By our Staff Writer
The Federal District Court of Boston in Boston, Massachusetts, USA has issued summons in the civil lawsuit against Defendants, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, International Fundraiser for the National Patriotic Front, (NPFL) and former President of the Republic of Liberia, former President Charles G. Taylor, NPFL and others.
A statement says the Honorable Judge Denise J. Casper has been assigned to the case which bears the Civil Docket Number: 1:18-cv-10574-DJC.
The Court has also summoned Jucontee Thomas Woewiyu, former defense Minister, NPFL.
Also named in the Boston Court’s summons are the Republic of Liberia (Ambassador George M. Weah, as President of the Republic of Liberia) and The United States Navy, (Honorable Richard V. Spencer, as Secretary of the United States Navy).
Some 250, 000 people were killed in Liberia’s 14 years civil war which officially ended in 2003, according to United Nations estimate.
But ever since the war ended, not a single person has faced justice or reparation being given to victims for the carnage caused by warlords and their funders. Although the 2010 final report from the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) identified those who bear the greatest responsibility for the atrocities, justice still remains elusive.
Last Friday, a prominent Liberian-born human rights activist of the Universal Human Rights International, Pastor Torli H. Krua and Rev. Mahn C. Krua of Tappita, Nimba County filed a civil lawsuit against the main perpetrators of atrocities in Liberia and those who knowingly provided material and financial support to carry out violence, torture and rape against Liberian civilians including the Krua family.
Reliable sources in the US say American Citizens and United States Persons have been behind atrocities in Liberia that go back to over one hundred years to Navy captain Robert Stockton and Matilda Newport.
At the same time, our sources said American taxpayers have funded the atrocities through open-ended foreign aid, as the United States Embassy turns a blind eye to excessive salaries and benefits where Liberians top ministers and lawmakers earn salaries higher than the salaries of all top American government officials.
The sources said American taxpayers by supporting foreign aid had been pouring the fuel of the fire of torture and atrocities in Liberia and poor countries.
A statement from the former head of the Universal Human Rights International (UHRI) on Wednesday says “from King Long Peter to Matilda Newport to the torture and sacrilegious branding of the Dan People of Liberia as “Gio People” (Gio is a demeaning term in Dan that means tortured or wounded) on to the atrocities of the NPFL and the Military Government under Doe, United States Citizenship, American taxpayers money and American arms and ammunition have played pivotal roles in the atrocities, torture, mental anguish and losses of many Liberians in general and the Kruas in particular.”
The statement furthered said:
“It can be recalled that the ring leader of the NPFL atrocities against unarmed civilians in Liberia, Charles Taylor was not only a United States Person allowed to work, study and own businesses in the United States, he claimed to have been “released” from prison in order to leave the United States without apprehension to unleash atrocities against Liberians. And so controversies over the real nationalities of the Defendants is crucial to settling this case as well as the role of living witnesses of the atrocities, including many victims of atrocities such as ritualistic killings, torture, etc in Liberia who may never be granted visa to come to the United States for the trial of this case.”
“As a United States agency, the United States Navy is also a defendant in this case, it is important for witnesses to Liberia’s atrocities be accessible during the trial. Many Liberian refugees on American Soil with Temporary Protection as well as Liberians whose protected status has expired are witnesses. Many are unable or unwilling to return to Liberia because of the real threat Liberia’s broken and corrupt system of governance poses, evidenced by the excessive salaries and benefits of politicians which is vehemently opposed by a vast majority of Liberians but ignored by the United States and European Embassies.”
The statement continues: “As the Americans and Europeans fund the corrupt government, progress is impossible regardless of who is president. As a result of the excessive salaries and benefits, the resulting insecurity and barbaric human sacrifices poses serious risks for Liberians who might be forced out of America.
“Until this case is settled and the roles of the united states is clearly defined, sending refugees created largely by Americans citizens, American policies, American government agency and Charles Taylor’s “release” as well as Ellen Johnson’s use of her legal status in America and her base in the United States during her activities providing material and financial support to a violent guerrilla group for years while the USA turns a blind eye. Furthermore, during over a decade reign of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, she was assisted and funded by the United States of America while carrying out undemocratic actions such as appointing governors, mayors, presidents of public universities, heads of public corporations and board members of public corporations as well as shepherding excessive salaries and benefits of Liberian government officials that robs the children.
Liberia the Government of Liberia, the Armed Forces of Liberia and the National Patriotic Front of Liberia are specifically responsible for atrocities we suffered. Instead of seeking to mitigate the harm inflicted on Liberians and prioritizing national reconciliation and reform of the corrupt and broken system of governance, the Liberian government is expediting the granting of citizenship to Lebanese merchants. Lawmakers are setting their own salaries and benefits in violation of conflict of interest clause of Article 90 of the Constitution. With the Liberian Supreme Court declaring the enforcement of the Truth and Reconciliation Report as unconstitutional, we have no alternative but to take legal action against the Liberian Government and NPFL Executives.
As we struggle in exile, NPFL leaders and others who committed gross atrocities are being rewarded with government jobs, excessive salaries and benefits as well as local and international accolades for the harm they caused. As long as the Liberian government remains the avenue for politicians to build mansions and turn themselves into millionaires and top officials of government lawmakers in the poverty-stricken Republic of Liberia continue to earn salaries and benefits, the ripping off the genitals of innocent boys and girls in barbaric human sacrifice in Liberia will continue. That is why we called for a national sovereign conference to start national reconciliation and implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation. It’s a huge mistake to create a culture of dependency by waiting for foreigners to build Liberia instead of calling on Liberians to come together reconcile and build their country,” the statement by Pastor Krua concluded.