Taylor,Africa's most feared strongman, has been accused of the worst violence committed on civilians,including mutilation, rape and the use of child soldiers.
FREETOWN: A sigh of relief hangs over Sierra Leone as the war crimes trial of former Liberian warlord-turned president Charles Taylor finally kicks off on Monday, nearly four years after his indictment. "It has taken so long in coming that our memories were beginning to fade," said war victim Ansumana Turay, whose hands were hacked off during a 10-year civil war in the small west African country.
The trial of the man who was once one of Africa's most feared strongmen on charges related to more than a decade of atrocities in Sierra Leone opens Monday in The Hague. "It's good the trial will soon begin and it will bring relief to both victims and those who lost their relations," said an official of Sierra Leone's information ministry. "Taylor is regarded as one of the principal actors of the war and should face justice."
The first African president to face an international tribunal for war crimes, Taylor has been accused of inflicting some of the worst violence on civilians ever committed on the continent, including mutilation, rape and the use of child soldiers.
Taylor, 59, is alleged to be the single most powerful figure behind the series of civil wars in Liberia and neighbouring Sierra Leone between 1989 and 2003 that left around 400,000 people dead, including 120,000 in Sierra Leone.
The 10-year war in Sierra Leone is widely seen as one of the most gruesome in modern history. The UN says around 7,000 Sierra Leoneans had a limb or more chopped off by fighters. Charged with 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, Taylor has said he his innocent.
Sam Tobias, another war victim, recounted how he was starved of food and water for several days while digging for diamonds that Taylor was accused of swapping for arms with notorious rebels. "I am happy that he will soon be judged for his crimes. The fighters were ruthless. They talked glibly about their loyalty to Taylor and how he would make Sierra Leone his colony," he said. "My only regret is that he is not going to be tried here. I would have liked to see him physically in the dock," he added.
The trial was moved to The Hague, where it will be heard before a special chamber of the UN-backed Special Court on Sierra Leone, amid fears that it could ignite renewed unrest in the region where Taylor is believed to still command enormous backing.
The court is arranging for limited numbers of journalists from Sierra Leone and Liberia and representatives of non-governmental organisations to travel to the Netherlands to witness the trial. The non-governmental organisation Fair Play said the trial should "send the signal to others that no matter what they do while in office, they can run but cannot hide."
But some Sierra Leoneans are apathetic about Taylor's trial, concerned more about making ends meet than justice served. "Charles Taylor? What Taylor?" asked pensioner Tommy Shaka. "His trial is the least of my concerns. I am more occupied with the thought of where my next meal will come from."
Taxi driver Sulaiman Sesay showed similar indifference. "Let's talk about the stress the Sierra Leonean economy is putting us through. Prices have shot up and that's enough bother for anyone. Taylor can go to hell," he says pointing his thumb downwards.
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