Charles Taylor: warlord, president, international criminal
Liberian dictator Charles Taylor is less known to Russian-speaking readers than many other African tyrants. However, both in Africa itself and in Western countries, Taylor is a fairly well-known person, journalists wrote a lot about his crimes, he became the prototype of the dictator Batista in the Hollywood film “Gunsmith baron."
If some other dictators, in particular, Idi Amin, were able to escape in time and were never convicted, then Taylor was less fortunate in this regard: he ultimately answered for his actions in full. What was this dictator and why he received such wide popularity, we will tell.
Liberia, unlike a number of other African countries, was not a European colony. As an independent state, it arose in the first half of the 1820th century, it was founded by former American slaves who received freedom. Actually, the very name of the country, which appeared in the XNUMXs, symbolized that now not slaves live in it, but free people. Former slaves became an elite, they called themselves Americo-Liberians and looked down on the indigenous population, which they considered savages.
Charles Taylor, born in 1948, was also a descendant of Americo-Liberians. His father was a teacher and lawyer, his mother was a representative of one of the indigenous tribes. In 1972, Taylor went to the United States, where he graduated from Bentley College in Economics in Massachusetts, worked as a security guard, driver and mechanic. In 1980 he returned to his native country.
In April of that year, a coup d'état took place in Liberia. Sergeant Samuel Doe, 29, led by indigenous soldiers, broke into the presidential palace, killed President Tolbert, and seized power. Taylor took a position in Doe's administration.
The people welcomed the change of power in the country, as the former president was not popular. However, Doe, who came under democratic slogans, soon began to rule as a dictator himself. Periodically, he carried out repressions, shot those who disagreed.
In 1983, Dow accused Taylor of embezzling one million dollars. Knowing how this could end, Taylor fled to the United States. But there, at the request of Liberia, he was arrested; Taylor spent 15 months in an American prison. In 1985, he escaped from prison and soon showed up in Libya, where, with the knowledge and support of Gaddafi, he began to form troops for a campaign in Liberia. He gave his forces the loud name "National Patriotic Front of Liberia" (NPFL).
In December 1989, NPFL forces led by Taylor invaded Liberia from the Ivory Coast. The First Civil War began in the country. Soon other West African countries intervened, also bringing their military contingents into Liberia.
New rebel armies were also formed, and soon 7 groups were already at war with each other. Interestingly, all of them had such words as “patriotic”, “liberation”, “people's” and “democratic” in their names, which did not prevent each of them from committing war crimes.
A grouping broke away from Taylor's forces under the command of his associate Prince Johnson. In September 1990, Johnson approached the nation's capital, Monrovia, and invited President Doe to a meeting. Thinking that he wants to go over to his side, Dow came to the meeting. But Johnson's people immediately kidnapped the president, took him to a secluded place and began torturing him. Johnson was interested in bank account numbers and access to them.
The entire process of torture, including the president eating his own severed ear, was filmed, and soon the recording spread around the world.
However, after such a brutal murder of Doe, the civil war did not end. In October of the same year, Taylor declared himself president, but this did not change the situation either.
Soon, Taylor's militants controlled up to 80% of the country's territory. Under his complete control were rubber plantations and diamond mines, weapons were supplied by Libya, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire and private traders, among whom was the Russian Viktor Bout, based on whose biography the film "Lord of War" was later shot.
In the territory controlled by Taylor, there was complete chaos. His militants broke into villages, killed, robbed, raped, kidnapped children. These children, who averaged 12–15 years old, filled the ranks of Taylor's army. It must be said that Taylor was not an innovator here; militants in other African countries also practiced recruiting children into the army. But it was Taylor who gave this phenomenon the greatest mass character: it is believed that during the war years up to 20 thousand children passed through his army. Taylor himself was popularly nicknamed “Daddy” for this, and his parents now scared naughty children with his name.
The first civil war in Liberia lasted 7 years. Finally, in 1996, the parties came to reconciliation. By this time, Taylor was the most powerful and wealthy politician in the country. In the presidential elections held the following year, he won a landslide victory with 75% of the popular vote. Of course, everyone knew very well about his crimes, but they still voted for him. Among the campaign slogans of Taylor's supporters, for example, one can find such: "He killed my mom and killed my dad, but I vote for him."
So the war criminal became the legitimately elected president of the country. It is obvious that many voted for him only because he was the most influential politician in the country and hopes were pinned on him for establishing a lasting peace. However, lasting peace, and even more so political stability, was far away.
With huge stockpiles of weapons on hand, Taylor did not sit idle and began to supply them to the neighboring republic of Sierra Leone, where a civil war was also going on. The local rebels, who were supported by Taylor, were no less cruel towards the civilian population. In exchange for weapons, Taylor received diamonds mined there.
However, opponents of Taylor himself, who were forced to stop fighting and leave the country in 1996, have now gathered their strength again. In early 1999, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (OLPD) invaded Liberia from Guinea, sparking the Second Civil War.
