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• 

  Ban Ki Moon has to perform a balancing act in Sudan

  The UN secretary general has arrived in southern Sudan to show support for the peace agreement that ended a civil war between the north and south.
  Mr Ban has met Salva Kiir - the former rebel now Sudan's first vice president under the peace deal, which came after a 21-year conflict.

  Currently there are 10,000 UN peacekeepers in southern Sudan.

  Later, Ban Ki-moon is to visit Sudan's western Darfur province, where conflict has caused wide-scale suffering.

  UN officials say that without a lasting peace between north and south Sudan, there cannot be a resolution to the four-year Darfur conflict.

  Mr Ban also named a Pakistani diplomat as his new special representative to Sudan to replace Jan Pronk, who was expelled a year ago for criticising the army.

  Ashraf Qazi is currently the UN envoy to Iraq.

  Rebel chief

  Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has agreed to let a key Darfur rebel leader travel abroad, Mr Ban said, after meeting Mr Bashir on Monday.

  Suleiman Jamous has been in a UN medical facility in Sudan for more than a year, with the government saying he would be arrested as soon as he left UN protection
  He is seen as key to getting the different rebel factions to agree on a common position.

  "Bashir said that Jamous would be taken to Kenya as soon as necessary arrangements had been made," Mr Ban said.

  Some 2,000 people gathered in the south Sudan capital, Juba, on Tuesday to welcome the UN secretary general.

  He is there to underline the UN support for the 2005 peace agreement signed by the government of Sudan and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement.

  Under it, the largely Christian and animist south is meant to be self-governing for six years, then it is to hold a referendum to decide whether or not to secede from Sudan. But preparations for that poll are falling behind schedule, BBC UN correspondent Laura Trevelyan reports.

  The profits from Sudan's oil are supposed to be equally shared between north and south.

  

  But our correspondent notes there is not yet an agreement on the final border between north and south which means the division of oil wealth cannot be completed. There are countries on the UN Security Council who would like to re-deploy the 10,000 UN peacekeepers in the south, but others argue that could undermine the peace agreement.

  Darfur revisited

  Mr Ban, who is to visit a Darfur refugee camp on Wednesday, has said the priority is to get a 26,000-strong UN and African Union force into position.

  The new troops are not due to arrive until next year but violence continues, with hundreds killed in August.

  Until now, an estimated 200,000 have died and 2.5 million displaced.
  African countries are offering troops but Western nations have been slow to come up with the logistical support and the attack helicopters needed for such a massive peacekeeping operation, our correspondent, who is travelling with Mr Ban, says.

  Mr Ban is also trying to encourage peace talks between the Sudanese government and the many rebel groups.

  He will also visit neighbouring Chad and Libya, where leader Muammar Gaddafi has played a role in bringing Darfur rebels to negotiations.

  Our correspondent says Mr Ban wants to see for himself the plight of the people of Darfur and understand the difficult conditions into which the world's biggest peacekeeping force will eventually be deployed.

  This visit will be a delicate balancing act for Mr Ban, who has made Darfur his top priority, she adds.

  He wants to encourage the Sudanese government, who have finally accepted peacekeepers, while condemning the killings and getting political talks going.

  Source: BBCNEWS

  
• 

  My Friends,

  We are just under 90 days from Election Day and I'm sure you've seen the news reports that this race is now in a dead heat. Our campaign continues to build momentum - thanks to your incredible support and hard work.

  http://tracking.gop.com/cgi-bin/track.cgi?1-18033-20421411-21854But I won't win in November without your continued support. August is an important month for our campaign. It is the last month we can accept contributions for the primary election.

  

  That's why I'm asking you to give $90 - just over $1 for each day leading up to Election Day. Even 50 cents/day or a $45 donation will help our campaign continue to build grassroots organizations in each of the battleground states as we head into the fall.

  My friends, our nation is facing serious challenges that will require our next president to bring leadership, experience and judgment to office. In less than 90 days, America will elect the next President of the United States, and Americans will have a clear choice in this election.

  I am prepared to lead our country as the next President of the United States. I'm prepared to break our dependence on foreign oil. I'm prepared to fight for lower taxes and better jobs. I'm prepared to lead our men and women serving in the military as the next Commander in Chief. My opponent, Senator Barack Obama, is simply not prepared.

  I need your support today to lay the groundwork for victory on November 4th, or we risk allowing Senator Obama to be elected as the next president. Please follow this link to join my campaign and give $45, $90, $180, $270 - whatever you can afford - to ensure we celebrate a victory in November. Thank you for your support.

  Sincerely,
  John McCain

  P.S. We are less than 90 days away from Election Day and the momentum is building. I'm asking you to join my campaign today to keep the momentum going with a donation of $45, $90, or any other amount by following this link. August is a very important month for my campaign - the last month we can accept contributions for the primary election. Please make your donation right away. Thank you.

  
• 

  Former detained Liberian President Charles Taylor's son watched and laughed as prisoners were sodomized, forced to play torture games and burned with molten plastic, a former West African captive testified Tuesday.

  The trial of Chucky Charles McArthur Taylor marks the first test of a 1994 law that makes it a crime for a U.S. citizen to commit torture overseas.

  Chucky was born in Boston and spent most of his life in Orlando before moving to Liberia when he was a teenager to be with his father.

  Prosecutors say Chucky headed the "Demon Forces," an elite paramilitary anti-terrorist unit in his father's government from 1999-2002, and used any means necessary to silence his father's opponents.

  The unit trained soldiers and tortured prisoners, prosecutors said. Former prisoner Rufus Kpadeh testified in federal court Tuesday that victims were forced to sodomize each other as Emmanuel laughed.

  "I want the world to know what happened to me so it will not happen again in the future," said Kpadeh, who rolled up his tunic sleeves to show jurors scars from where he was burned with flaming-hot plastic.

  Kpadeh also testified he and other prisoners were forced to live in crammed dirt pits for nearly two months in 1999, where soldiers forced them to eat cigarette butts and drink urine.

  At other times, soldiers shoveled stinging ants into the pit and forced them to play "stone soccer," kicking large stones until their bare feet were bruised and bleeding.

  Chucky, 31, has pleaded not guilty to the torture charges, which carry a combined possible sentence of life in prison. He is also charged with conspiracy for the shootings of three people at a bridge checkpoint in Liberia in 1999.

