A Liberian Group Calls on the United States Government "to Weed out Terrorist Taylor from Liberia"

(Statement)

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

January 27, 2003

Position Statement Of The Liberian Community In The Philadelphia Area On President Charles Taylor's Reported Involvement With The Alqaeda Terrorist Network

Our distinguished American friends and well-wishers, Representatives of the Government of the United States present
Members of the electronic and non-electronic media present,
Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations
Fellow Africans residing in the Philadelphia area
Liberians of the Philadelphia area and beyond
Ladies and gentlemen.

We, the citizens of Liberia residing in the Philadelphia area of the United States, have gathered here today with heavy hearts to express to the Government and people of the Great United States of America, our highest disapproval and condemnation of the reported involvement of our president, Charles Taylor with the AlQaeda Terrorist network following the catastrophic event of 9-11. The report, which was a front-page story in the December 29th edition of the renowned Washington Post newspaper, gave a detailed account of Presidents Blaise Compaoire and Charles Taylor's connection to the AlQaeda network. According to the report, apart from Taylor's general cooperation with the Alqaeda Network in its buying of blood diamonds from Sierra Leone, he received one million United States dollars from the terrorist group as a fee to hide two of its key operatives at the Gbatala base of Taylor's notorious Anti -Terrorist Unit, following the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center bombing in New York.

As you can see, one of our banners carries the blown up version of the Post story. The story of Taylor's Alqaeda connection was reported in major news networks in every state, including the Fox news and KYW of Philadelphia. We are saddened but not the least surprised by this revelation. We are not surprised because Charles Taylor's connection to the under- world and organized crime in and outside the African continent is well known to all peace-loving Liberians. Since December 24, 1989, Taylor has used these connections to institutionalize terror and violence in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and now Ivory Coast as a way of controlling power and wealth in West Africa. His score sheet on human rights abuses and gangsterism in Liberia and the West African sub-region is alarming. In Taylor's desire to control wealth and power in West Africa, he has made Liberia the headquarters of organized crime in West Africa and shamelessly converted it from a wholesome functioning state into a failed state. We are therefore not surprised about Taylor's reported connection with the Alqaeda Terrorist network

We want to let the American Government and people know that we are ashamed, embarrassed and saddened by the reported connection of President Charles Taylor to the Alqaeda Terrorist Network. The people of Liberia here and at home are God-fearing and peaceful people and they cherish and respect the sanctity of every human being. We therefore want to make it categorically clear that Mr. Taylor is alone in his support for the Alqaeda Terrorist Network. We condemn, and denounce Mr. Taylor's reported association with Alqaeda and like to assure the American people of our total rejection of this reported action of our president.

We want to express our complete and unreserved solidarity and support to the Government and people of the United States of America in their fight against the Alqaeda Terrorist Network and all who directly or indirectly associate with its plans and activities. We call on the Government of United States to make good on its threat that it will go after all those who terrorize America and those who harbor terrorist by addressing the Taylor angle of the Alqaeda Terrorist Network. By Taylor's reported connection to the Alqaeda Terrorist Network, he has become a joint enemy of the people of Liberia, the Mano River sub-region and the United States. Common problem requires common solution. We therefore, call on the Government and people of the United States to join ranks with the people of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and now Ivory Coast to address the Taylor factor in the search for peace in Liberia, the Mano River sub-region and the United States of America in maintaining international peace and security.

America, we say we are on the same boat with you; hence Taylor and the Al-Qaeda network are tampering with our collective security. A terrorist is a terrorist whether he is in America, Afganistan or Liberia and deserve similar treatment.

We therefore call on the American government to be very inclusive in dealing with the Alqaeda terrorists and their associates. Taylor must be dealt with like you did to Norriega . We call on America to weed out terrorist Taylor from Liberia. This man is the West African equivalence of Pablo Escoba, Osama Ben Ladden, Sadam Hussin, Idi Amin and Adolph Hitler.

We Liberians say, AMERICA, ACT NOW before it's too late. Taylor is a threat to regional and international security. As the administration is aware, the evidence is all over the place? Look at how he has destabilized Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and now the Ivory Coast. Taylor is gradually planting his seeds of terrorism in these countries with a larger goal of becoming a formidable force of terror for America and the rest of the world. Lets attack the cancer since it has not yet become terminal to the human race. Taylor is a cancer in West Africa with residence in Monrovia. If Taylor is not weeded out now, then when will he be stopped? Certainly now is the time.

To reiterate our call, we have assembled today to appeal to the American Government and the International community to listen to our cries. We as a people have suffered too long. Since the destruction of Liberia, the country has yet to see any form of reconstruction, all because of Mr. Taylor and his practice of bad governance. To this day, Liberia lacks basic public services like safe drinking water, electricity, health care facilities are but a distant dream, the country's educational system is in shamble, freedom of speech and the press have become alien to Liberians since Taylor's ascension to power, just to name a very few. Cardinal among the pressing needs of Liberians today is the holding of free and fair elections.

However, the reality is that there can never be a free and fair election with Taylor's security apparatus being in charge of state security.

For the holding of free and fair election to become a reality, the environment must be conducive for all candidates and electorates to freely exercise their franchise without any threat to their security by Taylor and his uniformed thugs under the guise of providing state security. Taylor is a destroyer and not a builder. This man and his co-conspirators must be dragged to the international war crime tribunal to pay for their cruelties against the peaceful people of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and now the Ivory Coast.

We call for the following specific actions:

1. We appeal to the government of the United States of America to go after Taylor for his connection to the Alqaeda Terrorist networks.

2. We call on the United States and the United Nations to use all means necessary to ensure the international supervision of the ensuing elections in Liberia.

3. We call on the international Contact group on Liberia to ensure that an international stabilization force is deployed in Liberia at least six months before the holding of elections.

4. Finally, we call on the United States and the United Nations to ensure that Charles Taylor is indicted for his support for the Revolutionary United front rebels of Sierra Leone.

The dignity of Liberia must be restored, but first Taylor must GO! We say justice and peace for Liberia but first Taylor must go.

We THANK ALL OF OUR AMERICAN FRIENDS AND WELL WISHERS and every Liberian here present FOR TAKING TIME OFF THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES TO JOIN OUR STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM FROM THE CLAWS OF TERRORISM AND SEEK PEACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR THE PEOPLE OF Liberia and THE WORLD.

All hail Liberia Hail
In union strong success is sure, we cannot fail
May God Bless THE PEOPLE of Liberia and the United States?

Signed by Liberian Community Association of Pennsylvania this 24th day of January 2003.

Ben Gboloweefa
President, Liberian Community Association of Pennsylvania

Dean Wilson
Chairman, Steering Committee/Peace Rally