But now the fighting developed not in Taylor's favor. To this were added international sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, all Taylor's accounts in European banks were arrested. On June 4, 2003, the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone issued an international arrest warrant for Taylor.
Meanwhile, the rebel forces came close to the capital of Monrovia and began its siege and shelling. Government forces controlled no more than 20% of the country's territory, and no one was sure that they could even keep the capital. In this environment, Taylor did not find anything better than to announce his resignation on August 10 of the same year. He took all the loot and fled to Nigeria, where he received political asylum.
In Nigeria, Taylor settled in a villa in the city of Calabar. From Monrovia, he was able to withdraw not only a large amount of cash, but also diamonds, diamonds and other luxury items. The President of Nigeria promised not to extradite him to other states.
However, the international community has not forgotten about Taylor's crimes. Already in December 2003, Interpol issued a warrant for his arrest. Nigeria was under pressure. Finally, its President Obasanjo stated that he would only extradite Taylor if requested by the legitimately elected President of Liberia.
The new Liberian authorities for the time being did not demand the extradition of Taylor. However, later it turned out that he regularly made phone calls to his supporters in Liberia, which interfered in the internal affairs of the country. And a request for extradition followed.
Upon learning that they were planning to extradite him, Taylor fled from his villa in March 2006 in the direction of the border with Cameroon and was only detained at customs. A search of his car revealed a large amount of cash.
First, Taylor was taken to Monrovia, then, so that his trial would not cause a new round of hostilities, they decided to try him in the Netherlands. There he was placed in the Hague prison, an investigation began that lasted 6 years. Taylor was charged with 11 war crimes charges, including massacre of civilians, use of child soldiers, rape, sexual slavery, looting, humiliation, kidnapping, and forced labor.
During the investigation, it also turned out that Taylor gave orders for cannibalism to his troops in order to intimidate the enemy. This was told by one of his former subordinates, who described in detail the process of preparing human flesh.
Among the witnesses in the case, British fashion model Naomi Campbell also testified, who knew Taylor in the late 1990s, received diamonds from him as gifts and may have been his mistress.
Finally, on May 30, 2012, the Special Court for Sierra Leone pronounced Taylor's sentence: 50 years in prison. He was found guilty on all 11 charges.
The former president of Liberia continues to serve this term in the UK at the present time.
Interestingly, despite all the crimes of Taylor, his former supporters continue to have political weight in Liberia today. So, his ex-wife Jewell, whom he divorced in 2006, is the vice president of the country.
If some other dictators, in particular, Idi Amin, were able to escape in time and were never convicted, then Taylor was less fortunate in this regard: he ultimately answered for his actions in full. What was this dictator and why he received such wide popularity, we will tell.
Charles Taylor
A native of the "Country of Freedom"
Liberia, unlike a number of other African countries, was not a European colony. As an independent state, it arose in the first half of the 1820th century, it was founded by former American slaves who received freedom. Actually, the very name of the country, which appeared in the XNUMXs, symbolized that now not slaves live in it, but free people. Former slaves became an elite, they called themselves Americo-Liberians and looked down on the indigenous population, which they considered savages.
Landscapes of Liberia. A place that looks like an earthly paradise has turned into an arena of bloody struggle
Charles Taylor, born in 1948, was also a descendant of Americo-Liberians. His father was a teacher and lawyer, his mother was a representative of one of the indigenous tribes. In 1972, Taylor went to the United States, where he graduated from Bentley College in Economics in Massachusetts, worked as a security guard, driver and mechanic. In 1980 he returned to his native country.
In April of that year, a coup d'état took place in Liberia. Sergeant Samuel Doe, 29, led by indigenous soldiers, broke into the presidential palace, killed President Tolbert, and seized power. Taylor took a position in Doe's administration.
The people welcomed the change of power in the country, as the former president was not popular. However, Doe, who came under democratic slogans, soon began to rule as a dictator himself. Periodically, he carried out repressions, shot those who disagreed.
In 1983, Dow accused Taylor of embezzling one million dollars. Knowing how this could end, Taylor fled to the United States. But there, at the request of Liberia, he was arrested; Taylor spent 15 months in an American prison. In 1985, he escaped from prison and soon showed up in Libya, where, with the knowledge and support of Gaddafi, he began to form troops for a campaign in Liberia. He gave his forces the loud name "National Patriotic Front of Liberia" (NPFL).
Struggle for power
In December 1989, NPFL forces led by Taylor invaded Liberia from the Ivory Coast. The First Civil War began in the country. Soon other West African countries intervened, also bringing their military contingents into Liberia.
New rebel armies were also formed, and soon 7 groups were already at war with each other. Interestingly, all of them had such words as “patriotic”, “liberation”, “people's” and “democratic” in their names, which did not prevent each of them from committing war crimes.
A grouping broke away from Taylor's forces under the command of his associate Prince Johnson. In September 1990, Johnson approached the nation's capital, Monrovia, and invited President Doe to a meeting. Thinking that he wants to go over to his side, Dow came to the meeting. But Johnson's people immediately kidnapped the president, took him to a secluded place and began torturing him. Johnson was interested in bank account numbers and access to them.
