Disgust at Ghana's inaction on Taylor indictment

Accra, June 5, GNA - Members of Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) on Thursday expressed disappointment and disgust at Ghana's failure to comply with the directive of the UN War Crimes Court in Sierra Leone to arrest Liberia's President Charles Taylor in Accra on Wednesday.

Mr Charles D. Bennie, Political Adviser, National Executive Committee of LURD said: "The directive is from an international court under the mandate of the UN and all governments of the world are to respect and comply with UN directives. It is, therefore, unfair and a bad precedent to escort Taylor out of Ghana."

The Court on Wednesday urged the Ghanaian Government and the international community to take a decisive action on the matter.

The Court that is trying people for war crimes in Sierra Leone issued a warrant for his arrest.

The Political Adviser, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra said: "We are deeply touched by the behaviour of the Ghanaian government which incidentally chairs the ECOWAS to show total disrespect to an international order."

Mr Bennie, therefore, called on President Taylor to hand over himself to the court "or progressive forces of Liberia and the international community would use all legitimate means and processes to arrest him".

He said Ghana should recognise the potential threat that President Taylor and his government posed to the West African Sub-Region in general and Ghana in particular.

The grand strategic plan of President Taylor, he said, was to destabilise the whole Sub-Region, irrespective of past relationship, from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire. He asked: "After Cote d'Ivoire what next?"

On the alleged coup attempt in Liberia less than 24 hours after his indictment, Mr Bennie described it as "rebel communist propaganda machinery to divert attention, and to re-organise str! ategically against the indictment order".

West Africa and the international community "should not allow President Taylor and his collaborators to divert their attention from the main issues".

Mr Bennie also called for the resignation of President Taylor, stressing, "we cannot negotiate with an internationally recognised criminal".

He also accused President Taylor of political executions, corruption, electoral fraud and other social vices against Liberians for which he must resign.

Mr Bennie said LURD remained committed to ensuring a peaceful settlement of the crisis in their country.

He said the Liberian people had faith in LURD to achieve a peaceful resolution of the conflicts in Liberia.

Mr Bennie also thanked the international community and ECOWAS for convening the meeting and pledged their outmost cooperation.