Liberia History & Information

General Liberty inspects a captured anti-aircraft

[Washington, DC, March 1, 2001] – Few days ago, LURD’s defense spokesperson and senior military advisor, General Joe Wylie, flew from Liberia to inform other Liberians and the international community about his organization’s latest stance in what he calls “the just struggle to liberate Liberia from the clutches of anarchy and daylight robbery.” Below is what General Wylie discussed with COPLA in Washington, DC.

COPLA: It is a pleasure meeting and talking with you again. What has brought you this time to Washington, DC?

JW: I just arrived here from the battleground to solicit diplomatic and other support for our effort to make Charles Taylor see common sense and relinquish power without much ado. I am here to meet with members of the diplomatic community to make the LURD case. We plan to also meet with Liberians who have resolved to give us their moral support to ensure Liberia becomes free and green again.

COPLA: What happened to the 90-day deadline given by LURD last year to remove President Charles Taylor from power? What’s wrong with that picture?

JW: There was a huge outcry when we first struck in Lofa county. There were concerns for civilian casualties and concerns for innocent refugees that made us to change our tactics, not our strategy. We decided to retreat to the mountains and give global public opinion and the international community a chance to compel Mr. Taylor to see reason and leave the Liberian people. But as usual, Mr. Taylor remains bellicose. His intransigence forced us back on the road of liberation to take power by force. Our silence in past months, therefore, did not mean we had abandoned our goal to liberate Liberia by any means necessary.

COPLA: In recent weeks, news reports indicated ULIMO-K fighters have been responsible for all the fighting along the Guinea-Liberia border. What has happened to LURD? Is ULIMO-K and LURD one and the same? What do you know about those reports?

Black and white, K-1 and other LURD officers in the jungle

JW: There is no ULIMO-K anywhere. ULIMO-K died a natural death when Alhaji Kromah transformed it into ALCO, a political party, which contested the 1997 elections and paved the way for Mr. Taylor’s bogus victory. What has happened since is that LURD effectively has recruited remnants from defunct guerilla movements as ULIMO-K, ULIMO-J, LPC, the Lofa Defense Force, the Nimba Redemption Council and the NPFL. Under its control and guidance, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy has successfully put together a brand new military structure on the ground. Clearly, LURD is the group that is fighting to bring Charles Taylor down. As LURD’s defense spokesman and senior military advisor, it is my duty to educate, motivate and inspire our people about the true nature of the Liberian conflict. Mr. Taylor is the common enemy that must be dealt with. As such, we have decided to put aside our former nomenclatures to deal with Taylor militarily.