Defunct rebel group Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL) general, now Nimba County Sen. Prince Yormie Johnson says Liberia needs a UN tribunal instead of a war and economic crimes court.
Sen. Johnson, a key political ally of President George Manneh Weah, has always been uncomfortable with public pressure for the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led – government to establish a war and economic crimes court for war lords to answer questions of atrocities allegedly committed during Liberia’s brutal civil wars.
He was instrumental in delivering vote – rich Nimba County to the ruling CDC’s 2017 presidential candidate Weah at a crucial time of a run – off, but he sounds like he is being intimidated by the regime with a threat of establishing a war crimes court whenever his views become unpleasant.
Speaking in session at the Senate on Tuesday, 20 August, Sen. Johnson complained that in the Weah led – government, if one speaks the truth, that person is considered an enemy of the state.Giving an instance, Sen. Johnson notes that Monrovia City Mayor and CDC Youth League Chair Jefferson Koijee recently held a press conference and vowed that CDC supporters will defend the government with their blood.
But Sen. Johnson discloses that when he talks against such utterance coming from the City Mayor, the ruling party would threaten him (Johnson) with plans to establish a war crimes court to prosecute him.Sen. Johnson indicates that someone who criticizes you is your best friend, but in the Weah led – regime, he observes that if you say the right thing, you are called all kinds of names.
“They have done that to me. They said that the world crime court is not being signed into law because of me. Speaker Chambers told me that,” PYJ reveals.But he brands the regime’s alleged threat to establish a war crimes court as “scare tactics,” adding that the country doesn’t need war crimes court but a UN backed tribunal in Liberia.
Sen. Johnson argues that the Liberian crisis was not only fought by citizens, but alleges that foreign people were also involved.“Let the UN bring tribunal, that’s the only solution,” Sen. Johnson says.He says people are speaking their minds as a wakeup call for the Weah regime to change its ways of governing.
“If we are doing wrong, let us change. Too many inflammatory statements have been made, some statements from members of this regime,” Sen. Johnson observes. The Nimba County Senator indicates that he has advised the regime seriously that things are not right, adding that what occurred in Logan Town, Montserrado County District #15 was so bad.According to him, it is very wrong to burst people’s car and injure others. By Ethel A. Tweh–Edited by Winston W. Parley
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