. In fact, the news paper said she was one of president Taylor female security who could walk in is bed room without problems. They also told the Liberian people that when the NPFL executives were endorsing Ms. Doe Sherif, they did not say she was one of them.
Now the by election is over. The so-call NPFL candidate whipped President Johnson Sirleaf UP by about ten percentage points; not even close.
New Democrat News Paper, why will you say NPFL instead of NPP when you know the NPFL has been dissolved? But I know why you invoked the name NPFL name instead of NPP.
You guys are very hard to learn. Taylor won election with over 70-75% of the total votes cast in 1997. Inspite of all the UN, US, GB, and International support to this western hand pick government of Johnson Sirleaf, we continue to reject the notion of people telling us what is good for us or who to vote.
Lastly, no one should advice these people about anything concern Taylor popularity. Let them continue doing what they have been doing. However, 2011, will be the real big disgrace coming for you guys. You wait and see. We will show you guys what democracy is all about. it is about the people. Hopefully the international community will not help you guys this time around. Hopefully they will respect the choice of the people and not to wage war on our people again through LURD and MODEL.
Harris K Johnson November 26, 2009 at 2:40 pm
My Brother Joe,
Please don't worry abut these guys, they are looking for some source of getting food on their table. Some of their managers were paid Nissan jeeps for making up lies about others all in favor of Ma Ellen during 2005 elections. But this time around they had it different from the grass rooters. Even if Geraldine was Mr. Taylor principle deputy, the Liberian people have sounded a BIG NO to these political guinea pigs. Long live Liberia, long live NPP and CDC the people choice.
Harris K Johnson
Musa November 26, 2009 at 11:16 am
I'm not seeing any transcript for November 25, 2009 proceeding. I want to clear certain comments which I think do not represent you.
Musa,
I'll check with court staff to see if and when the transcript will be posted. If you have any concerns about specific comments that i have made, kindly feel free to let me know.
Eagle-eye(Returns) November 26, 2009 at 11:21 am
Jose, where did you get your information from that the finally tally in the second round has concluded. I don't believe there is any official announcement. By the way Taylor couldn't have been the most popular politician as the NPP lost the last general election by huge margin. If he was, protest vote would have propel NPP to atleast round two of the general election but didn't
As the democratic process take hold in liberia, people will come to know exact who Taylor and other warlords were really like and it does not make good reading. SORRY LIBERIAN WILL NOT BE PUSHED AROUND THIS TIME BY PEOPLE LIKE TAYLOR. Concentrate on getting your papay out of the tight corner.
Believe it or not, Taylor is your next president. You can start having nightmares now. CUZ It will definitely happen. By now , the sloppy performances of your lawyers should be ringing the loudest bell…!!!.. FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…….
Jose Rodriguez November 27, 2009 at 12:00 am
are you sleeping at the switch? seriously, are your eyes closed? What kind of eyeball you say you have again? EAGLE? What kind of eagle that can't see?
Eagle, the election is over!!! Ellen party lost about ten to twelve percentage points. Not even close.
Speaking about the NPP lose in the 2005 election, President Taylor had not been turned over to this inherently flawed court. However, I personally could not have voted for the NPP standard bearer in person of Dr. Roland Massaquio. I thought he was not a presidential material. Besides, the NPP won both senatorial and representative seats in that election. For example: Grand Cape Mount Couty only two senators are from the NPP. Bong county Senior senator came from the NPP with lots of representatives from all over the country.
Big B November 26, 2009 at 11:29 am
On this day November 26, 2009 I am 100% sure that Mr. Taylor will be found not guilty. Mr. Koumjian asked the court to adjourned 20 minutes prior the morning break in order for him to have additional time to prepare and to be able to asked better questions, showed incompetence and irresponsible.
Jose Rodriguez November 26, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Big B,
what's up with this preparedness and strategy from this lousy and sleazy prosecution?
When will these people ever be ready for real?
Every day different excuse. Everyday they keep wanting more time.
LORD, LORD, AND LORD.
Are these guys actually serious about not being prepare, or it is the wraft of the almighty lord that is dealing with them. By the grace of God, they will never be prepare until the Judges get tired with their foolishness and one day throw they and their stupid case out the window.
Big Joe November 26, 2009 at 11:59 am
The ordinary Armed Forces of Liberia soldier was making between 1000-1500 liberian dollars in Taylor's Liberia according to Charles Taylor and according to him this amount to about 400 United States dollars and according to this big liar the rate was 40 Liberian dollars to one United States dollar. So, this ignoramus doesn't know kindergarden arithmetic?
Big Joe November 26, 2009 at 12:02 pm
The VIP Sam Bockerie was making cold 1000 US$ per month for nothing.
Leoroy Dennis November 26, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Fallah Big Joe, Ms Teage, Vaa Alie, John Thompson, Brave, and the list goes on. Are you guys watching this morning, the lead persecutor had to asked before the morning break to put himself in order. You guys need to help with the little proof any of you have, at least you are all on the same side. I strongly believe Mr. Koumjian did his best yesterday. You know in life you can do more than your best, honestly speaking he did his best yesterday. I really enjoyed him yesterday but today he decline too fast. He asked Taylor did you meet with your lawyers last night? Trying to know if Taylor is coached by his team. This is the answer from Taylor for those of you who didn't watch the trial. No I didn't meet them last night, or did I meet them this morning. I am better off than that if you think they coached me. Mr. Koumjian just got lot of papers flying all over the place this morning and making some crazy errors, even Taylor had to help him in some ways. Keep it up Taylor good will always over come the dad.
Big Joe November 26, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Jose Rodriguez,
Listen to yourself: " he New Democrat News Paper, other media institutions of Liberia, and the Liberian government have being once more reminded of how President Taylor is still the most popular politician in Liberia. However, the just ended by election, the CDC candidate Ms. Geraldin Doe Sherif was campaigned against as an NPFL fighter and very close allied to President Taylor. In fact, the news paper said she was one of president Taylor female security who could walk in is bed room without problems. They also told the Liberian people that when the NPFL executives were endorsing Ms. Doe Sherif, they did not say she was one of them.
If Taylor and the NPFL are as popular as you want us to believe why wouldn't the NPFL/NPP put up its too candidate in the race? Why don't you think it is because of the name Urey, a brother of Taylor's financier and buddyBennoi Urey that made Clemenceau Urey, the UP candidate to lose the election?
For your information, Ms. Geraldin Doe Sherif ran on George weah's popularity. Unless now you want us to believe that George Weah and Taylor are the same. Anyway, lying is the gift your Papay Ghangay give you all.
Big Joe, I think you have got it all wrong. Jose was making the exact opposite point regarding Geraldine Doe-Sheriff. It was the UP and their propoganda journalists that branded the CDC candidate as a former Taylor's loyalist. Jose point is simple. By branding the CDC candidate as a former NPFL and Taylor's insider, the UP had hope that the Liberian people would turn against CDC and vote for the UP candidate. That did not happened.
