By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The second week of the trial against former Liberian president Charles Taylor included testimony by a former member of Taylor’s traveling security squad, a former rebel fighter, an expert in African studies, and a man who worked with former child soldiers.   Taylor is on trial before the Special Court for Sierra Leone for his involvement in the Sierra Leone civil war.  It is alleged that he supported and commanded the RUF rebels in their efforts. 

The defense concluded their cross-examination of Varmuyan Sherif, a former member of Taylor’s traveling security squad.  Courtenay Griffiths, the lead defense counsel, accused the witness of “always hating” the accused and said he had a “personal history” of plotting against Taylor.   Griffiths worked to establish this bias by pointing out that Sherif was formerly a commander of the United Liberation Movement for Democracy in Liberia (ULIMO) which fought against Taylor’s National Patriotic Front for Liberia (NPFL).

Next to testify for the prosecution was Dennis Koker, a fighter for the AFRC rebel group that was aligned with the RUF during the war.   Koker testified that the RUF killed and raped civilians and burned their homes.    Koker also testified as to his involvement in the so-called scorched earth campaign known as “Operation No Living Thing.”   After the rebels were chased out of Freetown in 1998 5,000 AFRC rebels, including Koker, joined the RUF fighters in their retreat to the east.  When they arrived in the town of Koidu in the diamond-rich Kono district they were instructed by their commander to burn everything so that when the government forces arrived they would not be able to stay in Kono.   Koker testified that his commander told them that Operation No Living Thing was an order from high command.  The rebels then took children to do household chores and made women “wives” and were forced to work as sex slaves. 

Dr. Stephen Ellis, and expert in African Studies began his testimony on Thursday.   Dr. Ellis testified about the role and influence of Charles Taylor over the RUF rebels and his connection to the war.   Two examples were discussed: the signing of the Lome Peace Accord and Taylor’s influence and involvement in getting Foday Sankoh to attend the peace conference; and his influence over the RUF abduction of UN peacekeepers and Taylor’s proposal to be the intermediary to negotiate any release.   The cross-examination of Dr. Ellis focused on the history of conflict in Liberia and neighboring West African states and the political influence the United States held.

Last to testify this week was Jose Maria Caballera, known as Father Chema.  Father Chema, originally from Spain and now living in Sierra Leone, testified regarding his involvement with former child soldiers.  In April 1999 he started a program with UNICEF to treat the children.  From April 1999 to March 2002 he treated 3,025 children, at least 62 percent of which were child soldiers.   Father Chema recounted the number of children he saw and helped, the majority of which ranged in age from 12 to 15.  Many of the girls were “camp followers” or “sex slaves” that had been used by the fighters as bush wives.  Father Chema remembered the youngest girl was kidnapped at age 7 or 8 and had been a “bush wife” to a RUF commander until she became pregnant.  Father Chema also detailed a typical history of a child soldier, from abduction to training to anointment, to the killing of their first victim.  Following their training, the children were sent back to their villages to kill their parents and burn the village harvest.   Father Chema’s testimony is scheduled to resume on Monday morning.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Prosecution witness queried at Taylor war crimes trial – 15 January 2008

AFP – Charles Taylor trial witness tells of RUF rebels’ atrocities – 16 January 2008

AllAfrica.com – Dr. Ellis Details the History of Conflict; United States Influence in Politics Described – 18 January 2008

AllAfrica.com – Liberia: Virtual Eyes on Taylor Trial – 18 January 2008

The Trial of Charles Taylor bog – Dr. Ellis Describes the History of Conflict and Political Uprising in Liberia; Father Chema Details his Work with Child Soldiers – 18 January 2008