"SPOTLIGHT ON WEST AFRICAN POLITICS":"FOCUS ON LIBERIAN'S PAST TURMOIL"(Last part)

Le 28 juin 2012 par IVOIREBUSINESS - ("Reminder of the major facts in 1989":"In Christmas (1989),"Charles Taylor", former minister of "Samuel Kanyon Doe's government crossed the ivorian border through the ivorian city of"Danane", with the blessing of

the ivorian government ruled by former president "Houphouet Boigny". Before that period, he betrayed "Doe" when embezzling a huge amount of dollars in a particular mission in USa! He was then arrested by the american authorities and imprisonned in USA. To the amazement of the international opinion, released, "Charles Taylor" came back to "LIBERIA" to found a new rebellion!(...)To come back to reality and facts , also talking of "Samuel K Doe", and his sixteen liberian native rebel soldiers who took over in "Liberia" in (1980), they had no idea of the international relations working system, and the rational understanding of the liberian political and social dynamics on the ground! As a result, without one or two years, they became more corrupt than the liberian governments that had preceded! But one has to bear in mind the major fact that in the first four years of "Doe's regime in "LIBERIA", the american government ruled by "Ronald REEGAN" at that period, had backed up him economically in a cold war political gap, because he managed somehow that there was an economic emergency in "Liberia" in (1980).For president "Reegan", that economic aid would be helpful to strenghthen the west influences in their so called stepchild(Liberia) since (1847)... Unfortunately, development and education stopped and the economy stagnated in the country: Moreover, at that time, "Doe" seemed to consider the national liberian treasure his own... Therefore, his blatant corruption became an embarrassment to the Usa, his closest ally! In the same trend, "America" pressured "Doe's regime to return "Liberia" into a civil rule! A few years later, "Doe" manipulated the presidential elections and declared himself the winner in (1985). But for some of the rebel soldiers who helped him to take over in (1980), "Doe" became increasingly a betrayer: One month after the presidential elections in "LIberia" in (1985), a captain called "Thomas Kiwonkpa" from the "Nimba" county("Guiyo"-"YACOUBA" in the Ivory COAST), who was among the sixteen rebel soldiers who brought "Doe" to power, entered "Monrovia" closely with other rebel soldiers. He took the national TV and radio stations and started delivering an heros speech(live).Meanwhile, he then declared that he had got the blessing of USA and in the same trend, some government official officials close to "DOE" were being arrested in a large number... At that particular period, "Doe" was underground, also arrested by rebel soldiers: Within six hours, most of the liberians thought that "Doe" has been overthrown and started rejoicing in "Monrovia's streets! On the other hand, a miracle occurred, because the short-lived victorious captain "Kiwonkpa" soon turned victim, when being shot at the liberian TV headquarters in "Monrovia": His body taken later to the presidential palace to be viewed by "Doe"... Basically, it was a political and military victory for "DOE", but "Samuel K Doe" had other troubles, because he was loosing the entire support his main political ally(USA)... Moreover, since captain "Thomas Kiwonkpa's military coup that failed in (1985), "Doe" has retaliated in a wicked spirit by targeting at "Nimba" county, people where his challenger("Thomas Kiwonkpa") originated:(more people arrested, tortured and killed in an ethnic cleansing or so called tribal war).That permanent frustration and oppression led to a new rebellion controlled by "Charles Taylor" in (christmas 1989):(a "guiyo-Congo",(former minister of "Samuel Doe") in (December 24 1989)!One fact seemed to be predominant, as far as "Charles taylor's rebellion was concerned: He had got the military and strategic backing of the ivorian government led by the late president "Houphouet Boigny"...(In 1990 -September 9), Liberian war reached an unprecedented pinacle and was heading for a disaster: "Samuel K DOOE had no choice", surrounded by his enemies, therefore he arrived at the headquater of the west african peace keepers (Ecomog) in "Monrovia" to meet the nigerian commander! Unfortunately, he had no idea, that a rebel soldier called "PRINCE JHONSON"(a "guiyo"-"yacouba" in the "ivory coast") could come for him and trapped in an unexpected ambush! Shot and carried away by "PRINCE jHONSON's rebels, he died away tortured and mutilated! But after his death , some librians kept on saying": No Doe, no peace in "LIBERIA"... But today IN 2012, things seem to be back to normal, even if «Liberia» has got no real national army for its sovereignty, and remain till now a so called america's stepchild with an "Un" army in the new millenium in AFRICA! One has to keep in mind the fact that, the current liberian president "Ellen J shirleaf" was close to the late "Willian TOLBERT"(liberian president from (1971 to 1980), then refused to take part in "SAMUEL Doe's" government in (1980)! That can partly explain her political stance in the current ivorian turmoil right now, when extraditing recently (41) ivorians around the "GRAND DEH", where "Samuel K DOE" originated!
(Yves T BOUAZO)