  He was caught at Miami International Airport in 2006 trying to re-enter the U.S. from Trinidad, carrying a U.S. passport he obtained after falsifying his father's name on an application.

  Defense attorneys said during opening statements Monday that the torture allegations were a lie. They said Emmanuel's alleged victims fabricated the stories for financial gain and political asylum.

  Witnesses for both sides are being flown in from Liberia and other African nations, with special plans being made to ferry them to and from court under federal protection. The identities of the torture victims had been kept secret before trial, which is expected to last six to eight weeks.

  Kpadeh said he was arrested in 1999 when Emmanuel's soldiers found a card in his bag that showed he belonged to a nonviolent political party. He and his family had fled their Liberian village after it was attacked by rebels.

  Charles Taylor is currently on trial at a special U.N.-backed court in The Hague, Netherlands, on charges of orchestrating violence in neighboring Sierra Leone's bloody civil war, which ended in 2002.

  

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• Amnesty Int’l Admits failure In DDRR Process
  

  AI’s Africa Programme Campaigner, Beshir Ayodele Ameen

  A London based Amnesty International (AI) says following its research into the DDRR process throughout the country, it has discovered what it called a flaws in the process, citing that women and girls were discriminated.

  The research, which was conducted last year in collaboration with local partners, cited several areas in which the DDRR process focused more on male combatants rather than women and girls who also took part in the Liberian conflict.

  AI’s Africa Programme Campaigner, Beshir Ayodele Ameen, said during the research it was discovered that the DDRR process was tailored toward male fighters, and did not consider the gender impact.

  He said the DDRR process should also take cognizance of the needs of women and girls combatants.

  “This is a contradiction to the Secretary General’s Report on DDRR process that is putting the DDRR together; you must be cognizant of the special needs of women and girls who were also involved in the conflict,” Ameen told reporters Thursday.

  During the research, he said they met some female combatants who did not go through the DDRR process.

  According to Ameen, the research discovered how women and girls who went through disarmament did not go through demobilization; those who went through demobilization did not go through rehabilitation, and those who went through rehabilitation did not go through reintegration process.

  He also observed that skills building education did not take into consideration the specific needs of women.

  “We want this to be known because we strongly believe if it is known, the Government of Liberia would do something about it,” Ameen stressed.

  He indicated that similar thing occurred in Sierra Leone following the DDRR process in that country.

  We need to encourage the gender approach…despite the flaws in the DDRR process, Liberian women are trying as hard as they can to reintegrate themselves into the society, the AI Campaigner said.

  According to him, AI’s report on the research conducted last year would be released Saturday at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS). During the program, there would be a film screen to indicate some of the flaws in the DDRR process

  
• He who gives blood saves life: The heart-warming story of an UNMIL Military Officer who rushed to the rescue of a mother and her triplets

  A universal proverb says: ‘He who gives blood, saves life’. This proverb was given its true meaning and transformed into reality on 13 May when an UNMIL Military Observer (MILOB), Lt.-Col. Ershad Hossain, voluntarily donated his blood to save Menemon Jarbo, a pregnant Liberian woman who later gave birth to a set of triplets. Menemon and her family will forever remain grateful for this humanitarian gesture demonstrated by this gallant Bangladeshi peacekeeper who truly went beyond the call of duty.

  Lt.-Col. Ershad is the team leader of MILOB Team Eleven in

  

  Triplets given birth after the blood donation

  southeastern Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County. This medical emergency was a case referred from River Gee County to the Martha Tubman Memorial Hospital in Zwedru. Relatives of Menemon Jarbo had tried to get a donor with the right blood type, to no avail. Then came this good “Samaritan”: Lt.-Col. Ershad, to their aid. The proud mother and her three babies are presently doing great.

  The donor insisted on remaining anonymous, but his noble contribution to save four lives could not remain unheralded. Lt.-Col. Ershad has indeed made himself, the United Nations and his country, Bangladesh, very proud through this singular, voluntary gesture. It is indeed hoped that others would emulate his shining example.

  Showering Lt.-Col. Ershad with deserving words of commendation, UNMIL Deputy Force Commander, Maj.-Gen. Carl Modey, who is the Chief Military Observer, said: “I hereby salute you on behalf of the entire UNMIL Force and indeed the whole Mission. You really made us all proud and you deserve our special commendation”. General Modey also conveyed to Lt.-Col. Ershad the appreciation and commendation of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Ellen Margrethe Løj, and of the Force Commander, Lt.-Gen. ATM Zahirul Alam.

  
• He who gives blood saves life: The heart-warming story of an UNMIL Military Officer who rushed to the rescue of a mother and her triplets

  A universal proverb says: ‘He who gives blood, saves life’. This proverb was given its true meaning and transformed into reality on 13 May when an UNMIL Military Observer (MILOB), Lt.-Col. Ershad Hossain, voluntarily donated his blood to save Menemon Jarbo, a pregnant Liberian woman who later gave birth to a set of triplets. Menemon and her family will forever remain grateful for this humanitarian gesture demonstrated by this gallant Bangladeshi peacekeeper who truly went beyond the call of duty.

  

  Triplets given birth after the blood donation

  southeastern Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County. This medical emergency was a case referred from River Gee County to the Martha Tubman Memorial Hospital in Zwedru. Relatives of Menemon Jarbo had tried to get a donor with the right blood type, to no avail. Then came this good “Samaritan”: Lt.-Col. Ershad, to their aid. The proud mother and her three babies are presently doing great.

  The donor insisted on remaining anonymous, but his noble contribution to save four lives could not remain unheralded. Lt.-Col. Ershad has indeed made himself, the United Nations and his country, Bangladesh, very proud through this singular, voluntary gesture. It is indeed hoped that others would emulate his shining example.

  Showering Lt.-Col. Ershad with deserving words of commendation, UNMIL Deputy Force Commander, Maj.-Gen. Carl Modey, who is the Chief Military Observer, said: “I hereby salute you on behalf of the entire UNMIL Force and indeed the whole Mission. You really made us all proud and you deserve our special commendation”. General Modey also conveyed to Lt.-Col. Ershad the appreciation and commendation of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Ellen Margrethe Løj, and of the Force Commander, Lt.-Gen. ATM Zahirul Alam.

