Human Rights and Conflict Resolution in West Africa: The Case of Charles Taylor

This article acknowledges that Charles Taylor, the Liberian warlord-cum ex- president, is a war criminal. It supports that impunity should not be permitted in Africa or any other conflict region for criminals like him if durable peace is envisaged. It argues however that for the sake of preserving peace and security in the region, that the decision of the Nigerian authorities not to hand him over to the Special Court for Sierra Leone is right and falls within the framework for peace settlement. How to reconcile between fighting "impunity" and arguing against handing over of a criminal to face justice is the main thrust of the article.