By Philipbert Semogai Browne
The second Liberian Civil War was raging, the economy deteriorating on a free fall, and the government forces were losing grounds to LURD and MODEL on all fronts. The situation has gone from bad to worse with suppressive gun fire being heard in the Dwalla market, New Kru Town, Bushrod Island and Logan Town, in broad day light.
Citizens running around with anything that they could possibly carried. The entire capital city, Monrovia had braced for the worst. Foreign residents as well as government officials were fleeing the country. The Roberts International Airport was jammed pack awaiting any available flight.
In the mist of this complete chaos, Pres Taylor is seen quietly without siren, driving around the ghost city of Monrovia in a very large convoy of military trucks, loaded with armed men singing and shouting battle cries, creating the impression that he was still in charge.
After touring Monrovia, from Broad Street, Pres. Taylor and party took the Gurley to Ashmum Streets route, headed for the Freeport of Monrovia while LURD fighters were spotted at the Bong Mines Bridge. At the Freeport, Taylor got out of his bullet proof vehicle, militarily dressed in complete camouflage, bullet proof vest, military boots, steel combat helmet, shouting orders and deploying his men by platoons.
With his AK-47 weapon in his hand, Taylor attempted to move towards the battle front but his bodyguards quickly surrendered him redirecting his convoy facing Monrovia. In about an hour, LURD was in full retreat.The government forces would stop at Lott Carey Baptist mission and set their military buffer zone. Taylor would than leave the next day, June 2nd opening of the Accra Peace Talk with LURD, MODE, Liberia’s Political Leaders and member organizations of Liberia’s Civil Society on June 3rd.
Unfortunately, owing to Taylor’s presence at the opening ceremony of the Accra Peace Talks in early June 2003, and being in the know of privileged information that Pres. Taylor would be indicated and arrested in Accra, LURD and MODEL boycotted the opening Talks.
On that fateful morning of early June 2003, with the Accra Peace Talk scheduled to begin, the Ghanaian President John A. Kufuor, Chairman of ECOWAS and General Abdul Salami Abubakar, former Head of State of Nigeria and Co- Chairman of the Peace Conference were comparing notes at the Jubilee Palace, when the Indictment of Charles Taylor was unsealed and delivered to the Ghanaian government.
David Crane, the chief prosecutor of the Sierra Leona Special Court was worried that informing any African leader in advance or part of the Ghanaian government would have leaked to Pres. Taylor and Pres. Taylor would have refused to travel to the Peace Talks in Accra.
Caught unaware, the Ghanaian officials reacted angrily to the Indictment. They insisted that arresting Taylor would be a violation of the commitment they had made to all parties that they would guarantee their security and freedom while attending the Peace Conference. When Pres. Taylor was informed about what was transpiring, he shockingly remarked “what do you mean, Indictment? It is not possible to indict a sitting Head of State.”
Main while, the rumor of Pres. Taylor’s Indictment by the Special Court and arrest by the Ghanaian government in Ghana had spread like wildfire. There were immediate panic and outcries from Taylor’s circles and loyal forces to kill all Ghanaian citizens residing in Monrovia and it’s suburbs. Seen the evil in Pres. Taylor’s murder men eyes and on the move particularly to the West Point, a Ghanaian fishing community.
As providence would have it, while all the madness was unfolding, Pres. Taylor called Gen. Benjamin Yeatan, in the mist of total confusion, to say he was fine, and the rumor of his arrest was untrue. He instructed Yatan to get in contact with the Defense Spokesman and announced from one radio station to another that he was well and was on his way back home. Pres. Taylor would leave the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lewis Brown as head of the Liberian delegation to the Peace Talks to negotiate on behalf of the government.
Gen. Benjamin Yeatan would be joined by Gen. Melvin Sogbandi followed by a long convoy of fighters. Guarded by the Defense Spokesman, Yeatan would speak from one radio station to another, letting the citizens know that Pres. Taylor was well and, on his way, back home, lowering the tension that was at an extremely dangerous and explosive level. By the end of his speaking assignment, Pres. Taylor was airborne and in route home.
Gen. Yeatan, for security reasons would dismiss the huge crowd gathered outside of Taylor’s White Flower’s residence, that was comprised primarily of military men and head to the airport to receive the President of the Republic of Liberia. When Pres. Taylor arrived home, he was humble knowing that there was an unsealed international Indictment for his arrest.
Please Note: this series ends on Friday, as we are nearing the end of the “PLOT THAT FAILED. How Pres. Charles Taylor would fool Pres. Sirleaf in almost announcing Dr. Roland Massaquoi as her Vice running mate. See you on Friday.