  
• Letter to the Legislature: Parentage-Based Citizenship, Not Dual Citizenship

  By: Arthur B. Dennis, MPA, MSW (korso2006@msn.com)

  

  Mr. Arthur B. Dennis, former Assistant Minister of Defense for Public Affairs, RL

  We understand members of the Legislature are soliciting inputs in order to consider a Bill for dual citizenship. If this is true, we advise that the solution to the realities at home and abroad requires parentage-based citizenship, not dual citizenship.

  Realities at Home
  
  The term “dual citizenship” refers to a person who holds two citizenships for two countries. The truth is, every Liberian at home holds no less than two citizenships, and every Liberian in the Diaspora holds two or more citizenships. Here are the realities.
  
  According to history, the ancestors of every ethnic group at home (including Americo-Liberians) migrated from foreign countries and settled in Liberia.

  Thus, if we trace the roots of our founding fathers, every Liberian holds dual citizenship: one citizenship by birth for Liberia and one citizenship by descent for his ancestors’ country of origins. That is the first reality.

  In the second reality, more than 75% of Liberians at home live in the rural areas bordering Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast. These rural citizens are sons and daughters born by two-citizenship parents from both sides of the divide.

  As a result, they hold two citizenships: one for Liberia and one for countries on the other side of our borders. In the third reality, under the ECOWAS Protocol, every Liberian holds citizenship for sixteen West African countries.

  In the fourth reality, there are reports that during the civil war, over 3,000 children were born in Liberia by foreign peacekeepers.

  Today, these children hold citizenships for Liberia and for countries of the peace keepers.

  Yet, Article 28 of the constitution provides that: “Any person born by one foreign parent and one Liberian parent, he must renounce the citizenship of his foreign parent upon reaching maturity (age 18) or he is not a Liberian citizen.”

  But guess what: Dr. Amos Sawyer, who was born in a two-citizenship family, holding dual citizenship as a result, chaired the Constitution Commission that crafted the language of this provision.

  However, this was the exact language used in 1864 by the Liberian Supreme Court when it ruled that the local native people should renounce their primitive lifestyle and adopt the civilized ways of life or else they would not be citizens. And truly, they were not Liberian citizens until President Arthur Barclay conferred citizenship on them in 1904.
  Realities Abroad

  The reality in the Diaspora is quite different. During the war, thousands of Liberians, who were born in two-citizenship families at home and elsewhere, travelled to other countries and acquired additional citizenships.

  Today, these individuals, who now bear three or more citizenships, hold multiple citizenship, not dual citizenship. Therefore, other countries would make mockery of our laws if we describe three or more citizenship holders as dual citizenship holders.

  Parentage-based Citizenship: A Proposal for Consideration

  Most worldwide immigration laws require citizenship by birth; citizenship by descent; and citizenship by naturalization.

  But in 1981, the British broke ranks and introduced the law of citizenship by parentage. Under this law, any person born by one or two British parents is a British citizen.

  Under the parentage-based citizenship system, the person’s place of birth does not determine his citizenship. For example, a person born anywhere in Britain is not a British citizen, unless his father or mother or both are British citizens.

  But if he were born in Britain or elsewhere by one British parent, he is a British citizen. The U. S has also adopted the parentage-based citizenship law.

  Under this law, any person born overseas by an American citizen and a foreign national, he is an American citizen. The law is designed to accommodate U. S. soldiers and other Americans serving overseas.

  In the case of Liberia, the only condition required for citizenship is for a person to be born by one or two Liberian parents, regardless of the place of birth.

  That is, if a person were born in Liberia, he is not a citizen unless one or two parents are Liberians.

  On the question of multiple citizenship, the parentage-based citizenship system does not want to know how many citizenships a person holds and how he obtains them; it only wants to know whether the person’s father or mother or both are Liberians.

  And citizenship should be revoked only when a person applies in writing to abandon his Liberian identity; or when he collaborates with foreign forces and takes up arms against Liberia.
  Concluding Comments
  
  Distinguished Members of the Legislature, we have seen that Liberians, who hold two or more citizenships at home, acquired them by no fault of their own.

  The same is true for those in the Diaspora. Here, citizenship is not a luxury but a necessity better life.
  For example, in the United States, where more than 80% of Liberians reside, Executive Order 11935, published September 2, 1976, bans the employment of non-citizens in Federal competitive jobs.

  These are high-paying jobs, and the only way a non-citizen can apply is to be a U. S. citizen. In Canada, Australia, Europe, and other places where Liberians are taking refuge, citizenship is also a necessity for better life.
  
  And every time a Liberian acquires citizenship for a country (say, Canada) and decides to live in another country (say, America), in order to access better-paying jobs, he would be compelled by necessity to obtain citizenship for that country (America).

  Now, should we deny Liberian citizenship to such a person holding three or more citizenships to pursue better life in the Diaspora? Under the parentage-based citizenship, the answer is “NO.”

  If his father or mother or both are Liberians, he is still a Liberian.

  Therefore, the parentage-based citizenship should be considered in order to co-exist with citizenship by naturalization so that the two can be the only means by which citizenship can be acquired in Liberia.

  By so doing, Liberians holding two or more citizenships would be encouraged to maintain their Liberian identity and even pass such identity to their future generations, regardless of where they live. Thank you and we wish you well in your deliberations. THE AUTHOR.
  

  
• INT’L AFFAIRS: Nigeria Celebrates Colour Parade – A Pictorial
  
  
  
  

  In the history of the Nigerian army, the national change of both the national and the regimental color parade is a great occasion to both the Nigerian army and other Nigerians.

  The national change of color parade is a celebration is marked once in ten years. At this occasion, some of the regimental colors are retired and some are commissioned into regiment.

  
  
  

  What is a color? A color is that regimental flag designed with the regiment insignia and the national color is also designed with the Nigerian Army insignia. These colors at a glance tell or identify the regiment it belongs to.

  During the occasion the then president, Gen Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo assisted by Gen. Mattinlutter Agwai and Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi jointly retired and decorated the newly commissioned regimental and national color.

  At the same vain, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo presented honorarium awards to all the Army service chiefs both past present.

