Nirj Deva, Member of the European Parliament for South East England
and Coordinator of the European Parliament’s International
Development Committee will, in a session of Parliament on Thursday,
call for the arrest and trial of former Liberian dictator Charles
Taylor.
In the European Parliament, Conservative MEP Nirj Deva has lead the
cries to try Mr Taylor for genocide and has tabled a cross-party
Resolution calling for his immediate extradition from Nigeria and
trial.
The former President of Liberia, Taylor has recently been indicted
by the Special Court of Sierra Leone for actively supporting a
Revolutionary group in the country who were directly responsible
widespread atrocities in Sierra Leone. According to Amnesty
International, crimes included the systematic killings of civilians,
amputations, rape and other forms of sexual violence, the use of
child soldiers, abductions, and forced labour.
The court has charged 17 counts of war crimes, crimes against
humanity, and other serious violations of international humanitarian
law.
Taylor is currently living in exile in Nigeria, who have allowed him
to remain in their country in exchange for the commencement of the
peace-process in Sierra Leone and Liberia. International law,
however, requires that those suspected of committing war crimes or
crimes against humanity must be investigated and the Nigerian
authorities are obliged to arrest Mr. Taylor and to either surrender
him to the Special Court of Sierra Leone, or open an investigation
to determine whether to open criminal or extradition proceedings in
Nigerian courts
Speaking from Strasbourg, the MEP said:
“By passing my Resolution, the European Parliament has an
opportunity to show that wicked dictators will no longer be able to
indiscriminately start wars and slaughter innocent people without
retribution and justice knocking on their door.
“If Charles Taylor remains in Nigeria, it is doubtful that this
terrible man accused of a plethora of crimes will even face trial.
“Charles Taylor remains a threat to international peace and security
and continues to undermine efforts to support sustainable peace and
development in West Africa.
“After all the immense suffering they have endured the people of
Sierra Leone are entitled to finally see Charles Taylor brought to
justice.
“That is exactly what I will call for in the European
Parliament on Thursday.”
Notes to Editors
The full text of the Resolution to the European Parliament:
The European Parliament:
- having regard to the
Special Court for Sierra Leone, established by UN Security Council
Resolution 1315 of 14 August 2000, with the aim of putting to trial
those accused of crimes against humanity and violations of
international law committed in Sierra Leone; (PSE 1st indent)
-
having regard to international law, particularly the Geneva
Conventions and the Additional Protocol II on war crimes; (PSE 2nd
indent)
-
having regard to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement which was
concluded in Accra, Ghana, on 18 August 2003, with the aim of ending
more than 14 years of internal armed conflict in Liberia; (PSE 3rd
indent)
-
having regard to the Cotonou agreement between the EU and ACP
countries, which include Nigeria and Liberia, and the commitment by
parties to the Agreement to peace, security and stability, respect
for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law; (PSE
5th indent)
A.
Whereas Charles
Taylor, former President of Liberia, ran an authoritarian regime in
Liberia from 1997 until civil war broke out; (PSE A)
B.
Whereas 14 years
of violence and misrule in Liberia have resulted in immense human
suffering, particularly among civilians, as well as gross human
rights violations, massive displacement of populations, and a
breakdown of social and economic structures, (Greens D)
C.
Whereas the
conflict in Liberia has also contributed to severely destabilise the
whole West Africa sub-region, creating a humanitarian crisis of
tragic proportions, (Greens E)
D.
Whereas on 7
March 2003, Charles Taylor was indicted by the Prosecutor of the
Special Court for Sierra Leone on 17 counts of crimes against
humanity and war crimes, including murder, mutilation, rape, sexual
slavery and the recruitment of child soldiers; (PSE D)
E.
Whereas Taylor
continues to reside in Nigeria, citing head-of-state immunity from
prosecution, despite the fact that on 31 May 2004, the Appeals
Chamber of the Special Court for Sierra Leone rejected Charles
Taylor's claim to immunity from prosecution; (PSE F mod., partly
ALDE F and EPP-ED J)
F.
