Could you update your post to the most recent date for others to at least share their take on it? Bro. bring your evidence to court against this innocent man. Besides, why you not talking about Ellen who said she was with the NPFL, but prince Johnson? On top of that, you are not more Liberian than us. However, you are entitled to your opinions. Notwithstanding, we voted for him (Taylor) and we will still vote for him. Nice try though.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the trial. Your opinion seems quite similar to one also expressed by others here on this site: that the only way forward for Liberia as a nation is to ensure that people considered most responsible for the war that Liberians suffered through for so long are brought to trial to answer for their alleged role in crimes committed during the war — but at the same time, you (and others) have expressed disillusionment with the ability of national (and indeed, international) structures to be able to ensure that type of accountability occurs.

Your comment raises three questions out of curiousity for me: one is your thoughts on the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Can you help me understand why you think it is illegal and “rubbish” of a court?

The second is about the judicial process — there are other readers on this site who share your desire to see Mr. Taylor convicted, and there are others still on this site who worry about Mr. Taylor’s ability to receive a fair trial. As monitors, we are concerned to see that Mr. Taylor accounts for his alleged role in the crimes that he is charged with during the Sierra Leone conflict, and that as he does so, he receives a fair trial under international standards. To us, a fair judicial process is the only way that the final decision on his guilt or innocence made by the Special Court judges will have legitimacy and credibility. If false evidence and witnesses are brought before the court, and that is found out by the judges, it would actually undermine the case against him when the judges weighed the evidence brought before them — so such a strategy may in fact lead to the opposite effect of what you are hoping. Which brings me to my question: is your main concern with the process that Mr. Taylor may be set free and then never be held to account for the role he (and others) are alleged to have played in the Liberian conflict and the crimes committed during that conflict?

Which brings me to my third question: the Liberian TRC just recommended a hybrid court be set up to try people for the alleged crimes in the Liberian conflict — Charles Taylor and Prince Johnson are two names on the TRC Report’s list of those recommended for prosecution (you can see the full list here:https://www.trcofliberia.org/reports/final/volume-two_layout-1.pdf at p.349 — however, the final decision for who is prosecuted rightly lies with any future prosecutor appointed to such a court). Are you worried that this court may not be set up — or if it is, are you worried about its ability to bring high level people to trial?

I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts, Gabriel.

Best,
Tracey

Just a quick note for a few reasons:

One is regarding our moderation policy here in response to your question: there is just one main rule for this site – we encourage readers to focus on the issues arising from the trial and not to focus on other readers personally when they submit comments. Comments that do not adhere to that rule are not let through the moderating queue, and we either let the person know that their comment did not meet our policy and ask them to resubmit their comment so it can align with the policy, or else encourage readers who do not see their comment appear to review their comment independently and repost it. We will happily post any comment that meets our policy.

In response to your question about our moderation policy and why we would let people comment with names that are not familiar Liberian names make comments about Charles Taylor and Liberia — as background, we have started this website as a forum where everybody and anybody is encouraged and entitled to express his or her opinion about the Taylor trial and issues related or arising from it. We make no distinction as to names or nationality.

This is also the reason why we could not post your comment you made on January 2 at 10.10pm. It focused on another reader’s nationality. I know you are new to the forum so may not have been aware of our policy but I hope this explanation helps to explain why I could not post it — I will happily post it if you could resubmit it to align with our one rule here.

We look forward to hearing from you again soon, Gabriel.

Best,
Tracey

Since you have acknowledged and conceded that the prosecution case is weak, I will highly encourage you to join us in advocating the release of this innocent man.
However Joe, I agreed with you also that the prosecution case is weak, and so are many people think so too. Joe, if you think Taylor killed your people, you may also join us to advocate for war crimes court in Liberia if you are a Liberian. That way, you will be able to confront the accused directly. One more thing, you joining us to advocate for war crime court in Liberia should not be after President johnson Sirleaf is no more president and perhaps living outside of Liberia.

where did that come from: competition and I have “access to Taylor’s ill-gotten wealth”?

Big Joe, if I’m doing PR work, what kind of work are you doing on this site?

Big Joe, do you really think that I care whether you work hard for your living or not?

Big Joe, why are you telling me this in the first place?

Big Joe, I don’t want to know.

Big Joe, so the only logical reason you could come out with why you have embarked on this copy and paste practice is because, “it is very normal for you not to have the physical stimulus after a hard day of work?

Big Joe, I am laughing writing this post. Sorry, but I can’t help it, but to laugh.