  Source: Franklin Emmanuel
  +2316-568028

  
• Dempster Brown Joins Roland Kaine’s Defense Team, Says Detention is "Unjustifiable"
  

  Cllr. Dempster Brown, a Human Rights Lawyer

  One of Liberia’s respected human rights lawyer yesterday declared his interest to join the defense team of detained Margibi County Senator, Roland Kaine who and others were early this year accused of killing dozens of farm workers in a village between Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties.

  

  Victims of masscre

  Counselor Dempster Brown in a high spirit yesterday at the trail, said he is joining the legal team of Senator Kaine and others in order to render legal services at no cost to the defendant.

  

  Detained Senator Roland Kaine leaving court in handcuff

  Speaking further, the Liberian Human Rights Lawyer said he is convinced that Senator Kaine is innocent of the Margibi Massacre, adding, “I sent my monitors to the scene where the incident took place and conducted a thorough investigation of the area, and they found out that the Senator who is now detained did not make any contact by cell phone with anyone”, Cllr. Brown in his soft-spoken tone told the court.

  He said the reason the Liberian government is holding Senator Kaine is not in his own words, “Not justifiable, because no GSM signal reaches the area where the brutal crime was committed”.

  It can be recalled that over 14 young men were massacre in the border town of Timor during a land dispute between Senator Roland Kaine and Charles Bannie who is currently out of the country.

  
• Dozens of witnesses Ready To Testify Against Charles Taylor in Sierra Leone war crimes, Prosecutor Tells British P.M.

  THE HAGUE, Netherlands: Dozens of witnesses will be called in Charles Taylor's trial to link the former Liberian president to atrocities committed during Sierra Leone's civil war in the 1990s, Chief Prosecutor Stephen Rapp said Wednesday.

  Those witnesses include insiders claiming to have seen Taylor instigate and give orders leading to war crimes, Rapp said.

  The long-awaited trial begins Monday with the prosecution's four-hour opening statement, then will adjourn until June 25 when it will hear the first of the 150 witnesses the prosecution plans to summon to the stand.

  Taylor's defense will give its opening statement after the prosecution rests its case, in about one year, Rapp said. The trial should take about 18 months before the judges retire to consider their verdict.

  Taylor, 59, is facing 11 charges of terrorism, murder, rape, sexual slavery, mutilation and recruiting child soldiers. He has pleaded innocent to all counts.
  He was arrested last year and flown to the Netherlands amid fears that staging his trial in Sierra Leone, where the court usually sits, could trigger fresh unrest or even attempts by his supporters to break him out of prison.

  Of the 150 scheduled prosecution witnesses, 62 will testify "to Taylor's control, to his orders, to his instigation, to his plans, to his provision of assistance of arms, training, safe refuge to the rebels, with full knowledge of the atrocities they were committing to the civilian population," he told the Netherlands-based Foreign Press Association.

  Some of those witnesses were from Taylor's inner circle. Some may have shared responsibility for crimes, but were not being prosecuted because the court chose to pursue only those most responsible, he said.

  Most of them will testify under pseudonyms to protect their identities from public disclosure, though the defense will know who they are. Some will be eligible for relocation after the trial to avoid retribution.

  During a pretrial hearing three weeks ago, defense attorney Karim Khan said potential witnesses feared leaving Sierra Leone to testify on Taylor's behalf for fear of identifying themselves as his associates and exposing themselves to possible U.N. sanctions.

  Khan also complained that the two defense lawyers and three legal aides were outgunned by the 10-man prosecution team. Taylor, although he was reported to have stashed away huge wealth from his years in power, has declared himself unable to pay for his own defense team and relies on court-appointed counsel.

  Operating from his residence in Monrovia known as White Flower, Taylor never entered Sierra Leone during the conflict, making it a challenge for the prosecution to link him to the actions of rebel forces.

  "We don't say he chopped off any hands himself. We don't say he shot anybody himself," Rapp said. "We have a variety of evidence showing that these people (the rebels) viewed Taylor as the boss man, as the person responsible," Rapp said.

  The upheaval in West Africa "was a kind of terrorism," he said. "It was, in our view, a systematic attack against civilians with the intent to take control of Sierra Leone."

  The Special Court for Sierra Leone has no maximum sentence. Life imprisonment is not in its statute, but Taylor could be sentenced to a term that would leave him jail for his expected lifetime. Under a U.N. sanctioned agreement, Britain has agreed to imprison him if he is convicted.

  See this link: www.gnn-starnews.blogspot.com

  
• Min. Kamara Challenges FELMAUSA, Mandingo Community in U.S
  

  Assistanmt Minister Abul Kamara

  The Assistant Minister of Information for information services Abu Kamara has called on members of the Federation of the Liberian Mandingo Association (FELMAUSA) to close rank with their fellow compatriots to move the country forward.

  Minister Kamara made the remarks when he addressed the audience at the King Sao Bosso Lecturec series held at the ACANA in Philadelphia on Saturday, November 17, 2007.

  He recounted numerous contributions made by the past great leaders such as King Sao Bosso Kamara and hosts of others whose contributions towards socio- political and economic development of Liberia were enormous to be ignored.

  The out-spoken Liberian official noted that most Liberians would not oppose the calls for the history of Liberia to be rewritten, because according to him a lots of things have happened in the past decades and that it was only fair that proper records are made for the posterity to judge for themselves.

  Minister Kamara who spoke on the theme: COMMUNITY SOLIDARITY WITH A PURPOSE stressed the need for a clear defined goal in order to provide a sense of direction for the members of the organization.

  He explained that after years of destructive conflict in Liberia, Liberians should see themselves as a group of actors and actresses auditioning for a place in the movie to transform the society from an economically impoverished, socially decadent, and politically polarized, intellectually bankrupt to a wholesome functioning and productive society.

  The youthful minister expelled rumors that certain ethnic groups in the country were being marginalized due to their tribal affiliation." Let no one deceive you that you can be denied of position that you deserved because of one’s ethnic or political affiliations'"

  Minister Kamara emphasized that there are growing realization on the part of Liberians that in order to rebuild the country, there has to be a collective efforts to accelerate the pace of progress being made on a daily basis."

  "The Liberia you knew from fifteen to twenty years ago is different from Liberia of today. The question of which tribe you belong to is becoming less important on a daily basis. Indeed, the focus is now being shifted from that of ethnic hegemony and parochialism to that of nationalistic spirit that brings all of us together as a people to live and work in peace and harmony"

  The Liberian Assistant minister pointed out that what really matters in post-war Liberia was to have men in women who are competent and professional, because according to him, the post war reconstruction efforts would not become a reality unless we have men and women in the position of trust capable of discharging their duties in satisfactory manner.