The people said that they do not care whether Geraldine Doe-Sheriff was a former NPFL or Taylor's insider. Do you remember the famous song, "you killed my ma or you killed my pa we will vote for you? The people of Montserrado county, which is the seat of the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf government expressed similarly sentiments through their vote. The people did not see Taylor as any threat to their lives and that is why that propoganda by the Unity Party did not work.
The international community continue to make a serious error by blaming Charles Taylor for all of the problems in West Africa or Liberia. The people have a different view. We saw the same thing happened in the Grand Kru senate election sometimes ago when a very poor man by the name of Nathaniel Williams defeated another UP stawarld Commany Wisseh. The UP played similar propoganda against Williams that he was a former Taylor's supporter and a member of the NPP. Yet Williams massively defeated Ellen's Unity Party. That is the point, my friend.
Big joe,
Why don't you just change your name to big lier, papa. It is very much sadden that you are using all you energy to lie and mislead readers on this site. Look. The reason why Gerldine won was because she was fully supported by people of the NPP, and not because of geoge weahs' popularity. Another thing I want you get clear today is that, you guys need to stop making weah feel that he can become president in Liberia. The job weah knows is football and that where he is going to stay.. PERIODE!!!
first of all, I did not say the NPFL, because there is no such thing like the NPFL. However, I said President Taylor is the most popular politician in Liberia. Now, referring to the NPP, they decided not to contest the by election for the senatorial seat of Montserrado county. Notwithstanding, they made a decision to support the CDC candate of Ms. Geraldin Doe Sherif. As the matter of facts, the executive of the party endorsed Geraldin in a publically viewable fashion in Monrovia. On the other end, President Taylor former wife, Senior Senator of Bong County, Joel Howard Taylor, put her entire political career on the line by campaigning for Geraldin in the market places, neighborhood, swamps and gheto: just like what she did for President Johnson Sirleaf during the second round of the 2005 election and later betrayed.
For your information, this gone by election was a referendum on Ellen. However, this is not my words, but the Vice President of the Republic of Liberia. This election was however, to show everyone political strength. This is also not my words, but the President of the Republic of Liberia. The bottom line here bro, Ellen lost.
Speaking about Mr. Clemerson Urey, I personally think he's a good man. I also think if he had not gone on Ellen ticket, he would have won. But on the other hand again, he has been a member of the Unity Party long before President Johnson Sirleaf buying the party.
you probably forgot to mention that President Johnson Sirleaf just made Bennoi Urey, the man you described as President Taylor financier and buddy, city major of Careysburg. You must have also forgotton to mention that President Sirleaf was seen all over Monrovia campaigning for the brother of yourself made Taylor financial and buddy, Bennoi Urey.
Big Joe, you know what is giving you guys hard time in any debate? It is the double standard and blatant display of moral and illegal hypocrisy on the part of you guys. It is that plan and simple.
Dolo November 26, 2009 at 2:47 pm
It's good to learn that you were, in numerous occasions, traveling with Musa from Abijan to Liberia. I guess you were monitoring movements right? Now, for who and for what, if so? Or maybe you were also buying arms or doing some deadly secret business for some agents or group? Please tell us what were you doing in between this time of the heat. I think it will be good to know this Chief. Otherwise I will conclude that you are one of those that rained destructions on the sub-region, base on your so factual movements/travels at the time concerned. You keep sounding like Musa Sasay did share with you reasons for his travels or you were also a partner for common cause to him.
Ken made a very salient point for consideration. Mr. Koumjain alledges that " Mr. Taylor was using his position as an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) negotiator to support the RUF in pursuit of their war in Sierra Leone, why was the end results of his negotiation a peace agreement, despite the fact that both parties violated the Lome Agreement shortly after." Great point Ken!
Ken point raises a fundamental problem with Mr. Koumjian more strategic style of questioning. We now see Mr. Koumjian prosecuting on theories instead of facts. Unlike Ms. Brenda Hollis who was simply making wide allegations without any relevant to some facts. Mr. Koumjain seems to have accepted the fact that Mr. Taylor was a peace negotiator or mediator. Upon this fact, Mr. Koumjain is constructing a theory that Mr. Taylor used this position as ECOWAS point man to controlled and commanded RUF.
At the same time, Mr. Koumjian is asserting that Mr. Taylor was not acting as a mediator , that Taylor was doing things on his own without the consent of ECOWAS , and that he was using that peace mediator role as a previledge to controlled and command the RUF. Frist, if this is true, is Mr. Koumjian admitting that Mr. Taylor did not have command and contorl over RUF before he became an ECOWAS mediator? Secondly, as Ken has correctly pointed out. How would Mr. Taylor mediation role lead to peace and end of hostility but yet he was supporting the RUF war? How is it possible for Taylor to be against the PEACE but yet his action led to PEACE?
Like Taylor told Ms. Hollis , the prosecution cannot have it both ways. It is either Mr. Taylor did nothing to end the war or he assisted in ending the war. Another point of the prosecution wanting to have it both ways is this. Mr. Koumjian , again accepted the fact that at the time of LURD attacked on Liberia, the Liberian military was weak. Koumjian pointed to the fact that Mr. Taylor indicated that he did not have weapons to fight the war. Thus, Mr. Koumjain wrongly theorized that Taylor had to seek assistance from RUF to fight against the "mosquito spread" and LURD initials attacks.
But if we accept Mr. Koumjian theory that Taylor sought RUF assistance and that the RUF provided Taylor with weapons. Then how can this very prosecution insist that it was Mr. Taylor who was supplying the RUF with weapons during that very period. This whole prosecution case is seriously flaw because it is nothing but hearsay, hesay, shesay, theysay, themsay, thosesay, thatsay, thissay , and all the say say. "TOTAL NONSENSE!"
what's up with all the says? Pekin, you got me cracking up again with laughter.
george webb, jr. November 26, 2009 at 7:50 pm
I follow this site every day. I read all postings.
I am a black American and I lived in Paynesville, at JoeBar and on
Duport rd. from 1984 until 1995.`
My query is: To both anti-Taylor and to pro-Taylor groups is
if both groups are so sure of what happened, and that Taylor
is guilty or that Taylor is not guilty,
WHY AREN'T EITHER OR ALL OF YOU PEOPLE TESTIFYING AT HIS TRIAL
instead of here?????
kpellegeo@aol.com
Big B November 27, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Hold your peace, don't jump the gun. Some of us will be testifying for the defense when the time comes. FYI, Noko4, Noko5, Rodriquez, Helen, Abe Lincoln, myself among others will be testifying in court. We are testifying now on this site and will testify later. So, it's all win, win for the defense.
George, kick back, get your X-large pop corn, soda and enjoy the movie.
Abe Lincoln November 29, 2009 at 3:01 am
Bravo Big B, Taylor is not a small potato. USA, UK, Canada, and Nigeria should stand trial. Taylor will be found not guilty.
george webb Jr.
All Liberian can't go to testify for Mr. Taylor due to the fact that we are not Sierra Leonean for whom this court was settle but what we are saying is that, the prosecution have not presented the evidence for the crimes for wqhich Mr. Taylor was charged.
What we have come to realized is that the prosecution pay people to tell lies about things that didn't happened. Moreso, there are some witnesses who have lied to protect their own interest and one good example is Moses Blah.
