[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 45 (Friday, April 2, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E515-E516]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     BRING CHARLES TAYLOR BEFORE THE SPECIAL COURT IN SIERRA LEONE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 2, 2004

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I want to share with our colleagues a letter 
to Secretary of State Colin Powell that 28 members of Congress have 
signed asking that the United States act swiftly to ensure that Charles 
Taylor, former president of Liberia and now a fugitive from justice, is 
held accountable for his heinous crimes and brought before the Special 
Court for Sierra Leone. There should be no safe harbor for tyrants like 
Charles Taylor.


                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, April 1, 2004.
     Hon. Colin Powell,
     Secretary of State,
     Washington DC.
       Dear Secretary Powell: We are writing to express deep 
     concern that Charles Taylor, former president of Liberia and 
     now a fugitive from justice, has not been brought before the 
     Special Court for Sierra Leone.

[[Page E516]]

     Charles Taylor faces 17 counts of war crimes, crimes against 
     humanity, and violations of international humanitarian law. 
     Charles Taylor's time is up. We are asking that you make a 
     concerted effort to see that he is brought before the Special 
     Court.
       The despotic rule of Charles Taylor in Sierra Leone, while 
     president of Liberia, represents his tyrannical influence in 
     fueling Sierra Leone's ten-year civil war. He is accused of 
     providing financial support, military training, and other 
     support and encouragement to the Revolutionary United Front 
     (RUF) to destabilize Sierra Leone in order to gain access to 
     her diamond wealth.
       Charles Taylor also organized and ordered widespread and 
     systematic attacks to terrorize the civilian population in 
     Sierra Leone. Disturbing examples include abductions, sexual 
     slavery of women. and children, large scale physical violence 
     and unlawful killings, notably hacking off of limbs, facial 
     and bodily mutilations, body carvings, gang rapes, and 
     hacking and burning to death those whom he felt did not 
     sufficiently support the RUF.
       As you know, the three-year mandate of the Special Court 
     for Sierra Leone expires June 30, 2005. Since its inception, 
     the Special Court has been collecting and analyzing evidence 
     against Charles Taylor. Just last week, the Special Court 
     courthouse officially opened its doors.
       Time is of the essence. Charles Taylor needs to be brought 
     to justice before the three-year mandate expires. It is 
     intolerable that Charles Taylor is living with impunity in 
     the lap of luxury in Nigeria, with just about anything he 
     needs at his disposal, including a cell phone. There is 
     growing evidence that Charles Taylor continues to meddle in 
     the political affairs of Liberia. He has expressed a desire 
     to return to Liberia. We must not be blind to the fact that 
     he has not lost his thirst for the political power he once 
     had before his exile.
       We have no doubt that you find Charles Taylor's brutal 
     cycle of violence as abhorrent as we do. We urge you to act 
     swiftly to ensure that Charles Taylor is held accountable for 
     his actions. There should be no safe harbor for tyrants like 
     Charles Taylor. We must act now.
           Sincerely,
         Frank R. Wolf; Edward R. Royce; Joe Baca; Howard L. 
           Berman; Robert A. Brady; John A. Culberson; Peter A. 
           DeFazio; Jim DeMint; Vernon J. Ehlers; Lane Evans; Sam 
           Farr; Trent Franks; Virgil H. Goode, Jr.; Michael M. 
           Honda.
         Patrick J. Kennedy; James R. Langevin; James P. McGovern; 
           Bobby L. Rush; John Shimkus; Christopher H. Smith; Vic 
           Snyder; Thomas G. Tancredo; Ellen O. Tauscher; Patrick 
           J. Tiberi; James T. Walsh; Jerry Weller; Curt Weldon; 
           Albert R. Wynn.

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