  Minister Kamara admonished Liberians in the Diaspora to rise above peculiar interests and disentangle themselves from the stranglehold of those attitude and behaviors that perpetuate division amongst them.

  Earlier, Minister Kamara addressed the Mayor’s Commission on African Caribbean Affairs in Philadelphia.

  He told the members of the commission that Africa was a land of opportunities waiting for the right people to come and explore those opportunities for the benefits of the people in the continent and beyond.

  Specifically, the Assistant minister described Liberia as on of success stories among the post conflict countries in the world. “After years of devastating civil war, Liberia is now a democracy with vast majority of our people having a direct say in the decision making process".

  Commenting on the investment opportunities in Liberia, Minister Kamara revealed that all necessary measures are being taken by the Ellen administration to create a favorable atmosphere to attract investors.

  Minister Kamara thanked the United States government for the numerous supports being given to the Liberian government towards the reconstruction efforts.

  Meanwhile, the chairman of the Mayor’s Commission in Philadelphia, Hon. Stanley L Straughter expressed appreciation to Minister Kamara for his remarks at the meeting.

  
• Dr. Samuel Gbar Bennett Speaks of Brighter Future at LAC for employees

  The General Services Manager of Liberia’s second largest rubber plantation, the Liberia Agriculture Company, Dr. Samuel Gbar Bennett says his company will do all it can to adequately provide those services needed to enhance the productivity of its 4,000 workforce.

  Dr. Bennett, a native of “Big Joe Town” Harlandsville, District Number One, Grand Bassa County was in a chat recently during an exclusive interview with a team of foreign journalists at his LAC office , said his management was doing everything possible in empowering Liberian employees educationally and vocationally at the Plantation.

  Dr. Samuel Gbar Bennett, one of the youngest senior staffers at the plantation, who spoke highly of improved academic and vocational education for employees and their dependents noted that one of the primary objectives of the Liberia Agriculture Company is to see employees and dependents acquire sound education, while those who have passed the stage early academic atmosphere are placed in adult schools or night school, adding, “As a matter of fact some of the tapers are going to night school”, the LAC official said.

  Dr. Bennett who himself has over the years acquired his college education for several American Universities, including the Oral Roberts University, College of New Rochelle, Northcentral University and several US military service schools also hold computer security credentials.

  He is a recipient of a BA degree in Social Science, Bachelors of Science in Church Ministries, a Master of Business Administration and a PhD in Business Administration with Specialization in Strategic Management, has vowed to help mold the minds of LAC employees dependents who hope to equip themselves for sound education at the plantation.

  During a tour of several schools on the plantation, it was observed that students of the LAC sponsored schools were in high gear on their various campuses, while their instructors like other academic institutions were busy impacting knowledge into them as future leaders.

  According to Dr. Bennett, due to the professional handling of students by their respective instructors all junior (9th graders) and senior students (12th graders) of the LAC sponsored institutions passed their West African Examination Council (WEAC) administered test; this he said, serves as a boost for the company .

  
• ECHO FROM TRC "Don’t Blame Doe, Tolbert, Roye for Liberia Crisis" Bowier Tell Liberians
  

  Former Information Minister, Emmanuel Bowier

  The thematic and institutional hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission continues at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Monrovia Friday with more historical accounts of the country’s crisis being provided.
  

  

  The late President William R. Tolbert
  

  

  Late President Edward James Roye

  Mr. Emmanuel Bowier former Minister of Information of the erstwhile People’s Redemption Council (PRC) government has told an overcrowded gathering of Liberians at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that no individual to blame for the problems Liberia is facing at the moment.

  Rev. Bowier said former President Samuel K. Doe, William R. Tolbert, Edwin J. Roye and others should not be blamed for the Liberian crisis and its underdevelopment, saying those that are blaming the True Whig Party for the problems facing the country are wrong.

  According to him Liberia’s problem is the system which he said is embedded with corruption and acts that do not show nationalism and called on Liberians not to blame individuals or certain group of people for the country’s problems.

  “I tell you, the True Whig Party had and up to today has the best platform, if it were given the chance, it would have developed the country”, Bowier claimed.

  He urged Liberians to forget about the syndrome of native and congo stating that those are some of the major causes for the backwardness of the country thus advising that it must not be talked about so the younger generation can not act on it.
  

  

  The late President Samuel K. Doe

  Providing account of the failed 1985 coup led by a member of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Thomas Quiwonkpa, Bowier explained that the failed 1985 coup was sponsored by the Liberia Chambers of Commerce, now Liberia Business Association and planned in Sierra Leone and was to be implemented on November 12, 1985 but said one member of the same coup plotting group fled Sierra Leone and informed President Doe of the pending coup.

  Bowier narrated that based on the information provided President Samuel Doe, he (Doe) told soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia not to fire if the coup takes place at night but rather wait until broad day before reacting to the coup plotters.

  The ex Information Chief narrated that Samuel K. Doe was never captured and tied as has been insinuated explaining that Doe was at the Executive Mansion while Quiwonkpa was awaiting signal from his men to proceed to the Mansion to announce himself as President.

  Bowier disclosed that a man who was expected to be appointed by President Doe, Mansfield Yancy, as Liberia’s Ambassador to Guinea told President Doe that it was a recording of Quiwonkpa’s voice that was playing at the state owned Liberia Broadcasting System (ELBC) and not his physical body.

  Rev. Bowier revealed that Thomas Quiwonkpa was not arrested by Samuel Doe intimating that during a military coup, a poisonous tablet is given the ring leader of the coup to swallow incase the mission becomes a failure.

  Bowier said he believe those that ate the body of the late Quiwonkpa also died because his body turned black as a result of the tablet.

  According to Bowier his first two days of testimony is just an introduction and will provide more information in succeeding days.

  
• Fire Blazes at CDC, as Chief Scribe Calls for Deputy Speaker Removal

  Togba Mulbah, Deputy Speaker "Under Threats"

  

  Problem seems to be developing in George Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) as one of its lawmakers and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Togbah Mulbah has been given a 72-hour ultimatum by the party Chief Scribe to resign or be removed.

