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CNN Live Today
Interview With Chris Fomunyon
Aired July 07, 2003 - 11:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Turning to the crisis in Liberia, the trouble spot there in the efforts to rein in the growing crisis there. Right now, much effort underway. A team of U.S. military advisers arrived there this morning. They are there to assess the possible role of American troops in a peacekeeping force.
Chris Fomunyon is a senior associate for Africa with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and he joins us this morning from our Washington bureau. Good morning, sir. Glad to have you with us today.
CHRIS FOMUNYON, NATL. DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE: Thanks for having me.
HARRIS: As we understand it, the troops have now arrived in Liberia. Their mission now, at least initially, is to assess the humanitarian needs there. That shouldn't be too hard to come across?
FOMUNYON: That's true. Especially because the conflict in Liberia right now has been circumscribed around Monrovia, which is the capital of the country. And I think that one (ph) could easily be assessed by the team that's gone in.
HARRIS: All right, so what advice would you be giving them as they head to the ground there?
FOMUNYON: Well, my sense is that most Liberians expect the U.S. to intervene, to have a presence on the ground that can have -- provide some leadership to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that's been put together or that's talked about. That would include other peacekeepers from the African countries.
The key element is going to be to make sure that when Taylor departs, or as Taylor, President Taylor prepares to depart, that is no anarchy and there's no further violence for people who have known so much and has been so much suffering.
HARRIS: All right, well, President Charles Taylor has been sending signals that he's going to be accepting the invitation from the President Obasanjo of Nigeria for him to go to actually Nigeria for asylum.
However, I've come back from that region. I spent some time in Senegal which is not too far from Liberia, as you know. And the newspapers there covering this story all seem to hint that there's a widespread belief that Charles Taylor still has more cards to play, that he will not go quietly. What do you think about that? FOMUNYON: My sense is that people know that they know Charles Taylor for who he is and know that his, you know, a trickster, he is very crafty.
But I think Charles Taylor realizes that he's got fewer cats (ph) in hands right now and that the Nigerian offer is the most benevolent he'll have and will have in the days ahead. He doesn't have a choice at this point.
I think he's cornered and he probably may even be (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and opting out of Monrovia, going to Nigeria temporarily may at least guarantee him his life. But there are other issues that will still have to be dealt with once he gets out of Monrovia, because there's the impending indictment which will probably need to be executed.
HARRIS: Can there possibly be -- I'm glad you bring that up. I was going to ask you about that. Can there possibly really be a stable peace there in that country, in that region if Charles Taylor is not prosecuted somehow, some way, for these crimes that he's been accused of?
FOMUNYON: Well, I think the question of impugnty is out of the question right now. And the (UNINTELLIGIBLE), I believe, is that indictment has been issued by the international criminal court and that there's no question in my mind that everybody would want for the indictment to be executed, because you don't want to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a president or heads of states or indicted criminals can just get away with it for the sake of, you know, guaranteeing peace in that subregion.
So I think while we resolve the first issue of getting Taylor out of Liberia and bringing peace to the country, the second issue of the indictment still has to be dealt with or, as you said, a very serious precedent that courts shouldn't (ph) be taken seriously.
HARRIS: Finally, let me ask you about this because for the first time, we've seen open demonstrations against Charles Taylor. People there have been so intimidated, they've not been able to speak out against this -- against his leadership and many would call his horrific leadership in that country.
If he does leave, now with the leadership there being in flux what do we know about the opposition, about the rebels there who have been fighting against Charles Taylor? Will that country truly be better off with them in charge?
FOMUNYON: Well based on the Liberians' experience, the fact that Charles Taylor himself was the warlord in most of the '90s, he came into power through an election in '97 and hasn't performed better now than he was when he was a warlord.
I think there's reasons to fear that handing over the future of the country to the rebel movement isn't necessarily the best way to go. My understanding is that west African countries (UNINTELLIGIBLE) have come up with a temporary arrangement that will put in place a transition government that can then prepare the ground work for general elections that will bring into power democrats, people who are really committed to govern the country differently. And I think thing that's the hope that we all have for Liberia.
HARRIS: Very interesting. We thank you, Chris Fomunyon, for your insight this morning. Appreciate it. Perhaps we'll be talking about this down the road, perhaps more positive atmosphere.