Moses Blah testified that he saw Sam Bockarie and Yeaten together the day before his ( Bockarie) death! In the same testimony,he stated that, it just happened for him to have gone on hi farm in Nimba county and came accross Yeaten at a saw mill and Yeaten told him that he had gone on a mission and Bockarie got killed…. That was a BIG BIG BLACK LIE!
Moses Blah was told by Mr. Taylor to go at the border of Liberia and Ivory Coast because fighting going on between Bockarie and the Liberian's security forces! It was by Mr. Taylor order that the Liberian security forces were involved in trying to have Bockarie disarm and arrested because he ( Bockarie) wasn't allow to bring i arms into Liberia from the Ivory Coast.
Another Lie that were told by prosecution witness, Marzah, he stated that as member of the poro, you have to engage inot cannibalism which isn't true at all, instead, the poro is a traditional school for the Kpelle, Loma, Gola, Gbandi; Mendi, Belle, Mano, Kissi, some Bassa, and the Dai people. I am a member of the poro as well and have never ever seeing anyone carrying out cannibalism as part of the process!
As for being an American, anyone can become American and I am too and Serving in the US Military. As we speak, I am just getting ready to leave Iraq in the next 2 weeks after my 3rd deployment in the Combat zone. Infact, I just got awarded the Bronze Star Medal for my services to the United States Army! Even as that, I still have my lovely Country Liberia and its People at heart!!!!!!!!!
Therefore I can't support any in-Justices to a child of Liberia and Mr. Taylor is one those. I am not saying that Mr. Taylor and the NPFL never committed crimes against.. I know he did and he should answer to the Liberian people for it not to the Sierra Leonean people!
Mr, Webb,
You keep telling us that you are black american. What's special about that and who cares.. You need to come up with some substantive inductions when it comes to the conversation we are having..mr. man, if you are watching a girl on duport road, I think she will be excited about you citizenship..go and tell her not here.. this site was not created for your advertisment….
Big Joe November 27, 2009 at 6:11 am
Nobody is argument against Taylor winning an election with over 70-75% of the total votes cast in 1997. The argument is whether Taylor won out of love or fear. For your information, Saddam Hussein won 100% of the votes Iraq just before his remover. So, don't be too excited about 70-75%.
If Taylor really won out of Love, the Liberian people would have resisted his arrest. The fact that President Sirleaf made Nigeria to turn Taylor over to the Special Court via the Liberian government without seeking approval of the National Legislature and yet not a single soul , save Taylor's henchmen, has protested against Taylor' arrest goes to that this man was never love. If Taylor is love by the Liberian people, the Liberian people will be on the street day and night protesting for his release.
Did I hear you calling the song "you killed my ma or you killed my pa we will vote for you" famous?
This is the problem with you Taylorists. You can't distinguish between famous and notorious. We can't tell the difference between fear and love. You can't tell the difference between flattery and praise.
How can any Liberian in his sound mind be proud of such a terrible song? Only mad and pervert beings can sing such song.
My point was very clear. Political party doesn't use promoting statements for its opposition. The attempt to connect Ms. Doe Sheriff with Taylor was a clever plot of the UP done out of desperation to stop Ms. Doe from winning the election. The mere fact that the Taylor connect (NPP/NPFL) would be used by the Unity Party shows that connecting your opponent with Taylor is a bad taste. Ms. Sheriff winning despite UP strategy only show that the plot didn't work. That, the Liberian people will smart to see that it is simply propaganda. In the US, Obama was being called a muslim, a close associate of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, an extremist Professor from Chicago and another extremist supporter of the PLO yet he won the election. So, should we conclude that being an extremist muslim and associating with extremists are popular things in the US? No, not at all. Some fanatics try to associate Obama with these distasteful things out of desperation but it didn't work because the American people saw the deception. This is the same with associating Ms. Sheriff with Taylor, the Liberian people didn't fall for not cheap politicking.
Do you think Mr. Victoria Taylor, Cyril Allen, John T. Richardson, Lewis Brown, and Taylor other henchmen don't want to be Senator of Monsterrado? The fact is that they know fully well that they can never win an election in Liberia because of their connection with the criminal Taylor.
The hottest brand in Liberia is George Weah. It is unfortunate that a semi-illiterate will be calling the shots in Liberia but the responsible for this again fall directly on Taylor's shoulders. If Taylor has not brought a war that destroyed all our institutions of learning and recruited most of our young people to fight his dirty war, Liberia would have had a high literacy and well informed population. If Taylor has not brought his war that destroyed all productive activities and made Killing, rape, looting and extreme suffering the only news coming out of Liberia, Weah exploits on the football wouldn't have gotten the kind of attention it got thus translating Weah into some sort of cult figure.
As someone rightly put it "Every wrong in some way tends to abolish itself."
The illiteracy and ignorance of our people entrenched by Taylor and his unholy alliance with our nasty politicians is now being used against them. Taylor and his stooges and henchmen deliberately keep our people illiterate, indoctrinated them with lies and deception and used them to eliminate their own educated people with the aim of keeping them loyal perpetually. Now, this high degree of illiteracy and ignorance is now working against the ruling elite.
Don't get me wrong. I, in no way, support the barbarism of Samuel Doe but I believe that war has never been and will never be the best ways of solving problems. There were many other alternatives of getting rid of Doe without War.
I am 101% convinced that Taylor's war was not about democracy, rule of law or justice for all Liberia. It was all about Taylor greedy for ill-gotten wealth and Power canopy under the name of liberation and he would go any length including Sierra Leone and do anything to achieve such.
All objective, well-informed and well meaning Liberians know that Taylor is guilt for all the crimes he is being prosecuted for and even more. I am certain that Taylor will be found guilt despite the brilliancy of his defense consul. I'm certain because the blood of our innocent beloved ones will never be in vain. I have heard the argument that Taylor is not being tried for crimes committed in Liberia. That is indeed truth but doesn't deny the fact that Taylor being found guilt will be a form of justice for all victims of Taylor's madness even if indirectly.
In the very unlikely event that Taylor win this case, it will not because he is innocent but simply because the prosecution didn't do a good work. If the impossible was to happen that these charges are dropped against Taylor, that will just be the beginning of Taylor's problems. The US government can request his extradition to the US for breaking jail and many other individuals and government he is lying on save his neck can also take him to court.
One thing is certain, Taylor will never again become a free man.
are you aware that Cyril Allen was banned by President Sirleaf election commissioner James Fromaya in th by election of Margibi county. The reason why he was banned according to the commissioner was because he was not allegedly a legal residence of Kakatown, which of course was not true. However, they knew he would have won, that's why he was stopped before he sent the right signal to the world. However, he endorsed the CDC candidate Kaine Roland Cooper, who inevitably won President Johnson Sirleaf UP Party.
