Taylor's Trial Could Endanger Liberian Peace - ECOWAS Committee Chairperson Daily Trust (Abuja) NEWS November 12, 2003 Posted to the web November 12, 2003 By Jibrin Abubakar The trial now of former Liberian president, Charles Taylor could lead to fresh fighting in Liberia, the chairperson of the transport and communication committee of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliament, Hon. Hawa Yakubu, said yesterday. She said while briefing newsmen in Abuja that fears were well founded that the trial of Charles Taylor would cause his loyalists to pick up their arms and go back to the bush. "First and foremost, we have to thank our leaders, President Obasanjo, President Mbeki of South Africa and many others who have succeeded in getting him out of Liberia to save lives", she said. She said Taylor was not the only evil president the West African region has produced and suggested, "let's give it time. It may take one whole year trying him and his people may go back to the bush". She said that although it might be too early to say whether Charles Taylor was free or not because the problem in Liberia had remained even after his leaving and there were still pockets of crises and disaffection and that the ECOWAS parliament would discuss his trial when it resumes sitting in May next year. She argued that the exit of Taylor from power was for the better of his country as he had become unpopular in Monrovia, the Liberian capital, pointing out that the coup in Guinea Bissau succeeded because the leader was unpopular while a coup attempt failed in Sao Tome and Principe. Hawa Yakubu said that the ECOWAS parliament was working very hard to integrate the region through such programmes as ECO currency, ECO marine and ECO air among others.   =============================================================================   Copyright © 2003 Daily Trust. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). =============================================================================