Boston, Massachusetts- Two former Liberian Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Charles Taylor are reportedly being taken to court in the United States for allegedly being responsible for war crimes committed by the defunct National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) during the country’s civil war.
A statement from the Universal Human Rights International (UHRI) says it will today, Friday March 23, 2018 “file a civil lawsuit against the main perpetrators of atrocities in Liberia.”
And the UHRI says their target are “those who knowingly provided material and financial support to carry out violence, torture and rape against Liberian civilians.”
An executive of the UHRI, Rev Torli Krua, a native of Liberia’s Nimba County says in the statement that the alleged crimes against humanity committed by the rebels also affected his family.
“The target of the lawsuit includes; former International Fundraiser for the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, NPFL and former President of Liberia, Madame Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former NPFL Defense Minister Jucontee Thomas Woewiyu, former NPFL leader and convicted war criminal, Mr. Charles G. Taylor, Estate of Samuel K. Doe, former Commander in Chief and former President of Liberia, The Republic of Liberia, President George M. Weah as President and The United States Navy, Richard V. Spencer, as Secretary of the Navy.
There is a saying in Liberia; “99 days for rogue but one day for the Master!” The lawsuit also aims to permanently end the source of political violence in African nations which is the excessive salaries and benefits of lawmakers and top politicians in foreign aid dependent “poor countries” who rob not only their own citizens but also the average taxpayer in donor countries such as the United States of America.
The Kruas believe skyrocketing unemployment, lack of equal opportunities, nepotism, ritualistic killings and barbaric human sacrifices are all rooted in greed and the excessive salaries and benefits of African politicians. As refugees, the Kruas are fighting back starting at the source of the refugee crisis.
The UHRI’s statement further says there are no justifications for open ended support of corrupt, undemocratic and violent governments like Liberia where the system is rigged in the politician’s favor. According to the American Social Security Administration, 38% of American workers earn US$20,000.00 or less annually and 51% of American workers earn US$30,000.00 or less annually. Compare the yearly earnings of American workers to the salaries of corrupt and violent government officials in Liberia and other aid dependent countries like Guinea, which are sponsored by American taxpayers.
The entire budget for FY-2017 for Liberia, which is subsidized by American taxpayers, is US$536 million dollars. The budget for the Liberian Senate Pro Tempore like former Pro Tempore, Mr. Findley, Ellen Sirleaf’s surrogate was US$1.2 million annually.
Additionally, Findley’s salary and benefits were US$482,203.00 (US$40,184.00 per month), which is higher than the salary of the President of the United States, US$400,000.00 (US$33,333.33 per month), the salary of Speaker of the House in the United States Congress, US$223,500.00 (US$18,625.00), President Pro Tempore United States Congress, US$193,400.00 (US$16,116.66 per month) and the highest paid state legislators in America from California who earns a salary of (US$8,750.00 per month).
A press conference is expected soon. Announcements will be posted on https://twitter.com/TorliKrua and https://www.facebook.com/torli.krua.1
Jurisdiction
The Federal District Court of Boston in Boston, Massachusetts, USA has jurisdiction in this case because of the following reasons: The 1st statute violated by the defendants, The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) (Pub.L. 114–222) is a law passed by the United States Congress that narrows the scope of the legal doctrine of foreign sovereign immunity. The U.S. Code (Title 28, Part IV, Chapter 85, Section 1350) a Torture Victim Protection Act of allows victims of torture, or the families of those who were killed through extrajudicial means, to sue their tormentors in U.S. courts, regardless of their citizenship or where the crime occurred.
Statutes Violated:
- 1st statute violated; The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) (Pub.L.
114–222) is a law passed by the United States Congress that narrows the scope of the
legal doctrine of foreign sovereign immunity.
- 2nd statute violated: 18 U.S. Code § 373 – Solicitation to commit a crime of violence
3rd statute violated: The federal anti-torture statute is formally known as Title 18, Part I,
Chapter 113C of the U.S.Code.
- The 3rd statute consists of three sections (2340, 2340A, and 2340B), which define the
crime of torture and prescribe harsh punishments for anyone—an American citizen or
otherwise—who commits an act of torture outside of the United States. A person found
guilty of committing torture faces up to 20 years in prison or even execution, if the
torture in question resulted in a victim’s death. The law was added to the books in 1994,
as part of the United States’ efforts to ratify and comply with the United Nations
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment . Another section of the U.S. Code (Title 28, Part IV, Chapter 85, Section
1350) also deals with the issue of torture. The Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991
allows victims of torture, or the families of those who were killed through extrajudicial
means, to sue their tormentors in U.S. Courts, regardless of their citizenship or where
the crime occurred.
- The 4th statute violated is Title 18, United States Code, Section 1621(1) The real reasons why these individuals filed applications for legal status in the United States was to organize a violent guerrilla group, raising funds, buying arms and ammunition and carrying on atrocities against unarmed civilians in Liberia and use violence to overthrow the government. Upon the overthrow of the Liberian government, these individuals also plotted to take over the leadership of Liberia for personal aggrandizement, nepotism and corruption. They lied to the government of the United States in filing for legal immigration status in the United States of America.