FOMUNYON: Pleasure having me (ph).
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 7, 2003 - 11:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Turning to the crisis in Liberia, the trouble spot there in the efforts to rein in the growing crisis there. Right now, much effort underway. A team of U.S. military advisers arrived there this morning. They are there to assess the possible role of American troops in a peacekeeping force.
Chris Fomunyon is a senior associate for Africa with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and he joins us this morning from our Washington bureau. Good morning, sir. Glad to have you with us today.
CHRIS FOMUNYON, NATL. DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE: Thanks for having me.
HARRIS: As we understand it, the troops have now arrived in Liberia. Their mission now, at least initially, is to assess the humanitarian needs there. That shouldn't be too hard to come across?
FOMUNYON: That's true. Especially because the conflict in Liberia right now has been circumscribed around Monrovia, which is the capital of the country. And I think that one (ph) could easily be assessed by the team that's gone in.
HARRIS: All right, so what advice would you be giving them as they head to the ground there?
FOMUNYON: Well, my sense is that most Liberians expect the U.S. to intervene, to have a presence on the ground that can have -- provide some leadership to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that's been put together or that's talked about. That would include other peacekeepers from the African countries.
The key element is going to be to make sure that when Taylor departs, or as Taylor, President Taylor prepares to depart, that is no anarchy and there's no further violence for people who have known so much and has been so much suffering.
HARRIS: All right, well, President Charles Taylor has been sending signals that he's going to be accepting the invitation from the President Obasanjo of Nigeria for him to go to actually Nigeria for asylum.
However, I've come back from that region. I spent some time in Senegal which is not too far from Liberia, as you know. And the newspapers there covering this story all seem to hint that there's a widespread belief that Charles Taylor still has more cards to play, that he will not go quietly. What do you think about that? FOMUNYON: My sense is that people know that they know Charles Taylor for who he is and know that his, you know, a trickster, he is very crafty.
But I think Charles Taylor realizes that he's got fewer cats (ph) in hands right now and that the Nigerian offer is the most benevolent he'll have and will have in the days ahead. He doesn't have a choice at this point.
I think he's cornered and he probably may even be (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and opting out of Monrovia, going to Nigeria temporarily may at least guarantee him his life. But there are other issues that will still have to be dealt with once he gets out of Monrovia, because there's the impending indictment which will probably need to be executed.
HARRIS: Can there possibly be -- I'm glad you bring that up. I was going to ask you about that. Can there possibly really be a stable peace there in that country, in that region if Charles Taylor is not prosecuted somehow, some way, for these crimes that he's been accused of?
FOMUNYON: Well, I think the question of impugnty is out of the question right now. And the (UNINTELLIGIBLE), I believe, is that indictment has been issued by the international criminal court and that there's no question in my mind that everybody would want for the indictment to be executed, because you don't want to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a president or heads of states or indicted criminals can just get away with it for the sake of, you know, guaranteeing peace in that subregion.
So I think while we resolve the first issue of getting Taylor out of Liberia and bringing peace to the country, the second issue of the indictment still has to be dealt with or, as you said, a very serious precedent that courts shouldn't (ph) be taken seriously.
HARRIS: Finally, let me ask you about this because for the first time, we've seen open demonstrations against Charles Taylor. People there have been so intimidated, they've not been able to speak out against this -- against his leadership and many would call his horrific leadership in that country.
If he does leave, now with the leadership there being in flux what do we know about the opposition, about the rebels there who have been fighting against Charles Taylor? Will that country truly be better off with them in charge?
FOMUNYON: Well based on the Liberians' experience, the fact that Charles Taylor himself was the warlord in most of the '90s, he came into power through an election in '97 and hasn't performed better now than he was when he was a warlord.
I think there's reasons to fear that handing over the future of the country to the rebel movement isn't necessarily the best way to go. My understanding is that west African countries (UNINTELLIGIBLE) have come up with a temporary arrangement that will put in place a transition government that can then prepare the ground work for general elections that will bring into power democrats, people who are really committed to govern the country differently. And I think thing that's the hope that we all have for Liberia.
HARRIS: Very interesting. We thank you, Chris Fomunyon, for your insight this morning. Appreciate it. Perhaps we'll be talking about this down the road, perhaps more positive atmosphere.
FOMUNYON: Pleasure having me (ph).
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