  According to a statement issued yesterday by the CDC Secretary General, Mr. Eugene Nagbe called on Mr. Mulbah to resign or be removed forcibly by the party since he has refused to contest the speaker ship of that august body, and still want to remain as Deputy Speaker.

  Eugene Nagble, CDC's Secretary General"He will be removed"

  

  
  But in reaction to Mr. Nagbe’s statement, the Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Speaker, Clarence Farley said his boss (Togbah Mulbah) has no intention to resign and that he would not submit to any threats from the Secretary General.
  
  Mr. Farley told a local radio station in Monrovia that such threat is not the official position of the Congress for Democratic Change

  He said the Deputy Speaker does not intend to contest the position of Speaker in the pending election at the House of Representatives some time next week.

  
• Firestone Liberia turns over hand pump to Owensgrove District
  

  Commissioner Isaac Paytoe pumping water following the dedicatory ceremony

  HARBEL, LIBERIA WEST AFRICA :( MAY 29, 2009)-Citizens of the Township of Owensgrove in Lower Grand Bassa County were the proud recipients of a hand pump constructed by the Management of Firestone Liberia as part of the company’s Community Outreach Program.

  Speaking at the dedicatory ceremony on Monday, May 25, 2009, the Public Affairs Manager of Firestone Liberia, Mr. G. Rufus Karmorh, noted that “this turning over ceremony of this hand pump is therefore significant in terms of our partnership.”

  He reminded the gathering that it was not the first time for Firestone Liberia to undertake projects in the township. According to Mr. Karmorh, the company had earlier constructed and installed hand pumps for the use of residents of that community.

  He disclosed that Firestone Liberia was also involved in the roofing of the Owensgrove Public School some times ago following a heavy storm that damaged the facilities of the institution. He also disclosed that Firestone Liberia has also facilitated the provision of some implements for a clean-up campaign in the district.

  Mr. Karmorh further reaffirmed that Firestone Liberia will continue to be an active partner in the socio-economic development of Liberia stressing that “as I turn this key over, I urge the citizens to handle this handpump with a high degree of community participation and protection for the future up keep and maintenance.”

  Accepting the keys of the hand pump, the Commissioner of Owensgrove District, Mr. Isaac Paytoe thanked the Management of Firestone Liberia for constructing the hand pump and buttressed earlier call by the youth and women representatives for Firestone Liberia to assist in the process of roofing the only market building in the area.

  According to Commissioner Paytoe, since the roof of the market building was damaged, citizens of Owensgrove, especially the women, have been finding it difficult to take their goods to distant places for sale.

  He called on the Management of Firestone Liberia to continue to work with citizens of Owensgrove in meeting some of their pressing development needs, noting that “we’ll always be in constructive contact with Firestone for it to help us develop our community.”

  Mr. Paytoe further praised the company for the numerous contributions it has and continues to make towards the development of Owensgrove District aimed at improving the livelihood of its citizens. “We hope that Firestone Liberia will continue to keep up this good partnership for the betterment of our people” the Owensgrove District Commissioner asserted.

  Also in attendance were the Community Affairs Superintendent of Firestone Liberia, Mr. Eric Mensah and the Staff Supervisor of the Water and Sanitation Department, Mr. Moses Coker.

  
• For April 14 Rice Riot, Gabriel Baccus Matthews Threatens Action Suit to TRC against President Sirleaf, Others
  

  The former Chairman of the defunct Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL), Gabriel Baccus Matthews say he will shortly appear to the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to seek reparation from the Liberian government for the destruction lives and properties during the 1979 April 14 in Liberia.

  He named those responsible for the gunning down of several persons during the morning of April 14, 1979 as President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who served in the TWP government as Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Finance, Bishop Bennie D. Warner former Vice President of Liberia, Wilfred Clarke former Director at the time and Emmanuel Boweir.

  Mr. Matthews former Minister of Foreign Affairs during the late Samuel Doe regime vowed to bring those involved in the April 14 rice riot, specifically members of the True Whig Party government who at the time were complacency to see the destruction of lives take route.

  Speaking on a local radio in Monrovia today, the Liberian politician also disclosed that during his appearance at the TRC lots will be said, adding, “I have a story to tell members of the TRC, about the April 14, 1979 and all those who were involved including President Sirleaf will have to come out and make reparations for those who died on that day”.

  
• Human Rights Watch Speaks of Chuckie Taylor Trial For Torture In U.S.
  

  Charles G. Taylor, Father of Chuckie

  I am writing to send along a press release and q&a (pasted below) from Human Rights Watch on the upcoming trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor’s son, Chuckie Taylor, in the United States for torture committed in Liberia.

  This trial is significant as the first ever prosecution under a US law that makes it a crime to commit torture anywhere in the world. As you undoubtedly are aware, it’s also significant as one of the first prosecutions for human rights abuses committed in Liberia in recent years.

  We see this case as extremely important for victims of human rights abuses in Liberia. We also hope the case will spark increased

  focus in Liberia on the need for other prosecutions of the most serious human rights violations committed in Liberia. Fair, credible prosecutions consistent with international standards, complemented by other measures like the TRC, are crucial to ensure justice is done and to build respect for rule of law in the country.

  

  Chuckie Taylor, Son of Charles Taylor during one of his days as head of the ATU

  Prosecutions could take place domestically, but would likely benefit from international involvement and support given persistent deficiencies in Liberia’s justice system after years of war. In this regard, we note that the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission has the authority to make recommendations on prosecutions for past crimes.

  Please do not hesitate to be in touch with regard to any questions you may have as you write about this important trial.

  All the best,

  Elise Keppler

  Elise Keppler, Senior Counsel, International Justice Program, Human Rights Watch

  350 5th Ave., 34th Fl., New York, NY 10118-3299

  Tel: (212) 216-1249; Fax: (212) 736-1300

  email: kepplee@hrw.org; http://www.hrw.org

  US: First Trial for Overseas Torture

  Case of Ex-Liberian President’s Son Important Step for Justice

  (New York, September 23, 2008) – The upcoming trial in Miami of Charles “Chuckie” Taylor, Jr., who is accused of torture committed in Liberia, should signal the start of a more robust policy toward prosecuting serious human rights violations committed abroad, Human Rights Watch said today. Jury selection in the case is scheduled to begin this Wednesday at 12:00 p.m.