When Taylor was explaining about how much he paid for house and the so-called land he brought, my mind ran straight to Oldma Nowah Flomo. The old woman that was butchered in Congo town because she refused to give her us house ( a house near Taylor's white flower residence) to Taylor's Security.
May Nowah Flomo rest in perfect peace. Rest assured that your killers will be punished so many how long it takes.
Nobody is argument against Taylor winning an election with over 70-75% of the total votes cast in 1997. The argument is whether Taylor won out of love or fear. For your information, Saddam Hussein won 100% of the votes in Iraq just before his removal. So, don't be too excited about 70-75%.
If Taylor really won out of Love, the Liberian people would have resisted his arrest. The fact that President Sirleaf made Nigeria to turn Taylor over to the Special Court via the Liberian government without seeking the approval of the National Legislature and yet not a single soul , save Taylor's henchmen, has protested against Taylor' arrest only goes to tell you that this criminal and liar Taylor was never love by the Liberian People. If Taylor is love by the Liberian people as you want us to believe then why are there no public protest or demonstration around Liberia calling for his release? Don't tell us that the Liberian people are cowards and afraid to get on the street. For even the crook Mulbah Morlu has been able to carry out several public demonstrations calling for the establishment of a war crime court in Liberia and the former AFL personnel have held several demonstrations for their pensions and other benefits. How can a very patriot, a nationalism, a pan-Africanism and beloved President of Liberia be 'wrongly' arrested and 'wrongly' charged yet no reputable patriotic organizations, human right organizations, pan-african institutions, Liberian political institutions, Liberian social organization, etc has come out to condemn Taylor's arrest? The United Nations is against Taylor, the AU is against Taylor, ECOWAS is against Taylor, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast is against Taylor, Nigeria and South Africa is against Taylor. How can everybody of relevant and important because one individual? Even Saddam had supporters in UN and around the world. Even Ahmadinejad of Iran has supporters around the world. Even Sudanese President Bashir is getting some support from the AU against his indictment by the ICC but your man Taylor none.
The bitter truth is that Taylor is a disgraced and no serious minded person want to be associated with him. We know and fully understand that you Taylorists miss Taylor and his jungle justice. You guys miss the days when you would used your guns to get anything you wanted. We understand that you guys are not use to living in a normal society-where you will have to work to make a living. So, we understand why you keep on deluding yourself that Taylor is winning the case. My brother you write claim it million times that Taylor is not guilty that will never change the fact that Taylor is a cold blood murderer and a criminal of the highest order. You need to get use to the hard fact that Taylor will never be a free man again and that your glorious land of lawlessness will never return to Liberia.
Now you are blaming President Taylor again for Opong popularity. You are also accusing people who have different views from you on this fake case as not well meaning Liberian. You are also acknowledging that the prosecution is doing a slopping job, if President Taylor is set freed. Certainly, you mentioned the US will want to hold him for breaking jail, if he is found not guilty. Therefore, Taylor will never be a free man again.
Big Joe, you have just defeated your own purpose. You are drowning while I'm chilling and having fun with my Rami Martin Cognaic Grand Kru Cognaic, and my Taylor wine, along with Royal Crown Cook with my friends.
All you have said, clearly, shows that you don't care about the case and the Sierra Leonean people; instead, you just want to see this innocent man being put away.
Bro, aint going to happen. Taylor is your next president, if he is acquitted in 2010. If he is acquitted 2011 before election, we will prevail upon him to run and he better not refuse our petition and request.
So Big Joe, standby to standby. It is going to happen.
After reading , "Look. The reason why Gerldine won was because she was fully supported by people of the NPP, and not because of geoge weahs' popularity. Another thing I want you get clear today is that, you guys need to stop making weah feel that he can become president in Liberia. The job weah knows is football and that where he is going to stay.. PERIODE!!!" do you think anyone on this site will ever take you serious?
We all know that the NPP party was divided during this senatorial election with one group led by Bennoi Urey supporting his brother the UP candidate and another group led by Taylor former wife supporting the CDC. Yes, one of the UP campaign strategy was to accuse Mrs Sheriff as being an NPFL fighter because it was a strategy that would have cost her the election. That just go to show that being accused as being an NPFL fighter can cost you an election otherwise the UP wouldn't have used it. Your argument is like saying because Obama was accused of being a radical Muslim in some republican dirty campaign and still won the election then being a radical muslim is very popular in the United States.
Yes, George Weah is the most popular and best love Liberian. Even Taylor knew this fact very well that is why he was very afraid of Weah's popularity and made this nice and easy-going guy his enemy and going as far as ordering the looting of Weah's properties.
I personally don't think Weah is a Presidential material but the ordinary Liberians think otherwise. The primary reason Liberians love and respect George Weah is for the fact that when Charles Taylor and his killing machine were making the worst possible news in Liberia, the only positive about Liberia was the exploit of George Weah. When Taylor was destroying Liberia and killing many Liberians and making many other Liberians' lives unbearable, Weah was bringing great joy to Liberians by his performances on the football field. While Taylor was drugging our children, teaching them how to commit some of the most heinous crimes and turning them in harden murderers, Weah was showing our youth what can be achieved with natural talents.
Taylor comes from the America-Liberian clique that robbed our country for over 139 years, went to University in the US on the sweat and toil of our people and then used our people ignorance and illiteracy to divide and rule them whereas Weah was a victim of the America-Liberian bad leadership, was deprived of equal opportunity and the right to decent life yet despite these odds Weah rose to become the greatest Liberian today. Taylor is an embodiment of everything wrong with Liberia while Weah is a true representation of the Liberian courage and the Liberian potentiality. Yes, Weah is an embodiment of what is good about Liberia. When Taylor was stealing almost a million from the GSA, Weah was going with hungry stomach and bare feet to practice soccer. When Taylor was moving all over the sub-region recruiting men to destroy his own country, Weah was working hard on taking Liberia to the World Cup. When Taylor starting killing Liberians, recruiting kids to fight and looting Liberia, Weah was being named Africa Player of the year. When Weah was being named African, European and African Player of the year, Taylor was strategizing how to rain havoc on the densely populated Monrovia and inflict enough horror and suffering in the presence of ECOMOG so that the Liberian people can know that is just a dress rehearse of what Taylor will do if he is not voted President
The most famous Liberian today is Weah while the most notorious Liberian today is Taylor. The most love Liberian today is Weah while the most fear Liberian today is Taylor. The most respected Liberian today is Weah while the most disgraced Liberian is Taylor. The richest Liberian through honest means is Weah while the richest Liberian through ill-gotten means is Taylor. The most unifying Liberian is Weah while the most polarizing Liberian is Taylor. The Liberian that has brought the most joy to his people is Weah while the Liberian that has brought more sorrow to his people is Taylor. Taylor will forever be remembered as the First African President to ever be tried for War crimes whereas George Weah forever being remembered as the First African to ever become the World best Footballer. The comparing between Weah and Taylor is like the comparing between heaven and hell.
