LIBERIA: Women Protest for Taylor's Associates

A cross section of women groups have presented a three-page petition to the government calling for the lifting of the UN travel ban imposed on female associates of former president Charles Taylor during the civil war.

The group included the Women in Peace Building in Liberia (COPPWILL) and the Coalition of Political Parties' Women in Liberia. The petition, with copies sent to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the National Legislature, seeks to ensure that travel ban placed on individuals who were branded by the United Nations Security Council as associates of ex-President Charles Taylor is lifted. The UN is believed to have taken the measure as a way of punishing those who used the war to exploit the nation's resources to the detriment of the Liberian people.

Among those who had been banned from travelling by the UN was Jewel Howard Taylor, former wife of Mr. Taylor.

Jewel is currently Senator for Bong County.

The women groups who went to the Capitol Building yesterday, said, they were constrained to raise their voices in an 'unmistakable chorus' against the denial of the accused persons' fundamental rights to travel.

They further considered the continuous imposition of the travel ban against the accused as a complete violation of their fundamental rights.

The women said they were totally against the United Nations Security Council travel ban on Bong County Senator Jewel Howard Taylor and other Liberian women.

Consistent with Article 20 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution which states that: “No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, security of the person, property, privilege or any other rights except as the outcome of a hearing judgment consistent with the provisions laid down in this Constitution and in accordance with due process of law,' the women groups said it was drawing the attention of central government to the case involving the imposition and protracted stay of travel ban on Senator Jewel Howard Taylor and others.

Other Liberian women placed on UN travel ban include former Information Minister, Victoria Refell; Agnes Reeves Taylor, believed to be the wife of ex-President Taylor' as well as Tupee Enid Taylor.

The statement read by the head of the executive director of the Women in Peace Building Network (WIPNET) Mrs. Marayah Faryneah said it was an irony to see the United Nations Resolution 1325 seeks the empowerment of women and freedom for women around the world, to key such travel ban on the accused.

They pointed out that the measures by the United Nations Travel ban should be removed.

The group also noted in their petition that they were disturbed over the indefinite 'persecution' of Sen. Taylor and others whose patriotic and peace-loving credentials are further validated by the overwhelming support of the people of Liberia especially Bong county.

The petition, a copy of which is in possession of the Daily Observer quotes the women as saying “injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere.” The petitioners further besieged President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the National Legislature to intervene by seeking the removal of the UN travel ban on Senator Taylor and other Liberian Women.

The lifting of the UN travel ban against the accused, according to the angry women groups, is aimed at ensuring the restoration of their rights of freedom, liberty and justice consistent with the vision of the United Nations and as guaranteed by the Liberian Constitution.

Dressed in white T-shirts and other regalia, the women said they, as women, would be unhappy come the 2011 General and Presidential Elections if President Sirleaf fails to intervene into the matter.

“We will not vote come 2011 elections if we are unhappy. We think it is fair that the names of Senator Taylor and others who are some of Liberia's 'distinguished female leaders' be removed from the UN travel ban.

'Enough is enough,' remove her name and other Liberian women in the spirit of peace and reconciliation,”

According to them, Senator Taylor and other Liberian women should be held accountable only for their personal deeds and not someone else's alleged crimes no matter the relationship.

For his part Vice President Joseph Boakai who received the petition lauded the efforts of the women groups describing it as a good venture.

He posited that it was not the desire of Unity Party Government to see its citizens placed under UN travel ban.

The Vice President further described Senator Taylor and other Liberian women on the UN ban as good citizens and wonders why they continued to face the measures from the UN Security Council.

He assured that the petition would be forwarded to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and other stakeholders for appropriate action.

More than three years ago, the United Nations issued a travel ban against Senator Jewel Howard Taylor and other Liberians for what the UN described as being close associates of former President Taylor, now, standing trial in The Netherland for war crimes, violation of international humanitarian laws among others in the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Taylor has rejected the charges against him, saying they were politically motivated and made at the behest of the United States and United Kingdom.

But the UN said the travel ban was imposed against the individuals for their roles in the illegal exploitation of Liberia's resources including timbers, Diamond and for restoration of peace to Liberia, then at war with itself.