  

  A victim of torture

  Chuckie Taylor is the son of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who is on trial for war crimes by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone. The son is accused of responsibility for torture committed between 1997 and 2003 while he headed Liberia’s notorious Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATU) during his father’s presidency.

  The Taylor case is the first brought under a 14-year-old federal law that allows the United States to bring charges against a person accused of torture abroad if the accused is in the United States or is an American citizen (18 USC § 2340A).

  “As the first prosecution for torture committed abroad, Chuckie Taylor’s trial is a vital, long-awaited step by the US government to ensure human rights abusers do not escape justice,” said Elise Keppler, senior counsel with Human Rights Watch’s International Justice Program. “The Department of Justice’s efforts should be applauded and replicated in more cases like this one.”

  As detailed in a Human Rights Watch questions and answers document on the trial (http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/09/23/usdom19875.htm ), Taylor, Jr. is charged with criminal responsibility for acts of torture, which include burning victims, shocking them with an electrical device, imprisoning them in holes in the ground, and ordering that that their genitals be mutilated. He is also accused of ordering executions.

  Jury selection in the trial, which will be held before Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, is expected to last three days and will be followed by opening statements.

  

  Taylor, Jr., an American citizen born in Massachusetts, was taken into custody on March 30, 2006, while trying to enter the United States from Trinidad. He was initially charged with passport fraud and pleaded guilty. On December 6, 2006, the day before his sentencing, he was indicted for torture. The torture indictment has since been amended several times, primarily to add more victims to the charges.

  Prosecutions of atrocities committed abroad can be complex to investigate and require specialized expertise, Human Rights Watch said. However, these cases are sometimes the only available means to bring perpetrators of grave human rights violations to justice.

  “Chuckie Taylor’s trial for torture is hugely important for victims in Liberia,” said Keppler. “This is one of the few prosecutions to date for atrocities committed during Liberia’s wars.”

  After years of conflict, Liberia has not tried cases involving serious crimes, although a truth and reconciliation commission has been established. No existing international tribunals have the mandate to prosecute past crimes in Liberia.

  Until last year, torture was the only serious crime that the Department of Justice could prosecute when committed abroad in cases in which neither the alleged perpetrator nor the victim is an American citizen. Recent legislation backed by the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, chaired by Senator Richard J. Durbin, is helping to change that, Human Rights Watch said.

  In December 2007, the Genocide Accountability Act made it a federal crime for anyone in the United States or for any American citizen to commit genocide anywhere. Similar legislation on recruitment of child soldiers has received support in the Senate and the House of Representatives, although it has yet to be finalized. The subcommittee also held a hearing on bringing perpetrators of crimes against humanity to justice in the United States in June.

  “Recent amendments to US federal law have widened the possibilities to prosecute the worst crimes,” said Keppler. “The Department of Justice should actively apply these laws so that the United States avoids ever being a safe haven for human rights abusers.”

  Human Rights Watch urged the Department of Justice to devote adequate attention and expertise to enable effective investigations and prosecutions of human rights violations committed abroad.

  The extraterritorial torture statute is also applicable to US officials. Human Rights Watch has urged the Department of Justice to conduct a criminal investigation of senior officials implicated in torture of detainees abroad.

  Background on the Anti-Terrorist Unit

  Charles Taylor created the ATU shortly after his inauguration as Liberia’s president in 1997. The ATU was initially used to protect government buildings and the international airport, and to provide security for the presidency and some foreign embassies. However, following the emergence of an insurgency aimed at unseating then-President Taylor in 1999, the ATU’s responsibilities were expanded to include combat and other war-related duties.

  Information available to Human Rights Watch suggests that while Charles Taylor, Jr. headed the ATU, the unit committed torture, including violent assaults, rape, beating people to death and burning civilians alive. Information available to Human Rights Watch also suggests that the ATU committed war crimes, including extrajudicial killing of civilians and prisoners, rape and other torture, abduction, and the recruitment of child soldiers.

  To read a short article on the trial in the Human Rights Brief spring/summer 2008 issue, please visit:

  http://www.hrw.org/pub/2008/ij/HRB_Chuckie_Taylor.pdf

  For more of Human Rights Watch’s work on human rights in Liberia, please visit: http://www.hrw.org/doc?t=africa&c=liberi

  For more information, please contact:

  In New York, Elise Keppler (English): +1-212-216-1249; or +1-917-687-8576 (mobile) or kepplee@hrw.org

  In Dakar, Corinne Dufka (English, French): +221-33-820-6125; or +221-77-783-3131 (mobile)

  In Brussels, Géraldine Mattioli (English, French): +32-2-737-1487; or +32-48-557-7962 (mobile)

  Charles “Chuckie” Taylor, Jr.’s Trial in the United States for Torture Committed in Liberia

  Questions and Answers

  Who is Charles “Chuckie” Taylor, Jr.?
  
  Charles “Chuckie” Taylor, Jr. is the son of former Liberian President Charles Taylor.

  Born while his father was living in Massachusetts, Chuckie Taylor is a United States (US) citizen. He spent much of his youth in the United States, joining his father in Liberia after his father won the 1997 presidential elections.

  Shortly after Charles Taylor, Sr. took office, he established the Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATU), an elite pro-government military unit. Taylor, Sr. appointed Chuckie Taylor to head the unit, which he did throughout most of his father’s presidency, from 1997 to 2003.

  Taylor, Sr. is currently on trial in The Hague, charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in neighboring Sierra Leone. It is the first international war crimes trial of an African president and is being conducted by the United Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone. The charges against Taylor are based on his alleged role as a major backer of rebel forces in Sierra Leone and on his alleged responsibility for Liberian forces fighting in support of the Sierra Leonean rebels.

  How did Chuckie Taylor come to be indicted by the US Department of Justice for torture committed in Liberia?

  Chuckie Taylor was taken into US custody on March 30, 2006 after attempting to enter the United States from Trinidad at Miami International Airport. This was the day after his father was surrendered for trial to the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

  Taylor, Jr. was initially charged with using a US passport obtained through false statements, namely lying about his father’s identity. In September 2006, Chuckie Taylor pleaded guilty to the passport violation. He was scheduled to be sentenced on December 7, 2006, which could have led to his release soon thereafter. One day prior to the sentencing, however, he was indicted on torture charges.

