[Opinion]Exile

Leaving the country aboard the Nigerian government plane, accompanied by two presidents from Mozambique and Ghana, and later warmly welcome by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. Liberian Charles Taylor finally arrived in Nigeria for exile two days ago after handing over power to his deputy. Exile refers to `an act of taking refuge in an alien state to avoid political, religious or ethnic persecution`. Despite the courtesy and hospitability, Taylor is now facing a life of refugee, which is easy in perception but horrible in practice, according to American scholar Edward Side.

Liberia is like intertwined strings. It is hard to find who is good and who is evil in the war-torn country, which is also complicatedly linked to neighboring states. New President Moses Zeh Blah, in fact, was also from the coup force like his predecessor Taylor. It is too naïve to think that peace will be brought to the country any time soon. President Blah pleaded the U.S. to save dying Liberians as he took office. The country is still facing intertwined strings despite Talyor`s departure.

Watching what is happening in Liberia, the international community must learn a valuable lesson that it should not turn a blind eye to massacre. Since Taylor formed a rebel force and began a civil war in 1989, some 200,000 people have died. And now rebel forces opposing the Taylor government take four fifth of the country. When the rebel force besieged the capital city during heavy exchanges of fire two months ago, about 2,000 innocent civilians were killed. There is a reason for leaders in neighboring countries to offer refugee for Taylor, one of the key player in the bloody wars, and warmly welcome him. The massacre must be ended.

In this regard, the U.S. will find it hard to avoid criticism. Liberia is a country founded by freed American slaves. Taylor studied economics in the U.S. While the whole world as well as African states asking U.S. to intervene, Washington still remains hesitant to take an action. It is the country that launched a massive attack on Iraq against global opposition citing dubious claims of weapons of mass destruction. It cannot say that it is more urgent to find weapons of mass destruction that to save innocent lives caught in bloody wars. It is impossible for some 700 African peacekeeping troops to protect lives of Liberian people. Will it be too naïve to wish that the U.S. would send its 3,000 troops on ship off the coast to the land?

Bang Hyung-nam, Editorial Writer, hnbhang@donga.com