By Bill W. Cooper
Bomi County Senator Edwin Snowe says he is convicted that his colleagues’ decisions to draft and sign a resolution for the establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC) in Liberia is influenced by external forces.
Snowe’s assertion is based on Allen White and other Americans who were seeing in the Senate’s chamber during the signing of the document, something he pointed out made it appear as if the senators were coerced into signing the resolution.
Recently, two former warlords turned senators, Prince Johnson and Thomas Yaya Nimely were amongst 25 other senators to affix their signatures thereby concurring with the House of Representatives’ resolution calling for the establishment of a WECC in the country.
Though the resolution which has since garnered significant attention and support nationwide was signed by the Legislature, is not an automatic establishment of the court until a bill to establish the court is submitted and enacted by law.
The Resolution is just a statement of intent, as only the Legislature, as enshrined in the Constitution has the authority to establish a court but the onus is now upon the executive or any citizen or group of citizens to submit a bill to the Legislature calling the establishment of said court in the country.
Prior to the Senate’s decision, observers from both international and local organizations including Allen White and some Americans were among individual who witnessed the historic moment for Liberians and war affected victims in the sacred chambers of the Liberian Senate.
But Sen. Snowe however raised doubts as to the authenticity of the senators’ decision, asserting that their signing of the resolution may have been manipulated or is being forced due to fear of being sanction by the United States government.
Appearing on Spoon FM over the weekend, Snowe expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding the resolution’s approval, questioning the presence of Mr. White, a prominent American diplomat with a history of involvement in international justice initiatives in the Senate.
The Bomi County Senator who questioned White’s motives stated that something must have triggered the Americans’ attention because White is on record of coming after former President Charles Taylor confidants.
Former President Taylor is serving his 50-year sentence in a British Prison after being convicted by a Special Court for Sierra Leone in April 2012, with 11 of the counts on war and crimes against humanity including terrorism, murder, rape and using child soldiers in Sierra Leone.
Snowe noted, “Honestly Pro-Temp and colleagues, if I had known that Mr. Allen White was here, I would not have signed this resolution for the WECC because I know his objective is to look for Charles Taylor’s people. This is a U. S. Government project and not Liberians.”
“But if all of the Senators including our President believe that by bringing the WECC would give us a new Liberia that we all are yearning for, I support it but with all fairness, I think America and Mr. White aim is to get at former President Taylor,” he asserted.
“I was a speaker in this country when Charles Taylor was arrested and taken to Sierra Leone. The U.S. promised to do a lot in this country. Mr. Taylor is in prison and to date, nothing has happened but yet they are pressurizing us to sign WECC like we are their children,” he explained.
According to Snowe, it is also frustrating and disheartening to see that Liberians still go to the U.S. Embassy and are denied visas while neighboring Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Nigeria are hugely supported by their colonial fathers (Great Britain and France).
He wondered, “How can we be the product of the United States and we are the least treated? And some of our friends including our leaders are afraid to talk because they do not want to be placed on sanctions; is that the justice the US government is speaking off?”
“Even with the just-ended elections when we needed money to support these activities, it was ECOWAS, UN, and EU that helped us. The United States did not give us a dime, yet they wanted to direct our affairs,” the senator bemoaned.
“And interestingly, I was also placed under sanction only because I got married to Taylor’s relative and like some of my colleagues sitting in this chamber today are now placed under sanction without any due process, yet the US brags about human rights protection,” he intoned.
The Bomi County Senator further, ” And worst of it, is the fact they will want to denied you of even having conversation with those being sanctioned. They even instructed the Supreme Court to deny Cllr. Varney Sherman from practicing Law in this country because he is on sanction.”
“But today, they are the ones that are deciding for us. Telling us what they want and what they do not want and as soon as you talk, they will put you on sanction also. Is that the justice Washington promotes? But am prepared for any action from them,” Snowe announced.
Last week, members of the Legislature set Liberia on path of ending the culture of impunity by signing a resolution calling for the establishment of the long-awaited WECC in Liberia.
The Senate, in its amended version said, “I am writing to inform you of an amendment made to the House resolution entitled Joint Resolution number Dot Zero 01/20/24 of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia.”
The amendment seeks to establish an extraordinary Criminal Code and the Mexican corruption code for war and economic crimes in Liberia.
The document also provides that the Extraordinary Criminal Court to be established shall be known as the UN-backed “Special War Crimes Court for Liberia” (SWACCOL) to prosecute those who bear the greatest responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed between the period 1979 and 2003 under Article 34(f).
Consistent with Article 34(e)(b)(j)(l) of the 1986 Liberian Constitution, the Executive shall develop a legal framework and submit the same to the Legislature for enactment into law for the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Court (ACC) focusing from 1979 to 2003.
The agreement also said the President shall write the United Nations, the European Union, and the United States Government expressing the Liberian Government’s intention to establish the Extraordinary Criminal Tribunal on Liberian soil or alternatively to a country to be designated.
The Liberian Leader, according to the document shall further request financial and other assistance; develop a financial resource mobilization plan and submit it to the United Nations, the EU, the US Government, and other international partners to seek financial and economic support for the establishment and operations of the court.
“That the President shall report to the Legislature as to the progress made on the establishment of the two courts as well as challenges, if any, or outcome(s) of his engagements with the United Nations, the EU, the US Government, and other international partners regarding the resource mobilization plan and results, including domestic resource mobilization through the budgetary process, pursuant this Resolution,” the document added.