The entire process of torture, including the president eating his own severed ear, was filmed, and soon the recording spread around the world.
However, after such a brutal murder of Doe, the civil war did not end. In October of the same year, Taylor declared himself president, but this did not change the situation either.
A recruit is taught how to handle a machine gun. Liberia, 1990s
Soon, Taylor's militants controlled up to 80% of the country's territory. Under his complete control were rubber plantations and diamond mines, weapons were supplied by Libya, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire and private traders, among whom was the Russian Viktor Bout, based on whose biography the film "Lord of War" was later shot.
In the territory controlled by Taylor, there was complete chaos. His militants broke into villages, killed, robbed, raped, kidnapped children. These children, who averaged 12–15 years old, filled the ranks of Taylor's army. It must be said that Taylor was not an innovator here; militants in other African countries also practiced recruiting children into the army. But it was Taylor who gave this phenomenon the greatest mass character: it is believed that during the war years up to 20 thousand children passed through his army. Taylor himself was popularly nicknamed “Daddy” for this, and his parents now scared naughty children with his name.
Taylor's soldiers
President
The first civil war in Liberia lasted 7 years. Finally, in 1996, the parties came to reconciliation. By this time, Taylor was the most powerful and wealthy politician in the country. In the presidential elections held the following year, he won a landslide victory with 75% of the popular vote. Of course, everyone knew very well about his crimes, but they still voted for him. Among the campaign slogans of Taylor's supporters, for example, one can find such: "He killed my mom and killed my dad, but I vote for him."
So the war criminal became the legitimately elected president of the country. It is obvious that many voted for him only because he was the most influential politician in the country and hopes were pinned on him for establishing a lasting peace. However, lasting peace, and even more so political stability, was far away.
With huge stockpiles of weapons on hand, Taylor did not sit idle and began to supply them to the neighboring republic of Sierra Leone, where a civil war was also going on. The local rebels, who were supported by Taylor, were no less cruel towards the civilian population. In exchange for weapons, Taylor received diamonds mined there.
However, opponents of Taylor himself, who were forced to stop fighting and leave the country in 1996, have now gathered their strength again. In early 1999, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (OLPD) invaded Liberia from Guinea, sparking the Second Civil War.
But now the fighting developed not in Taylor's favor. To this were added international sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, all Taylor's accounts in European banks were arrested. On June 4, 2003, the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone issued an international arrest warrant for Taylor.
Meanwhile, the rebel forces came close to the capital of Monrovia and began its siege and shelling. Government forces controlled no more than 20% of the country's territory, and no one was sure that they could even keep the capital. In this environment, Taylor did not find anything better than to announce his resignation on August 10 of the same year. He took all the loot and fled to Nigeria, where he received political asylum.
Defendant
In Nigeria, Taylor settled in a villa in the city of Calabar. From Monrovia, he was able to withdraw not only a large amount of cash, but also diamonds, diamonds and other luxury items. The President of Nigeria promised not to extradite him to other states.
However, the international community has not forgotten about Taylor's crimes. Already in December 2003, Interpol issued a warrant for his arrest. Nigeria was under pressure. Finally, its President Obasanjo stated that he would only extradite Taylor if requested by the legitimately elected President of Liberia.
The new Liberian authorities for the time being did not demand the extradition of Taylor. However, later it turned out that he regularly made phone calls to his supporters in Liberia, which interfered in the internal affairs of the country. And a request for extradition followed.
Upon learning that they were planning to extradite him, Taylor fled from his villa in March 2006 in the direction of the border with Cameroon and was only detained at customs. A search of his car revealed a large amount of cash.
Taylor being escorted by Mongolian peacekeepers before leaving for The Hague
First, Taylor was taken to Monrovia, then, so that his trial would not cause a new round of hostilities, they decided to try him in the Netherlands. There he was placed in the Hague prison, an investigation began that lasted 6 years. Taylor was charged with 11 war crimes charges, including massacre of civilians, use of child soldiers, rape, sexual slavery, looting, humiliation, kidnapping, and forced labor.
During the investigation, it also turned out that Taylor gave orders for cannibalism to his troops in order to intimidate the enemy. This was told by one of his former subordinates, who described in detail the process of preparing human flesh.
Among the witnesses in the case, British fashion model Naomi Campbell also testified, who knew Taylor in the late 1990s, received diamonds from him as gifts and may have been his mistress.
Finally, on May 30, 2012, the Special Court for Sierra Leone pronounced Taylor's sentence: 50 years in prison. He was found guilty on all 11 charges.
Taylor listens to his verdict
The former president of Liberia continues to serve this term in the UK at the present time.
Interestingly, despite all the crimes of Taylor, his former supporters continue to have political weight in Liberia today. So, his ex-wife Jewell, whom he divorced in 2006, is the vice president of the country.
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