  With Chuckie Taylor in US custody, Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations called for an investigation with a view to his prosecution for torture and war crimes committed in Liberia. This request was made because an investigation was believed to be not only crucial for victims in Liberia, but also necessary to demonstrate the US commitment to apply laws prohibiting human rights violations committed abroad. Human Rights Watch also submitted a memorandum to the Department of Justice regarding serious abuses in which Chuckie Taylor is implicated to underscore the need for an investigation.

  What is the law under which Chuckie Taylor is being prosecuted?
  

  The US federal extraterritorial torture statute, 18 USC § 2340A, makes it a crime for US citizens or anyone present in the United States, regardless of whether they are a US citizen, to commit torture abroad, or to attempt or conspire to commit torture abroad. The law applies regardless of the nationality of the victim. Penalties can be a fine and/or imprisonment of up to 20 years, or if the victim dies as a result of the torture, imprisonment for a term of years, life imprisonment, or death. Life imprisonment is the maximum penalty sought in the prosecution of Chuckie Taylor for torture.

  The extraterritorial torture statute, which has been unique in its jurisdictional reach, was passed in 1994 to implement US obligations as a state party to the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. In 2007, however, federal law with regard to genocide was amended to enable the government to bring charges against any person in the United States no matter where the genocide took place. A law criminalizing the recruitment of child soldiers in similar circumstances also has been proposed and has received support, although it has not yet been passed.

  Despite the extraterritorial torture law’s passage over fourteen years ago, Chuckie Taylor’s trial is the first prosecution under the law.

  What are the charges against Chuckie Taylor?

  Chuckie Taylor is indicted for torture committed in Liberia while he headed the ATU. The original indictment charged Taylor with one count of torture and one count of conspiracy to torture under 18 USC § 2340A (see question three for a description of this law), and one count of using a firearm during the commission of a violent crime under 18 USC § 924. While this indictment was based on the alleged torture of a single victim, six more victims have been added in superseding indictments. The most recent indictment, issued in November 2007, charges Chuckie Taylor with five counts of torture, one count of conspiracy to torture, one count of using a firearm during a violent crime, and one count of conspiracy to use a firearm during a violent crime.

  The nineteen-page November 2007 indictment details a range of specific incidents of torture in support of the charges, a number of which allegedly took place at an ATU base in Gbatala, Liberia. The allegations include that between 1999 and 2003, Chuckie Taylor either committed, or attempted or conspired to commit: executions; beatings; imprisoning a group of individuals in a hole in the ground; burning victims with cigarettes, molten plastic, wax, an iron, and scalding water; mutilating victims’ genitals and other body parts; and shocking victims with an electrical device.

  Information collected by Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations indicates that the ATU committed torture and other serious crimes while Chuckie Taylor headed it.

  Why is Chuckie Taylor not being prosecuted in Liberia or before an international war crimes tribunal?

  Chuckie Taylor could in theory be tried by domestic courts in Liberia or an international or hybrid international-national war crimes tribunal. Human Rights Watch has called for justice for widespread human rights abuses committed in Liberia. However, serious deficiencies persist in the Liberian judicial system as it tries to recover from 14 years of armed conflict. A truth and reconciliation commission has been established to help bring accountability for past crimes, which has the authority to refer cases for prosecution. But no cases have yet been referred or otherwise initiated. While a hybrid tribunal was created to try crimes in Sierra Leone, no such court exists for Liberia. The International Criminal Court, which has a wider geographic reach, has a mandate to prosecute only crimes committed after 2002.

  It is often the case that national courts in countries where torture and other serious human rights violations have been committed have little or no capacity to prosecute such crimes. In these situations, international and hybrid tribunals often play a crucial role, but their jurisdiction and resources are limited. US federal prosecutions of serious crimes committed abroad, along with similar prosecutions by other countries, thus can make a vital contribution to ensuring that there is no safe haven for those who commit the most serious of crimes and that there will be justice for victims of atrocities.

  When will Chuckie Taylor’s trial begin and how long will it last?

  Chuckie Taylor’s trial is scheduled to begin jury selection on September 25, 2008. It will take place in Miami before the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The trial is expected to last two to three months. The trial is taking place in Miami because that was where he was arrested.

  What are some of the issues that have come up in the case against Chuckie Taylor for torture in the lead-up to trial?

  Given that this is the first prosecution in the United States for torture committed abroad, it is not surprising that many pretrial motions have been made. Some of the most significant issues that have been raised relate to the constitutionality of the extraterritorial torture statute; the protection of victims and witnesses; and ensuring respect for the rights of the accused, including the right to adequate time to prepare a defense against charges involving acts committed in remote locations. It is vital that this trial, like all trials for serious crimes—whether before domestic or international courts—be fair and effective consistent with international standards.

  Is the United States expected to prosecute others for human rights violations abroad?

  Whether the case against Chuckie Taylor will be the first of more to come in the United States remains an open question. According to US authorities, a number of investigations under the extraterritorial torture statute have been initiated, but they have only resulted in immigration charges.

  The dearth of cases is due at least in part to significant challenges to investigating and prosecuting crimes committed abroad. These include language barriers, the need to evaluate complex and unfamiliar political and historical contexts, the difficulty of gaining access to the necessary evidence, and risks to potential witnesses.

  The challenges to prosecuting human rights violations committed abroad have been acknowledged by US officials, although how best to overcome them requires greater attention. In a positive development, since its establishment in 2007, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law has taken an active interest in ensuring that the United States is not a safe haven for human rights abusers. In addition to backing legislation such as the Genocide Accountability Act of 2007, the subcommittee has held valuable hearings on enforcement of human rights laws.

  Does the United States also prosecute US leaders against whom allegations of involvement or authorization of torture exist?

  Human Rights Watch has long urged that senior US officials, such as Donald Rumsfeld and ex-CIA Director George Tenet, should be investigated for potential liability in war crimes and torture.

  There are a number of statutes including the War Crimes Act of 1996 (18 USC § 2441), as well as the extraterritorial torture statute, under which prosecutions could be brought. However, under federal law, the Department of Justice, which is part of the executive branch, has wide discretion to decide not to prosecute a given case, and a decision to prosecute or not to prosecute is non-reviewable. No investigation into such senior leaders has yet taken place.

  

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