At The TRC, Prez Sirleaf Proves To Be A Better Liar Than George Boley
(Feb 13, 2009) By: Paul Jackson (Guest Commentary)
Since reading of President Sirleaf’s appearance at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission yesterday, I have been searching for an appropriate euphemism to describe my disappointment; the word “LIED” seems to be the best characterization of the President’s display of apathy and disrespect for all the lives that were lost during the saddest period in the history of Liberia.
The only thing we can glean from President Sirleaf’s appearance at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is that she is somewhat arrogant, and a more effective prevaricator than George Boley or any other former warlord testifying at the TRC. As usual, the President was short on specifics and showed no contrition for her role in a deadly civil carnage that left our country in shreds.
It is true that President Sirleaf did not brand an AK-47 or carry a NPFL identification card, but she gave both moral and financial patronage to Taylor’s insurrection; she left her calm and quiet surroundings in the early nineties to go to Butou because she had a vested interest and a well defined fixation on the Liberian presidency, and at the time was quite naïve or oblivious to the fact that Charles Taylor had no desire to relinquish power or share the spoils of war with someone as blindly ambitious as himself.
Charles Taylor and Madam Sirleaf may not have been stipulating to the same language when they met in Butou at the onset of the Liberian civil war, but Madam Sirleaf nonetheless, on behalf of her cronies, felt comfortable enough to contribute thousands of dollars to a cause she claims had her disillusioned from the get go- Why didn’t she just turn around with the money after seeing the lawlessness and disorder in Butou?
Liberians are gullible to a fault, but we are not that foolish to believe that the contributions to Charles Taylor were meant for humanitarian reasons. Madam Sirleaf is a very parsimonious lady and usually does not put her money into ventures without expecting some big time dividends. Her trip to Butou had a much bigger and personal expectation and implication than the reason/s she’s giving.
Madam Sirleaf was so enmeshed in her blind ambition for the Liberian presidency that she was willing to take leave of her inhibition and support a cause so sordid and unworthy; for that, we are willing to forgive her for her lapse in judgment, after all, who hasn’t had a dance or two with the devil? But by refusing to apologize and show compunction for her role in the Liberian civil war, Madam Sirleaf has provoked the ire of the very Liberian people who voted her into office.
Forget the talk about wearing military fatigues or visiting Taylor at the port in Buchanan, Liberians could care less; but by showing no remorse, the President missed an opportunity to put the baggage of culpability behind her. How do we expect to achieve any sort of catharsis when key players like Boley and Sirleaf have elected to make a mockery out of the entire process?
Thanks to folks like Boley and President Sirleaf, the TRC has become a complete circus and freak show; maybe we need Charles to attend and “clear his name” like his good friends Ellen, George, and Alhaji. Charles Taylor would probably be telling us that he too has become a victim of misidentification and the guy masquerading as Charles Taylor was just another look alike.
With hunger and desperation hiding in plain sight all over Liberia, President Sirleaf just gave us another more reason not to reelect her, or trust and believe anything she says. She has become a complete failure and a not too atypical Liberian leader.
As I mentioned in one blog, there is a place called “Hell” that is no respecter of Grandmas or Presidents; by lying and minimizing her role in the Liberian civil war, Madam Sirleaf has finally put the icing on the proverbial cake she and Charles put in the oven almost twenty years ago.
Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone. They do not represent the views or opinions of The Liberian Journal or its Staff. He can be reached at elpaulay@yahoo.com.
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At The TRC, Prez Sirleaf Proves To Be A Better Liar Than George Boley
