On Charles Taylor

I would like to comment on the Charles Taylor issue. I am a Zimbabwean.

According to my understanding, of which I stand to be corrected, Charles Taylor negotiated with the mediator Obasanjo (of Nigeria). Taylor decided to exchange his pride of being a president with exile. He stepped down to save many lives. It is important to honour set agreements, since it affects other nations.

The following points are worthy noting:

AU negotiators do not stick by their promises for peace. Obasanjo betrayed Taylor. He is supposed to have protected Taylor to maintain his promise for the good of peace. If Taylor had not chosen to step down, he could still be president and many people would be dead by now. He chose to save many lives and for such a bold move, he has to be protected. Its more difficult for any other President or dictator in Africa to step down under same conditions as Taylor, since protection is not guaranteed. If I were a dictator, and Obasanjo came for negotiations, I wouldn’t step down. I would rather protect my life and let other people die than ending up in Taylor's situation. I strongly feel that injustice has been done to this dictator. I know that he was a dictator. I am convinced that he caused serious sufferings to the people of Liberia, but please note that he decided to step down to stop further suffering.

It’s now very difficult for any dictator to trust the AU.