In short, Taylor is the antonym of Weah.
Mr. Webb,
You Americans never stay out of people bussiness. Can you please try to think about completing your CIA mission and leave us alone.. ok..
I was one of those Liberians that got on the streets of Monrovia singing that song, "you killed my ma, you killed my pa, i will vote for you." True. We voted for him. How can you tell me that I voted for him because I was afraid? I know myself more than you knowing me. So please don't lie for me to the world. Again, knowing what we know now, we will still vote for him. We will still sing that song even more with new words or lines.
Speaking about President Taylor arrest, some African presidents condemned his arrest. For example: Mommar khadafee of Lybia, the late Oman Bongo of Gabon, and etc. So, stop misrepresenting the facts. Secondly, a statute of President Taylor was erected in Monrovia, though vandalized with graffiti at times. Billboards have also been erected in Monrovia for President Taylor.
Lastly Big Joe, why didn't President Johnson Sirleasf bring the issue of President Taylor arrest to our people through our National Legislature if you say he is unpopular? OK, forget about that question. Why he couldn't have been tried in Sierra Leone or Liberia? Alright, forget about this question too. Why did Ellen say she didn't want him to spend at least five minutes in Liberia? Leave this other question also. Why is Great Britian offering prison facilitate for him and not Liberia? Play this other question low. Why Ellen said "Liberia has no charge on Taylor"?
Madman December 1, 2009 at 6:23 am
can u go back and read what u wrote? because none of those questions make a single bit of sense. What presidents protested taylor's arrest? khadafi and Bongo. why didn't compaore protest, when he was said to be one of taylor's closest friends? That goes to show that not all his fellow blood suckers saw him as innocent.
Jose Rodriguez December 2, 2009 at 8:04 am
Madman,
don't get mad, get glad. However, the reason why I suggeset that you get glad is, because I correctly answered Big Joe question. However, Big Joe question was, why no African president opposed or made statement against his arrest. So Madman, I only name two for him. I did this in order to debunk his false assertion that there was not an African president that resented his arrest or words to that effect. Notwithstanding, if you have any problems with those two African presidents, simply state it.
Concerning President Blaise Campaore of Burkina Faso, are you aware, that he is named in this ongoing trial of President Taylor as an accomplice to Mr. Taylor? Whether you like it or not, it is taking the entire world to bring this innocent man to his knees and not you and your likes. Madman, one thing I can assure you; you will be as unhappy as the way you came after this whole thing is over.
Musa November 28, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I was concerned with comments made by King Gray that you were "intentionallly misleading" the audience. However, I think you have made your case with him.
j fallah menjor November 28, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Big Joe you are on target with these liars and so called supporters of the rebel,gankay. It shouldn't be a surprise to most of how these criminals twist things around to make themselves feel good. their hateful remarks reminds me of the Republicans back Home in America against the Democrates! But no matter what they say and twist, the facts remain and their chief is not only being disrobed in the web of his own deceptions and mountains of lies, but is leaving room for future prosecutions of his followers! These guys will be surprised how we will persue them! Nothing further!
Lambert Guindo November 29, 2009 at 7:13 am
Is the prosecutor going to call Blaise Compaore to testify? That will be interesting because Mr. Compaore was involved in a deal with Mr. Taylor. He too received diamonds from Sierra Leone and he has sent troops to fight for Mr. Taylor and Sierra Leone rebels. Fro the sake of justice he should be called to testify.
Lambert Guindo
Lambert Guindo,
where are you getting your news from? Can you seriously in all fairness, provide proofs that President Campaore received diamonds from sierra Leone? Look Lambert, this case is very serious and does not require any sweeping statement that is not based on facts. At least, show some documents, facts, and evidence to back up your claims instead of, making statement like the prosecution without evidence.
Lambert,
This is the same thing we are all saying. All players of the conflit at the should be called to order, including TEJAN KABA. Taylor might have lived in that region at the time and was most popular and powerfull, that does not make him the parent of all these adults who decided to carried on dubious acts.
Thank you very much for your prompt reply. I am praying for justice for the people of Sierra Leone and Liberia. My hope is also to see Blaise Compaore and the others bring to the court and tell their stories. Sierra Leone and Liberia deserve justice. The people of these two countries have suffered too much while the killers and perpetrators are rich from the blood diamonds. May god bless the people of Sierra Leone and Liberia.
sansee November 29, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Thanks Big Joe.
You took time to respond to the taylorites, rebels and rebel lovers and supporters. The contrast that you drew between Weah and Taylor is so stark.
It continues to baffle me how some of us Liberians can support killers, looters and criminals. They say, "Taylor committed crimes in Liberia and we want to see him face trial for those crimes, but for Sierra Leone, he is innocent." The man, himself has admitted that he sent arms, troops and supplies into Sierra Leone in '91 and '92 and that he had dealings with those people during this time. He said that Sankoh was his friend and brother and Bockarie was like a son to him. How can he be so close to these people and he and they are involved in the same enterprise and he not know what they are doing? I guess common sense is not common at all. No one hates Taylor. Taylor hates himself. He is the one who decided to become a rebel, cause the death of thousands of his country men, destroyed his entire country and meddle into the affairs of a neighboring nation.
For those of you who see Taylor as your hero and leader, you have to be very close to his mindset or be part of his enterprise to continue to support him. Just because you are a Liberian doesn't mean that you must support every Liberian, no matter what. Liberians who make us proud and do the right things, we must support. Liberians who bring us disgrace and destroy our country don't deserve our support. Whether it is Taylor, Kromah, Boley, Johnson or whoever, they need to be condemned for their crimes against innocent citizens. when they show proper and genuine regret for their deeds, then Liberians will forgive them.
Sansee,
We may be what soever discription you 've attached to us, one thig I know is that you don't live a better life then anyone of us on this site. Who knows, you may be one of those criminals who you are making caims against to day. Charles Taylor is my god damn heroe. don't care how you feel. He was lied on , and we will never hesitate to tell you.
Sansee
Liberians have already forgiven President Taylor. Sorry Sansee, if you have not forgiven him. But vast majority of the people of Liberia forgave him when they cast their ballot in the presidential election of 1997, of which he won with over 75% of the total votes cast. Do you remember that song, " you killed my ma, you killed my pa, i will vote for you"? Sansee, that song was sang by Liberians and not the international community that is prosecuting him in the name of Sierra Leone. Besides Sansee, you are not more Liberian than other Liberians. We all own Liberia.


