Charles Taylor’s trial signals vulnerability of African dictators

By Tererai Karimawenda
20 June 2006

Former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor was transferred from Sierra Leone to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague on Tuesday by plane. Reports said the move was done for security reasons. Taylor is facing 11 charges for war crimes committed when he allegedly supported rebels in the Sierra Leone civil war which lasted a decade. Taylor had fled to Nigeria but the country was pressured to hand him over to the ICC earlier this year, after a request by the new president of Liberia. If nothing else, Taylor’s trial signals the vulnerability of modern day dictators and it should send a strong message to leaders currently violating human rights. The days of impunity are over.

In the Zimbabwean context many organisations have called for the prosecution of Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF officials for violations of human rights ranging from the massacre of thousands in the so-called Gukurahundi murders in Matabeleland in the 1980s to the demolition of homes and businesses which displaced nearly a million people in 2005. Many anti-government activists have been tortured by state agents and several opposition supporters were murdered by government sponsored thugs and youth militia during various elections.

Events in Zimbabwe are being well documented by many civic groups in the country and the United Nations sent its own envoy Anna Tibaijuka last year to assess the effects of the Operation Murambatsvina demolitions. It is widely believed Mugabe will ask for immunity from prosecution as part of any exit deal that seeks to resolve the ongoing political and economic crisis.

Lawyer Tafadzwa Mugabe of The Zimbabwe lawyers for human rights said this is the dawn of a new era for the enforcement of human rights law. He believes much credit needs to be accorded to those who spoke out in the Charles Taylor case because without them there would no evidence. Tafadzwa also told us when information is documented well as it is in Zimbabwe, it is bound to be cause for concern for those responsible for abuses because it can always be used for their prosecution.