Former NPFL fighter alleges Taylor ordered atrocities in both Sierra Leone and Liberia.....

A former rebel from Liberia described the atrocities that he and and other fighters carried out under the command of Charles Taylor, at the Liberian ex-president's war crimes trial Wednesday in the Hague.

Joseph Marzah told judges at the Special Court for Sierra Leone how he personally had killed more than a hundred people during his time with Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) -- including babies.
"It's not hard," said Marzah. "You hit them against the wall, throw them in a pit, or in the river, and they are dead. And then you give the report to Charles Taylor."
Marzah said he had been part of a special unit that Taylor had set up called "No Baby on Target", adding: "He said we should execute any baby we saw. After we did that, he gave us money."
Fighters had also used knives to cut open pregnant women, he added.

Victims Of the Liberian and Sierra Leone civil war.

A father whos hands were chop of by the RUF in Sierra Leone trys to hold his daughter without any hands.

A rebel loyal to the warlord Charles Taylor poses next to a painted skull at his checkpoint, in Liberia .

Abu, 7, buttons the collar of his father's shirt at a camp for amputees outside Freetown, Sierra Leone. Abu Bakarr Kargbo, 31, is one of the thousands of victims of forced amputations performed by the Revolutionary United Front during Sierra Leone's 11-year civil war.

How can anybody do something like this to another person, is truly beyond words.

This asshole has to pay for what he did.

During the war in Liberia they would mount ambushes on civilians, said Marzah.
"At the checkpoint we used human intestines and sometimes put heads on sticks to scare people," he said. And the same thing went on in Sierra Leone, he added.
Both Sierra Leone's RUF rebels and the Liberian fighters of the NPFL operated under Taylor's command, he said.
There was no RUF as such, he said. "From Freetown to Liberia there was one organisation, all answering to Taylor."
Taylor was in constant touch with the RUF leaders by satellite telephone and radio links, said Marzah.
Some of those leaders frequently visited the Liberian capital Monrovia to deliver diamonds, receive their orders and pick up weapons.
Prosecutors accused Taylor of having amassed a 600-million-dollar (385-million-euro) fortune.
Marzah told the court Taylor ordered him to take arms to Sierra Leone rebels and exchange them for diamonds.
In the early 1990s he went to Sierra Leone some 40 times with transports carrying AK-47 assault rifles and rockets.
"Sometimes, we got ammunition from White Flower (Taylor's presidential residence) or a Russian plane," said Marzah, 49.
"By Charles Taylor's directive, I sometimes would take some straight to Sierra Leone," he added.
Asked by prosecutor Nicholas Koumjian if he ever saw diamonds, Marzah replied: "Many times. I escorted diamonds to Charles Taylor. He himself can tell you that if he tells the truth," he said.
He told the court he had personally brought some 10 to 15 consignments of diamonds to Taylor.
He recalled one diamond in particular that was around five centimetres (two inches) in diameter.
"At that time, we called (it) father'. When he took it along, Charles Taylor was impressed," Marzah said.

Here is a video of some of these savages atrocities in Liberia....

Taylor, 59, is accused of arming, training and controlling the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in Sierra Leone in exchange for still-unknown amounts of diamonds.
Around 120,000 people were killed in the conflict, and thousands more were raped and mutilated with rebels cutting off arms, legs, ears or noses.

Superstar Akon to perform in Liberia....

Senegalese born American superstar Akon is expected to visit Liberia on April 15, 2008, Cellcom Public Relations Managers, T-Max Jlateh has disclosed.He said Cellcom was sponsoring the visit of Akon so as to entertain its many subscribers.
Speaking at a news conference Monday at Cellcom's offices in Monrovia, Mr. Jlateh said the Senegalese born American musician would arrive in Liberia with a 14-man delegation to perform at a musical concert which would be held at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville on the same day.

Akon rose to fame in 2004 following the release of his single "Locked Up" from his debut album Trouble. His second album, Konvicted, earned him a Grammy Award nomination for the single "Smack That". He is the founder of Konvict Muzik and Kon Live Distribution. He is well known for singing hooks and has over 130 guest appearances and 21 Billboard Hot 100 songs to his credit. He is the only artist to ever accomplish the feat of holding both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice.