(AGI) - Rome, October 5, actress Anna Maria Gherardi has died. Funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday October 7 at 10 am, in Rome, in the chapel of Holy Family Health. Anna Maria Gherardi, born in Bologna October 15, 1939 and was an Italian actress of theater, film and television, active mainly in the 1970s. Occasionally she was also dubber: she gave her voice to Emmanuelle Riva in "Gli occhi, la bocca" (1982), and was the narrator in "Al Fatah – Palestine", (1970). Gherardi was trained at the school of the Piccolo Teatro di Milano, where she graduated, debuted in 1960, at twenty-one, in Adelchis, playing alongside Vittorio Gassmann. She was active in the area of experimental theater and Roman and was directed by Maurizio Scapparo in "Le serve di Jean Genet", who was in the cast Piera Degli Esposti. Her repertoire includes, among others, the works of Arthur Schnitzler and Pedro Calderon de la Barca. Directed by Luca Ronconi and interpreter was Ignorabimus of Arno Holz, and the job for which' was awarded the 1986 prize theatrical Ubu.


text:
Q: Guessing Game in PHP I have been having some issues with my PHP code, more specifically being that I am attempting to create a guessing game that allows for more than one attempt on the same random number, but at the moment it only resets and does not track attempts.
I have attempted to add a while-loop and a do-while loop around the if statements inside of the PHP section to no avail, with all that happens being 5 instances of any given message appearing. I believe it may have to do with the ending to my HTML but I have not been able to solve this after hours. I apologize if there is a similar answer somewhere else; I have searched and found nothing. Thank you for any advice given.
<!DOCTYPE html>

