[allAfrica.com] NTGL Flexes Muscles The Analyst (Monrovia) NEWS October 20, 2004 Posted to the web October 20, 2004 Began Freezing Assets of Taylor's Associates In Keeping With UN Mandate Since an Amnesty International report revealed that certain officials of the defunct Taylor regime were aiding and abetting the former president to maintain his grip on the then teething peace process in Liberia, the identification of the officials and what to do with them has been the obsession of he international community led by the United Nations. In November 2003 and early this year, the UN passed resolutions prescribing punitive measures for the alleged perpetrators. First the UN placed restrictions on the movement of those suspected and later announced the freezing of their assets. The resolutions announcing these measures would not, however, be implemented in Liberia because UN's role in the country does not cover the exercise of civil authority. Until its silence on the issue was criticized at the UN recently, NTGL did nothing to facilitate the implementation of the resolutions. Now it has announced that it has taken steps to freeze the accounts of former Maritime Affairs Commission, Benoni Urey, and former economic advisor to President Charles Taylor, Emanuel Shaw, in keeping with the recommendations of the UN Security Council resolutions. The Analyst's Senior Staffer reports. The transitional government has announced the freezing of the assets of exiled former president Charles Taylor and two former members of his government, Maritime commissioner Benoni Urey and economic advisor Emanuel Shaw, who are said to have been amongst those who collaborated with him in undermining the Liberian peace process. Justice Minister Kabinah Ja'neh announced the freezing of the assets of the two former officials yesterday during a press conference. The freeze of assets is part of efforts by the UN to ensure that the former government officials and friends of Mr. Taylor do not use their assets to frustrate the peace process or incite others against the process of restoring peace and harmony to Liberia. The NTGL announcement did not state the volume of assets frozen thus far, but a Justice Ministry statement on the matter say efforts were still underway to identify all of the assets that belong to those affected and that a public statement would be made thereafter. The move came after an agreement was reached between the Executive and Legislative branches of the power sharing transitional government to enforce the UN resolutions. The resolutions called for the freezing of the assets of the former officials who "bear the greatest responsibility" for wreaking havocs in the sub-region. The Security Council Resolution 1343 imposing travel restriction on former Liberian officials for bearing the "greatest responsibility" has begun to take effect. Minister Ja'neh told newsmen that the move was in response to a directive given by transitional chairman Gyude Bryant. The chairman recently ordered the Justice Ministry to take measures aimed at freezing the assets of the former officials upon returning from New York where he addressed the Security Council on the progress and obstacles facing the peace process. Bryant said during the press conference that the freezing of the former officials' assets was necessary since Liberia has become the prime beneficiary of the largest peacekeeping mission of the UN in the world. On account of that, he noted, he did not see why the government should not completely enforce the UN mandate. Others affected by the assets freezing exercise initiated by the NTGL include are the former chairman of the erstwhile ruling National Patriotic Party, Cyril Allen; former First Lady Jewel Howard-Taylor, and former Information Minister Reginald Goodridge. Their names were also placed on the UN travel ban. The freezing of the officials' assets was enforced after reports that they were using their assets to undermine the Liberian peace process. But the accused termed the UN actions against them as "unjust and illegal," at one time causing laughter by branding it "violation of human rights". The Security Council adopted Resolution 1532 in March this year, obligating member nations of the UN to freeze funds, other financial assets, and economic resources held by entities owned and controlled by certain personalities. The Resolution also called for the freezing of assets of any person or persons acting on behalf of those who benefit from the assets. Acting on the directive of Chairman Bryant, the Justice Ministry began a process to identify the assets of all those listed by the UN. The Justice Ministry has been carrying out intensive investigations, which resulted to the freezing of the economic assets of former Maritime Commissioner Benoni Urey and former economic advisor Emanuel Shaw. Justice Minister Kabineh Ja'neh said the Ministry has, meantime, directed the Lone Star Communications Corporation to immediately "freeze all shares and assets" owned by Urey and Shaw "directly or indirectly or by those acting on their behalves." The Ministry further advised Lone Star Communications Corporation "to ensure with the full support of law enforcement agencies at the disposal of this government that the two men have no access directly or otherwise to any and all the facilities of the Lone Star Communications Corporation". Ja'neh said government was taking further actions to identify and freeze assets believed to belong to other named persons. He said consistent with the Security Council resolution, the government has taken concurrent actions of issuing the directives to the Lone Star Communications Corporation and also filing a petition before the Civil Law Court. "We will continue to give effect to the UN Resolution 1532 as we gather more information", Minister Ja'neh said. According to him, Messrs. Urey and Shaw have shares in the Lone Star Communications Company and that the Justice Ministry has evidence to support the claim. "The freezing of the assets is to ensure that the main persons do not have control in spending the money to further the cause of war," he noted. On what would happen to money collected from the assets, he said the government would seek clarification from the UN on that. "The freezing will not only be cash but assets and economic resources. The list is a very long one," the Liberian attorney general said. He said the Bureau of Immigration was ready to enforce the travel ban on the officials involved. He said, "Since the Resolution was filed, there has been almost no instance of violations yet."   =============================================================================   Copyright © 2004 The Analyst. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). =============================================================================