Alleged Rapist Faces Deportation…..

The case of alleged rapist Mahamu Kanneh, a Liberian national, accused of sexually abusing a seven-year-old girl, and an 18 month old baby in the State of Maryland, was a devastating news for me and most of the Liberian community here in the United states.

Kanneh was arrested in August 2004 after witnesses told police he had raped and repeatedly sexually molested a 7-year-old relative left in his care. He was the focus of national media attention when a judge dismissed the charges against him in mid-July, of 2007 ruling his right to a speedy trial had been violated while officials hunted for an interpreter. Kanneh speaks Vai, the language of one of the sixteen tribes in Liberia.

Although Kanneh attended high school and community college in Maryland, his attorney argued that he did not understand english and that he needed an interpreter to fully understand the court proceedings.

Kanneh, while trying to run from police, was later arrested in Philadelphia on charges he allegedly failed to appear in court on Aug. 3 of 2007 at a hearing involving a prosecution effort in Maryland to reinstate the rape charges.

Executive Office for Immigration Review, said Kanneh is in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She said that since Kanneh is not fighting deportation, it’s entirely up to immigration officials when to send him home.

This case has brought an unnecessary spotlight on Liberian communities all across the U.S, and its downright shameful, if he is guilty let him be deported.What the Hell was he thinking? Liberians are generally known to be hard working law abiding citizens, and it pains me when a few bad apple spoil the reputation of our community.

Here check out this Myspace video of what generally a typical Liberian party looks like.

LIBERIA INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION (G.M.H)

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At almost every Liberian parties, there are always reports of fights and drugs,in Minnesota for example, they don't even allowed Liberians to hold any large gatherings, or events any more, what is wrong with these people? they have the opputunity of a life time to make something of themselves, and contribute to the developement of our country, and they just throw everything away.

Let this be a reminder and a lesson that we are guest here, and if we abuse that privilege we will suffer the consequence after all who wants a bad guest in their house.

Random Old Pictures from back in the days....

Ok so today i am going through my closet and doing some cleaning, and i found some old pictures from back in the days in Liberia, and i am going Hmmm....... should i post these and let my readers, and most of you good people who take time to read my blog laugh at me a little at my expense or not? and finally i decided, what the heck, i will post them, if anything this will be another way for me to save these pictures too. so here are some old pictures of how i used to look like few years ago.....

Cooper's beach with friends, one day before leaving for the States.
First day in the U.S november 1999.

My 9th grade school ID, oh my God is that really me? that looks like a century ago. On Broad street, Monrovia 1999

My graduation day 1998, from the R.C Lawson High in Congo town.

With friends on the statue of George weah, broadstreet Monrovia.

With my boys in Monrovia.

Me today.

I know, you guys can laugh all you want, but trust me i can't even believe that was me either, but all in all I miss my country and i can't wait to be back home for the first time in almost 10 years, next year, i will have a lot of catching up to do.

Highlights of President Bush visit to Liberia.......

President George W. Bush arrived on Thursday in Liberia, the United States' staunchest ally in Africa, where he pledged to support the country's efforts to rebuild after a crippling civil war.
"I want the people of Liberia to know, Madame President, the United States stands with you,'' Bush told Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. "We want to help you recover from a terrible period. We want you to build lives of hope and peace, and under your leadership, that's exactly what's happening'' he told the cheering audience, "It's easier to tear a country down than it is to rebuild a country," Bush said. "And the people of this good country must understand the United States will stand with you as you rebuild your country.
While in Liberia, Bush also promised to give the country one million textbooks by the start of the next school year and enough desks and chairs for 10,000 students.
Liberia was the final stop on Bush's six-day tour of Africa. He is the first US leader in 30 years to visit Liberia, a nation founded in the 1820s by slaves freed by the United States.

The U.S and Liberian presidents prepare to inspect the honor guards.

Liberian Troops marched pass the president Bush during the honor guards review.

The car carrying both president sirleaf and Bush arrives at the Executive Mansion.

Traditional dancers were on hand to welcome the U.S President o Liberia.

