I Would Take Voluntary Stand Before TRC

Rumors, disinformation, misinformation are all courts of public opinions in Liberia that are credited for lynching their targets without mercy. Gradually, and due to the longtime culture of rumors and disinformation, some Liberians conjecture that there is truth in every rumor told in the country. During the civil conflict, for instance, where the news media were scanty, if not non-existent, rumor mills were popular sources of information. Whether it was about would-be attack by one group of warring faction or another, or the killing of a top rebel commander or another, rumors were the vehicles of news and information. And civilians took precautions, and some got safe, from rumors.

More besides, the civil-conflict-related rumors were also sources of information not only on atrocities meted out against civilians, but also on Liberians, as well as non-Liberians, that were believed to be giving direct or indirect supports to one warring faction or another. While eking out a living in volatile internally and externally displaced centers, or while eating their burger wheat on bare earth, war-beleaguered Liberians soothed their pitiful condition telling tales of what they knew about the war and its prosecutors. They were fond of toying with names of people, tribes and countries that they believed formed or backed or administered one warring faction or another.

To a point: The people were not gods to be definitive about who backed what warring faction. They were not in the Diaspora to know, and be certain, about the details of the various warring factions that were being exported from abroad. All they knew was that there was a ceaseless war triggering horrors and mayhems; and these wars could not have been possible without Liberian internationalists--politicians, economists, militarists, diplomats--who knew the locations of black markets for arms, who knew their colleagues of friendly and neighboring countries that could give them cover, support and entry into Liberia. As so, the rumor mills were indiscriminate, probably truthfully or probably falsely, linking this Liberian or that Liberian to this faction or that faction. By the time the war ended in 2003, the list of supposed or alleged Liberian war barons was endless, and on it also was Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is now President of Liberia.

During the 2005 as it was earlier in Accra when the last transitional government was being midwifed, the issue of selecting a “neutral” Liberian as head of state featured prominently in the political debates. When Charles Gyude Bryant was finally selected as head of the transitional government, eyebrows were raised at the losers who included Ellen, whether in fact the losers were therefore not neutral. But then in 2005 she was elected, nearly petering out public perception of her war-related culpability. However, Liberians with retentive memories recall that a pal or former pal of Ellen, Tom Wowieyu, recharged her complicity with volleys of accusation amongst which was Ellen's original foundership and alleged cash contribution towards the war efforts of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), the largest warring faction headed by former President Charles Taylor.

It can be recalled that Ellen took Woewiyu to court in protest to the allegations he made against her but she had to withdraw the litigation “for the sake of peace and reconciliation.” While the gesture of the Ellen makes her a pioneer of postwar reconciliation, it nonetheless leaves undecided the lingering rumors of her involvement in planning the war, as well as the consequences left behind. Many are still of the opinion probably wrongly or probably rightly that the President was a chief ideologue and financier of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia. In fact, there are other Liberians who say she conspired against the Government of the NPFL-turned NPP leading to the crumbling of the Charles Taylor-led regime. Still there are others who believe she formed part of agitation, if not subversion, against the William Tolbert-led True Whig Party Government.

What is the truth or the false about these rumors or “disinformation”? By what means will Liberians, still wallowing in the seas doubt, get to know?

Besides, Ellen is the head of Government, who has promised to lead by examples. Twice, since her incumbency, she has proven her words: first by foregoing litigation against her accuser, Tom Woewiyou, over link with NPFL and the Liberian war, and second by leading her officials to HIV/AIDS test. These are shining testaments of a leader who leads by examples.

In the ongoing TRC hearing process, if I were Ellen, I would extend my leading-by-example crusade. I would voluntarily take the podium since nearly all the high commands of the warring factions and revolutionaries are pretending innocence, and since the TRC lacks the fortitude and the gut to invite or compel these known “freedom fighters” to submit to the hearing process.

If I were Ellen, I would not wait for accusers to come forward before appearing. In these momentous hours of the hearing process, I would take the stand to tell the people of Liberia and the international community what I know about the serial political upheavals that spanned from 1979 to 2003. I would state my innocence, if not my guilt, in the conspiracies that triggered various imbroglios; and if possible confess names of colleagues and adversaries during the period.

If I were Ellen, I would not forget that my appearance as President of Liberia and longtime revolutionary would make the TRC process more meaningful and substantive, and would facilitate a process to which all other longtime advocates and progressives would gravitate.

If I were Ellen, I would be concerned about the rumors, the misinformation and disinformation, about my role during the period being investigated by the TRC. I would therefore go beyond general apologies. I would see my appearance as a opportunity to clear the air about all the odd things to which public hold in contempt, including but not limited to reports of a 1990 visit to Liberian border town of Buutuo and the highly controversial military order to level the Execution Mansion for rebuilding in a short while.

If I were Ellen, I would speak of the extent of my innocence or guilt on all the allegations before the TRC before assuming clean slate or before issuing apologies for whatever wrongdoings.