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Viewing cable 10MONROVIA97, LIBERIA - FORMER WARLORD TO RUN FOR PRESIDENCY

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
10MONROVIA97 2010-01-28 17:55 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Monrovia
VZCZCXRO0608
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHMV #0097/01 0281756
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 281755Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0015
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MONROVIA 000097 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W AND INR/B 
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PASS TO AMEMBASSY MALABO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/28 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA - FORMER WARLORD TO RUN FOR PRESIDENCY 
 
REF: (A.) 09 MONROVIA 487; (B.) 09 MONROVIA 532; (C.) 10 MONROVIA 95 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Ambassador, State, AF; 
REASON: 1.4(B), (D) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY.  Ex-warlord and Nimba County Senator Prince Johnson 
discussed his decision to run for the presidency in a January 27 
meeting with the Ambassador.  His chance of success is slim, but 
his early entry and the support of his ethnic constituencies could 
influence the campaigns of stronger candidates.  Johnson also 
criticized the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), claiming 
to be unfairly 'scapegoated' in the TRC's final report.  He 
welcomed President Sirleaf's call for an analysis of the 
constitutionality of the recommendations in the final TRC report 
and stressed his commitment to a peaceful and stable Liberia.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) Senator Prince Johnson of Nimba County called on Ambassador 
on January 27, at his request, to present his views on the 
accusations levied against him in the Liberian Truth and 
Reconciliation Commission's (TRC) final report.  Johnson also 
discussed his reasons for deciding to run for Liberia's presidency 
in 2011 even after President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf announced her 
candidacy for re-election on the same day (Ref C). 
 
PRINCE JOHNSON, SENATOR AND NOTORIOUS EX-WARLORD... 
 
3. (U) Johnson is a former warlord who led the Independent National 
Patriotic Front (a breakaway faction of Charles Taylor's National 
Patriotic Front) during the first Liberian civil war.  He is 
notorious for supervising the torture and murder of former Liberian 
President Samuel Doe in September 1990.  A widely publicized video 
shows Johnson swigging a beer while Doe is tormented in the 
background.  Johnson later fled to Nigeria after President Charles 
Taylor assumed power and did not return to Liberia until after 
Taylor's 2003 resignation.  In 2005, he was elected to the Liberian 
Senate as an independent candidate, despite an earlier affiliation 
with President Sirleaf's Unity Party (UP).  [NOTE.  Johnson fell 
out with the UP after it pressured him to run for a seat in the 
House of Representatives.  Johnson wanted to run for the Senate and 
won his seat as an independent.  END NOTE.] 
 
...WHO IS LISTED AS A MAJOR HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATOR BY THE TRC 
 
4. (C) Johnson (along with former President Taylor) is one of eight 
former faction leaders recommended for prosecution for gross human 
rights violations in the TRC final report.  He told Ambassador that 
accusations levied against him in the report are exaggerations 
fabricated by unforgiving TRC commissioners who were personally 
affected by violence during Liberia's civil conflict.  Johnson 
asserted that the TRC's account of the battle leading to Doe's 
capture is exaggerated.  The gunfight was a battle between two 
combatant forces and Johnson was not the only fighter involved. 
When Ambassador pointed out that the TRC commissioners were 
confirmed by Johnson and his Senate colleagues, Johnson sidestepped 
this fact and claimed that the commissioners were approved when he 
was away from Monrovia and unable to lodge a protest. 
 
JOHNSON SUPPORTS EXAMINING THE TRC RECOMMENDATIONS' 
CONSTITUTIONALITY 
 
6. (C) Ambassador asked Johnson for his views on the way forward. 
Johnson welcomed President Sirleaf's call to amend the law on the 
Independent National Human Rights Commission (the TRC's successor 
body) and allow an examination of the constitutionality of the TRC 
report's recommendations.  The TRC, according to Johnson, violated 
his constitutional right to confront witnesses against him and 
acted as judge and jury.  Thus, he cannot be recommended him for 
prosecution. 
 
PEACE-LOVING CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT... 
 
7. (C) Regardless of the TRC situation, Johnson clarified that he 
is for peace and stability in Liberia, a sea change from soon after 
the TRC draft report's release when he publicly denounced the 
document and hinted at the ability to take defensive measures to 
protect himself (Ref A, B).  His commitment to the future of his 
country, Johnson said, is why he is running for the presidency.  He 
believes that he and his running mate (National Patriotic Party 
Senator Abel Massalay of Grand Cape Mount County) can garner 
nationwide support and win because Liberians will question 
President Sirleaf's integrity after she reneged on a promise to 
serve only one term during her 2005 election campaign (Ref C).  He 
cited the cheers of welcome that he personally received from 
supporters, louder than those of Sirleaf, when the two visited his 
home county as proof of his popularity.  Johnson claims to have 
 
MONROVIA 00000097  002 OF 002 
 
 
told Sirleaf to move into the role of "senior referee" for a 
transitional government instead of seeking re-election. 
 
...OF A VETERANS' PARTY? 
 
8. (C) Besides his supporters in Nimba County, Johnson likely also 
hopes to draw support from Liberia's population of ex-combatants, 
many of whom have expressed disenchantment with the current 
government.  Representative Albert S. Toe of River Gee County told 
Poloff on January 28 that he and other ex-soldiers have founded the 
Majority Party of Liberia to appeal to veterans of the Armed Forces 
of Liberia (AFL).  Toe said that Johnson wants to be the party's 
presidential candidate.  However, Toe, a former member of the 
People's Redemption Council that overthrew President William 
Tolbert in 1980 does not view Johnson, an ex-civil war combatant, 
as an actual AFL veteran.  He opposes Johnson joining the party. 
 
COMMENT 
 
9. (C) Johnson and Massalay enjoy little popular support outside 
their home constituencies and have no chance of electoral success 
given their past histories.  (Massalay served in Charles Taylor's 
National Patriotic Front and President Taylor's feared Special 
Anti-terrorism Unit.)  Early entry may allow them to gain future 
political influence by building alliances with Sirleaf or an 
opposition candidate if they can guarantee the support of their 
home ethnic constituencies.  However, as the security situation 
improves, Johnson and Massalay's influence may wane.  Many 
Liberians voted ex-warlords into the Legislature believing that 
these candidates could protect their interests in the tenuous 
post-war security environment, just as they had done during the 
conflict.  Many legislators have subsequently failed to deliver on 
promised national support for rural development.  Liberians may be 
inclined to support new representatives in future elections if they 
believe that the current peace will endure. 
THOMAS-GREENFIELD