The officer of the War Crimes Court is most likely to face resistance and financial strangulation which may render the court ineffective and useless as several senators up Capitol Hill have begun opposing the court establishment, following a remark from Nimba County Senator, Nya D. Twayen, Jr., terming the atrocities and alleged murder of former Liberian President Samuel K. Doe by ex-Nimba Senator Prince Y. Johnson justifiable to Nimba County. Senators who have begun expressing opposition to the Office of the War Crimes Court include Maryland County Senator and Chair on Executive, James P. Biney, Grand Bassa County Senator Gbehzongar M. Findley, Sinoe County Senator Crayton O. Duncan, Grand Gedeh Senator Thomas Y. Nimely and Nimba County Senator Twayen. The Nimba County Senator said many people will remember Senator Johnson for the nine months he spent, not even a year fighting the Liberian civil war. Accordingly, he stated that it is important that the country should know that Senator Johnson only fought for nine months during the Liberian conflict from December 24, 1989 to September 1999.
‘’ Senator Johnson is probably and unarguably the most consequential Nimbian that ever lived. He was never a perfect man. None of us in this room and in Liberia is also perfect. But, the controversies that he was involved with were in some mind of where he comes from Nimbia justifiably,’’ he argued. According to him, prior to the death of the fallen Nimba County Senator, he predicted to Vice President Jeremiah K. Koung that when he died Liberia will be divided because there will be people who will be happy that he had died, while, there will be people who will be angry and sad that he had gone, but, he told him that everything that he did, he did it for his people. For his part, Grand Bassa County Senator Gbehzongar M. Findley, said t he never signed the resolution for the establishment of the war crimes court because he doesn’t believe in the court, adding that he told Senator Johnson in a conversation that the money directed to the court needs to be given for the country’s development. ‘’ I never signed neither do I support the establishment of a war crimes court. I told Senator Johnson that I believe the money should be placed in health, education, agriculture and skill development of youth and that is my position,’’ he concluded. Also speaking, Sinoe County Senator, Crayton O. Ducan, reflected that some of the conversations that Senator Prince Johnson had with him concerning the Liberian war about the true actors and financiers is resonating today in his mind therefore, those wise sayings are things that Liberians should reflect on. According to him, Senator Johnson told him that don’t he think the people know what he was fighting for here because they were right here during Samuel Doe time and saw what was happening? ‘’And so, he told me that they will never say Prince Johnson was fighting for his people, which I was doing. Nevertheless, those that actually brought the war, nobody is talking about them. He asked me, how Charles Taylor was being freed from the American jail and flown out of the country. He told me if someone jail breaks, they can be around in the country. And he told me, those are the ones who brought the war and nobody talking about them,’’ he reflected. Concluding the remarks, Maryland County Senator James Biney said when they debated and signed the war crime court resolution, he didn’t sign despite the fact that Senator Johnson’s initially opposed it, but he signed at the end. However, after session, Senator Johnson walked to him and told him that he Senator Johnson never knew that he Biney had that fortitude and span but when he asked Senator Johnson why he signed, he responded that he did so because many believe that he was afraid to face his accuser. ‘’If Senator Johnson never going to kill some of the people he killed in the form and manner in which he did during the civil war, I one of those persons who believe that his chances of becoming president was being great. Because many persons in this country viewed him as a bold leader, brave who could stand up to some of the big, big investments that seem to resist the progress of our country and say to them either change or leave,’’ Senator Biney added. According to him, most leaders in the country don’t have the span to do that, noting that he was one of the leaders who developed that span and despite being part of former President Taylor Rebel-group, he resisted Mr. Taylor from the onset, perhaps he realized that Mr. Taylor was a representation of the same elites that governed the country for decades, if not century. ‘’ Senator Johnson will go down in history as a brave Liberian politician. That bravery, most politicians don’t have today on grounds that they will be sanctioned and prevented from doing things or denied. And to some extent, this country needs this kind of leader who will be able to stand up and don’t care for what will please others but Liberians,’’ he concluded.
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