THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia, is on trial again today after a six-month delay.  Taylor is accused of controlling militia that killed and raped thousands in Sierra Leone.  Taylor is the first ex-African head of state to face a trial before an international war crimes tribunal. 

Video of mutliated Sierra Leonean victims was shown today and the first witness gave testimony regarding conflict diamonds.  The expert, Ian Smillie, testified as to the key role diamonds play in funding conflicts in countries that lack hard currency. 

Taylor is accused of arming, training, and controlling the notorious Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in exchange for an unknown amount of diamonds.  The conflict in Sierra Leone resulted in the death of 120,000 and the mutilation of thousands. 

Taylor’s trial before the Special Court for Sierra Leone was moved to The Hague from Freetown due to fears over security and the threat of destabilization.  The trial opened in June, but was initially boycotted by Taylor, and was postponed after Taylor fired his first lawyer.  In August Taylor accepted a new lawyer and received a $100,000 a month defense budget, with the trial being postponed to give the new defense team time to prepare. 

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Shocking footage at Taylor trial – 7 January 2008

AFP – War crimes trial of Liberian ex-president Taylor resumes – 7 January 2008

Guardian Unlimited (UK) – Taylor war crimes trial begins – 7 January 2008