    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title>Guess a Number</title>
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
    <link href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/bootstrap@5.2.0-beta1/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet" integrity="sha384-0evHe/X+R7YkIZDRvuzKMRqM+OrBnVFBL6DOitfPri4tjfHxaWutUpFmBp4vmVor" crossorigin="anonymous">
    <link href="style.css" rel="stylesheet">

Number Guessing Game

    <?php
    if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
        $randNum = rand(1, 10);

        $guessNum = " ";

            if ($randNum == $_POST["num"]) {
                echo "
Correct!
";
            } else if ($randNum > $_POST["num"]) {
                echo "
Too low; please try again!
";
            } else if ($randNum < $_POST["num"]) {
                echo "
Too high; please try again!
";
            }
    }
    ?>

    <form method="post">

I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 10.

Guess a number (1-10):

            <input type="number" name="num" min="1" max="10" autofocus>

    <input type="submit" value="Guess" class="button">

</form>

A: Without a session, cookies or database PHP does not remember your intial random number, and always generates a new one.
To work around this, you need to use sessions.
That means starting the session as mentioned by Definitely not Rafal and checking if you already wrote something into it,
  session_start();
    if (!isset($_SESSION['rand_num'])){
        $_SESSION['rand_num'] = random_int(1, 10);
    }
    $randNum = (int)$_SESSION['rand_num'];

Complete code below, with a little type safety added.
<!DOCTYPE html>

    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title>Guess a Number</title>
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
    <link href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/bootstrap@5.2.0-beta1/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet"
          integrity="sha384-0evHe/X+R7YkIZDRvuzKMRqM+OrBnVFBL6DOitfPri4tjfHxaWutUpFmBp4vmVor" crossorigin="anonymous">
    <link href="style.css" rel="stylesheet">

Number Guessing Game

    <?php
        session_start();
        if (!isset($_SESSION['rand_num'])){
            $_SESSION['rand_num'] = random_int(1, 10);
        }
        $randNum = (int)$_SESSION['rand_num'];
        $guessNum = (int)$_POST['num'];

        if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] === "POST") {
            if ($randNum === $guessNum) {
                echo '
Correct! Try again?
';
                $_SESSION['rand_num'] = random_int(1, 10);
            } else if ($randNum > $guessNum) {
                echo '
Too low; please try again!
';
            } else if ($randNum < $guessNum) {
                echo '
Too high; please try again!
';
            }
        }
    ?>

    <form method="post">

I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 10.

