Former Liberian President Boycotts Own Trial

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor has refused to attend his own International War Crimes trial in the Netherlands, where he is facing trial for his role in the brutal conflict in Sierre Leon. Taylor has been accused of providing the rebels in war-torn Sierre Leon with drugs and alchohol, which were to desensitize the child soldiers used during the 10 year conflict. In return for providing these items, Taylor reportedly received millions of dollars in diamonds. Taylor has denied having access to any money or diamonds, and has instead insisted he is penniless and therefore cannot afford adequate counsel. He has instead demanded that he receive a "Queen's Counsel", or high-level, British attorney, and has not left his prison cell as a means of protest until he has the representation he has requested. Taylor has also indicated that he would like to defend himself.

The Court's chief defender, Vincent Nmehielle, says that he has accepted Taylor's dismissal of his previous attorney, but has expressed frustrations at how long it is taking to try and secure a Queen's Counsel attorney. The presiding judge at The Hague, Julia Sebutinde, is clearly frustrated at how his actions are holding up the proceedings of the International Court. Already, three have been convicted in the last few weeks of war crimes as a result of their actions in Sierre Leon, and these men have direct connections to Charles Taylor. Sebutinde is clearly ready to convict Taylor of the crimes that he accused of; and of which the prosecution has ample evidence to support. All involved say that Taylor is simply trying to stall the court's proceedings to prolong his inevitable conviction.

The question is, why is Charles Taylor able to stall the International Court's proceedings? His appointed defender was good enough to have defended nearly a dozen other accused criminals, so he should have been good enough for Taylor. The International Court has often been accused of having nebulous jurisdiction and no substantive way to hold defendants accountable for their crimes against humanity, and this is simply another example of its apparent impotence. It is reprehensible that the International community should be expected to pay such the exorbitant amount of money that it would take to secure the type of legal team that Taylor is demanding, one that is led by a Queen's Counsel attorney. He should absolutely not be able to demand an attorney other than that which has been appointed to him by a just court. It is time for someone to begin to hold the men of power accountable for their actions during the war in Sierre Leon, for this conflict has led to thousands of lost lives, as well as the destruction of the lives of the child soldiers who were forced to carry out innumerable atrocities. Charles Taylor needs to stand trial for his role in this tragedy, whether or not he likes the attorney who is standing beside him