AFRICA/LIBERIA - “Charles Taylor is only the tip of the iceberg of what is happening here in Liberia” a missionary told Fides

Monrovia (Fides Service)- “Former President Charles Taylor is an example of the situation in Liberia in recent years” Fr Mauro Armanino (Provincial SMA) in Monrovia told Fides. “Although Taylor is wanted by the United Nations for war crimes he continues to exert great influence in his country and he takes advantage of this. For example one of Liberia’s principal telephone companies is still in his hands and there are ever more persisting voices that the electoral campaign of no less than 7 local parties are funded by the former president”.
“One might ask how come Taylor has all this influence when thousands of international troops, officials and operators are stationed in Liberia?” the missionary asks
Since 2003, Taylor has been in exile in Nigeria as agreed at the end of Liberia’s civil war. He is wanted internationally for supporting a rebellion Sierra Leone which was responsible for atrocious crimes against humanity.
Recently international observers warned of the negative influence of the former president in particular in view of elections in October this year.
“If Taylor is a problem we must ask who supports him internationally since he has considerable resources, local support and capacity to move in the area” the missionary said.
Despite peace and the presence of humanitarian organisations the people still live under difficult conditions. “Paradoxically the arrival of many foreigners caused prices to rise and the rate of exchange with the dollar to fall causing deterioration the level of life of the people” said Fr. Armanino. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 31/5/2005 righe 29 parole 308)