Guess a number (1-10):

                    <input type="number" name="num" min="1" max="10" autofocus>

        <input type="submit" value="Guess" class="btn btn-primary">
    </form>

However, as mentioned in another comment, the ideal solution for anything more complex than this would be a database or javascript and AJAX and a database.
I also strongly recommend you to look into the MVC pattern, since this php in html inclusion can get messy really fast.
Here's a few links that would help with that:

*

*MVC starter

*Working with databases

*Working with databases alternative

*Bringing structure to plain PHP and a starter for Frameworks

*Javascript for PHP devs

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
"One of the Worst Downturns in Recent History": Zuck Warns Facebook Employees to Brace for Layoffs
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told staff in a recent Q&A session that he plans on "turning up the heat" on performance goals to get rid of employees who "shouldn't be there." Zuckerberg has a gloomy outlook on the economy and Facebook's performance, stating, "If I had to bet, I'd say that this might be one of the worst downturns that we've seen in recent history."
Reuters reports that Facebook (now known as Meta) CEO Mark Zuckerberg told staff in a recent Q&A session that he plans on "turning up the heat" on performance goals as the company's growth continues to slow. Zuckerberg told staff in an audio recording heard by Reuters: "If I had to bet, I'd say that this might be one of the worst downturns that we've seen in recent history."
Zuckerberg told staff that the company is introducing aggressive performance targets, aiming to lose employees who are unable to meet them. "Realistically, there are probably a bunch of people at the company who shouldn't be here," Zuckerberg said.
He added: "Part of my hope by raising expectations and having more aggressive goals, and just kind of turning up the heat a little bit, is that I think some of you might decide that this place isn't for you, and that self-selection is OK with me."
Zuckerberg also told staff that the company had reduced its hiring target for engineers for the year to 6,000 to 7,000, down from 10,000. Chief Product Officer Chris Cox said in a recent memo that the company would have to "prioritize more ruthlessly" and "operate leaner, meaner, better executing teams."
Facebook is also facing major backlash after imposing charges on apps created for its virtual reality headsets. Developers have begun complaining about commercial terms set by the company as it attempts to turn CEO Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse vision into reality.
Facebook has pledged to spend $10 billion a year over the next 10 years to develop the metaverse. Other tech giants including Apple and Microsoft have also begun experimenting with their own AR and VR headsets.
However, a number of developers talked to the Financial Times, stating that Facebook has begun insisting on a charging model for its VR app store similar to the current system employed by many mobile app stores. This appears to be directly at odds with Zuckerberg's previous criticism of the charging policies used by mobile app stores.
This scumbag demon better brace for the collapse of this country I'm sure he's got Villas all over communist countries he better stay there and never show his face in America again with his communist Antichrist anti-American groups & organizations when this corrupt government collapses this country with his help and money he used to help destroy this country, and turn it into a socialist Mecca of corrupted government New World Order satanic pigs like himself and bill Gates with all his satanic eletist organizations. There's ways to bring these demons down without firing a shot smart people out there know how to do it
Bradey says:
Still WANTED in Wisconsin for throwing the election in 2020!! Some are spending their lives to get this guy and many more are supporting that. He is a commie and should never have the right to sleep at night
Just another evil disgusting POS Jewbag. Most of them are despicable human garbage.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The European Union and Britain have given themselves a few more weeks to break the deadlock in their Brexit talks.
President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker says the EU is ready to extend the Post-Brexit transition period.
Donald Tusk President of European Council says, "What I feel today is that we are closer to final solutions to the deal but it's maybe more of an emotional impression than rational one but as you know emotions matter also in politics"
But Britain's Prime Minister, Theresa May says she wants to focus on a solution to the Northern Ireland border issue rather than thinking about an extension period.
Theresa May, UK Prime Minister says, "What we are not doing, we are not standing here proposing an extension to the implementation period. What we are doing is working to ensure we have a solution to the backstop issue in Northern Ireland"
Both the EU and Britain want to avoid a 'hard border' between Northern Ireland and Ireland. But this issue is causing a major stumbling block in finalising any Brexit deal.
UK-wide backstop to break Brexit impasse?


text:
Home > News > Walpole Bowls
Walpole Bowls
Visitors to the Library may recall a magnificent sugar maple that stood in front of the historic barn as one drove onto the property, providing much-appreciated shade to the barn in the summer and a spectacular display of color in the fall. The exact age of the tree was unknown, but it is estimated that it was well over 100 years when sadly, due to age and infirmity, it had to be removed in the summer of 2018. Happily, however, a Yale initiative that seeks to preserve the memory of great Yale trees has enabled the Library to extend the legacy and useful life of its historic Barn Maple for many years to come.
Under the auspices of Yale Bowls, wood from the tree was crafted into an exclusive series of thirty-one hand-turned vessels, each one unique in size and appearance, each one destined to be gifted on behalf of the Library as the occasion warrants. Each numbered bowl comes in its own gift box, accompanied by a card that tells the history of the bowl and of the tree from which it was made.
The first of the Walpole Barn Maple bowls to be gifted was presented this fall to Nancy Rankin, in honor of her husband, Hugh C. Macgill, long-time member of the Library's Board of Managers, who passed on earlier this spring.
by Nicole Bouché


text:
describe('AppCtrl', function() {
	describe('isCurrentUrl', function() {
		var AppCtrl, $location, $scope;

		beforeEach(module('bigboldwords'));

		beforeEach(inject(function($controller, _$location_, $rootScope) {
			$location = _$location_;
			$scope = $rootScope.$new();
			AppCtrl = $controller('AppCtrl', {
				$location: $location,
				$scope: $scope
			});
		}));

		it('should pass a dummy test', inject(function() {
			expect(AppCtrl).toBeTruthy();
		}));
	});
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


6-piece wine gift set: deluxe matte metal corkscrew, foil cutter, spare turning mechanism, drip catcher, bottle stopper and spout. In an elegant wooden box. Each set in a box.
To order an unprinted Grandeur wine gift set, please complete the details below.


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