U.S. President George W. Bush walks with President of Liberia Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf during an arrival ceremony at Spriggs Payne Airport in Monrovia.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, welcome the U.S president and his wife to Liberia.

U.S. President George W. Bush and President of Liberia Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf walk past an honor guard during an arrival ceremony at Spriggs Payne Airport in Monrovia.

President George Bush and President of Liberia Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf inspect an honor guard at Barclay Training Center in Monrovia.

Traditional Liberian dancers perform prior to President Bush's arrival for a lunch, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008, in Monrovia, Liberia.

President George W. Bush receives the key to the city of Monrovia from Mayor Ophelia Hoss-Saytumah in Monrovia.

U.S. President George W. Bush walks past Liberian dancers to join an outdoor lunch with Liberia's President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf at the Executive Residence in Monrovia .

President Bush waves after recieving Liberia's highest Honor, at the Executive mansion.

President Bush is presented with Liberia's highest civilian honor by Liberian president Sirleaf.

Liberians line the streets to welcome U.S. President George W. Bush in Monrovia.

U.S. President George W. Bush and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf today held bilateral talks of mutual interest at the Foreign Ministry in Monrovia, Liberia's capital.

Today was not officially declared a national holiday in Liberia, but with thousands that gathered in the streets of Monrovia to welcome United States President George W. Bush, it certainly felt like one. School children, government workers, market women, and street peddlers lined the streets to welcome President Bush and his entourage to Liberia.


here is a video of some of the celebrations today in Monrovia.



At the end of what he called a productive trip, Bush heaped praise on Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

President Bush begins five nation Africa tours...

Bush began a six-day, five-nation tour of Africa on Friday, hoping to showcase progress on AIDS and malaria and his commitment to economic development on the world’s poorest continent.Bush and first lady Laura Bush will visit Benin, Ghana and Tanzania — three of Africa’s most stable countries — as well as Liberia and Rwanda, which have emerged from civil wars. By all accounts, Bush has done more to combat the AIDS pandemic that has devastated Africa than any other president, and even his harshest critics usually credit him for paying attention to a region often neglected by Washington. His five-year, $15 billion AIDS relief plan is the largest-ever international health initiative devoted to one disease, raising the number of people on anti-retroviral treatments from 50,000 to 1.3 million. And while Much of the world has soured on the United States, a surveys by the Pew Global Attitudes Project show that Africa is one place where it is held in high regard.

The White House says the trip is an opportunity to demonstrate US commitment to these countries and to Africa in general.

Liberia might be choosen as location for Africom...

President Bush, embarking on his second trip to Africa on Friday said that Liberia might be chosen to be a new location of U.S. military command for Africa, local mass media reported Friday.President Bush said the possible shift of the U.S. military command for Africa to the continent from its current home in Germany will be on the agenda as he meets with leaders of five African countries.
"If there is going to be a physical presence on the continent of Africa in the forms of a headquarters ... obviously we would seriously consider Liberia," Bush said in an interview with foreign media on Thursday and released on Friday. The U.S. attention to Africa has been growing in recently years amid concerns that some African countries could become safe havens for militants seeking to base operations and plan attacks on the United States.Liberia has publicly offered to host a headquarters, while other African powers like Nigeria, and South Africa, have reservations about where the command would be based and whether it would give the U.S. too much influence.
Mainwhile back in Liberia, the Government has accelerated a major clean-up of the capital, Monrovia, ahead of President Bush's visit to Liberia on February 21,The main streets are being swept and makeshift structures on the roadside are being demolished.
While America's standing in much of the world has diminished because of the Iraq war and other Bush administration policies, A recent Pew poll of 47 nations found that America's popularity is exceptionally high in Africa, where some hold the U.S. in higher regard than Americans do themselves, America's popularity verges on exuberance especially in Liberia,a nation founded in 1847 by freed U.S. slaves, many Liberians remember the sight of U.S. warships off the Liberian coast and Bush's call for former President Charles Taylor, accused of orchestrating war crimes, to leave, they believe that president bush was very instrumental in helping to end the the Liberian civil war. Liberians are also grateful to Bush for the recent cancellation of the country's debt.