Whereas the
Government of Nigeria was crucial in helping to bring about the end
of civil war in Liberia; whereas and Charles Taylor accepted the
offer of asylum from the Nigerian Government on 6 July 2003; (PSE B)
G.
Whereas in
October 2003 the United Nations Security Council expressed its
concern about Charles Taylor’s ongoing efforts from exile to
destabilize Liberia and West Africa, thus breaking the previous
agreement with Nigeria granting him asylum, under which he committed
himself to abstain from any involvement in Liberian politics; (EPP-ED
M mod, deletion of "Ghankay")
H.
Whereas in August
2004, the United Nations Security Council imposed a travel ban upon
current Liberian officials for their alleged roles in acting as
couriers for Charles Taylor in Nigeria; (EPP-ED O mod., deletion of
"Ghankay")
I.
Whereas in
September 2004, the Special Representative of the Secretary General
of the United Nations testified before the United Nations Security
Council that: “Charles Ghankay Taylor’s shadow still looms over
Liberia.
Unless he is brought before the Special Court for Sierra Leone, many
ordinary Liberians will not be persuaded that the peace process is
sustainable.”;
(EPP-ED P)
J.
Whereas in
addition to voluntary contributions in excess of USD 30 million by
EU Member States to the creation and working of the Special Court
for Sierra Leone the European Union has itself supported the
Special Court for Sierra Leone in the amount of 800,000 Euros; (EPP-ED
G)
K.
Whereas elections
are currently scheduled for October 2005 in Liberia and the outcome
might be determined on the basis of fear of Charles Taylor’s return
rather than hope for the future; (EPP-ED Q mod.)
L.
Whereas peace and
stability in the Mano River Union countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone
and Guinea has proved indivisible, with a threat to one damaging the
chances for positive development in all; (EPP-ED T)
M.
Whereas Charles
Taylor remains a threat to international peace and security and
undermines European efforts to support sustainable peace and
development in West Africa; (EPP-ED U mod.)
N.
Whereas impunity for Taylor
would defy international law, be an affront to Taylor's innumerable
victims and undermine the establishment of a lasting peace in the
region based on the rule of law; (ALDE D)
O.
Whereas the
people of Sierra Leone are entitled to see justice done in the case
of Charles Taylor by a fair trial before the Special Court for
Sierra Leone; (EPP-ED V mod.)
P.
Whereas
international law clearly states that criminals of war have to be
judged at all times and that states are obliged to extradite
suspects of crimes of war; (PSE G)
Q.
Whereas UNHCR's
Executive Committee Note on the Exclusion Clauses of the Geneva
Conventions has clearly stated that 'if the protection provided
by refugee law were permitted to afford protection to perpetrators
of grave offences, the practice of international protection would be
in direct conflict with national and international law, and would
contradict the humanitarian and peaceful nature of the concept of
asylum'; (PSE H)
R.
Whereas Nigeria
has ratified the UN Refugee declaration that states that criminals
of war cannot be granted refugee status; (PSE I)
----
1.
Calls upon the
Government of Nigeria to act in the continued interests of the
Liberian peace process and in support of the Rule of Law by
surrendering Charles Ghankay Taylor forthwith to the jurisdiction of
the Special Court for Sierra Leone; (EPP-ED 1)
2.
Calls upon the
United Nations Security Council to consider this issue as a matter
of urgency; (EPP-ED 2
3.
Calls upon the
UN, EU and Member States to build international pressure in order to
bring about Charles Taylor's extradition; (PSE 2)
4.
Welcomes
Liberia's transitional government decision to freeze the assets of
former president Charles Taylor and his associates, (Greens 2)
5.
Calls on the EU
to keep supporting the 2003 peace agreement between Liberia's three
warring factions and the upcoming presidential and parliamentary
elections scheduled for October 2005; (Greens 3 mod.)
6.
Demands that all
States in the region refrain from any action that might contribute
to instability in neighbouring countries; (Greens 5 mod.)
7.
Instructs its President to forward
the current resolution to the Council, the Commission, governments
of EU Member States, the Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for
Sierra Leone, the co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary
Assembly, the African Union, the UN Secretary-General, the Secretary
General of ECOWAS and the governments of Liberia and Nigeria. (ALL
modified)
