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| Blah was known as a quiet and unassuming man, driving his own ] around town rather than using a motorcade and driver, and wearing flowing African robes instead of the normal olive green military uniform. He was constantly annoyed about the ]s who followed him around. | Blah was known as a quiet and unassuming man, driving his own ] around town rather than using a motorcade and driver, and wearing flowing African robes instead of the normal olive green military uniform. He was constantly annoyed about the ]s who followed him around. | ||
| In June 2003, Taylor had left the country for peace talks in ], and while there he was indicted by the ]s tribunal in ]). Blah was urged by the ] to take power from Taylor during his |
In June 2003, Taylor had left the country for peace talks in ], and while there he was indicted by the ]s tribunal in ]). Blah was urged by the ] to take power from Taylor during his absence, and Blah made no such attempt. After Taylor's return, Blah was held under house arrest for ten days, but was subsequently absolved and reinstated as Vice President. | ||
| When Taylor resigned in August of that year, Blah briefly succeeded him as president. He was condemned by Liberian rebel groups for his close ties to Taylor; they charged that he would simply continue Taylor's practices. Blah responded by calling the rebels "brothers" and saying "Let bygones be bygones. If there is power, we can share it." He invited the rebels to negotiate in his own house. | When Taylor resigned in August of that year, Blah briefly succeeded him as president. He was condemned by Liberian rebel groups for his close ties to Taylor; they charged that he would simply continue Taylor's practices. Blah responded by calling the rebels "brothers" and saying "Let bygones be bygones. If there is power, we can share it." He invited the rebels to negotiate in his own house. | ||
Revision as of 06:46, 12 November 2008
| Moses Zeh Blah | |
|---|---|
| 23rd President of Liberia | |
| In office August 11 2003 – October 14 2003 | |
| Vice President | Unknown |
| Preceded by | Charles Taylor |
| Succeeded by | Gyude Bryant |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1947-04-18) April 18, 1947 (age 77) Toweh Town, Liberia |
| Political party | National Patriotic Party |
Moses Zeh Blah (born April 18, 1947) is a Liberian political figure. He served as Vice President under President Charles Taylor and became President of Liberia on August 11, 2003, following Taylor's resignation. He served as President for two months, until October 14 2003, when a United Nations-backed transitional government, headed by Gyude Bryant, was sworn in.
Blah was born in Toweh Town, Liberia, a Gio-speaking hamlet in north-eastern Nimba County, close to the border with the Ivory Coast. He joined with Taylor because of a shared hatred of the current president, Samuel Doe, who had killed Blah's wife along with hundreds of others in an ethnic-related massacre. He trained with Taylor in a Libyan guerrilla camp and served with him as a general during Liberia's civil war in the 1990s. He held the post of ambassador to Libya and Tunisia after Taylor was elected in 1997. In July 2000 Blah was appointed as Vice President after the death of Enoch Dogolea who was rumoured to have been poisoning.
Blah was known as a quiet and unassuming man, driving his own jeep around town rather than using a motorcade and driver, and wearing flowing African robes instead of the normal olive green military uniform. He was constantly annoyed about the bodyguards who followed him around.
In June 2003, Taylor had left the country for peace talks in Ghana, and while there he was indicted by the war crimes tribunal in Sierra Leone). Blah was urged by the United States to take power from Taylor during his absence, and Blah made no such attempt. After Taylor's return, Blah was held under house arrest for ten days, but was subsequently absolved and reinstated as Vice President.
When Taylor resigned in August of that year, Blah briefly succeeded him as president. He was condemned by Liberian rebel groups for his close ties to Taylor; they charged that he would simply continue Taylor's practices. Blah responded by calling the rebels "brothers" and saying "Let bygones be bygones. If there is power, we can share it." He invited the rebels to negotiate in his own house.
On April 7 2008, Blah said that he had been sent a subpoena to testify at Taylor's trial before the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague. He said that he would testify and "speak the truth", and he testified on May 14 2008, describing child soldiers and the relationship between Taylor and Foday Sankoh.
Originally trained as a mechanic, Blah is fluent in German, French and Arabic. He has many children by his wife Nettie, and many grandchildren.
References
- "Former Liberian vice-president says he will testify in Taylor trial", AFP, April 7, 2008.
- "Charles Taylor's former deputy testifies", Reuters (Mail & Guardian Online), May 14, 2008.
External links
- BBC News: Moses Blah Profile
- Moses Blah Background, Emily Robinson, Lehrer NewsHour Online Backgrounder
| Preceded byEnoch Dogolea | Vice-President of Liberia 2000–2003 |
Succeeded byWesley Momo Johnson |
| Preceded byCharles Taylor | President of Liberia 2003 |
Succeeded byGyude Bryant |
| Vice presidents of Liberia | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Presidents of Liberia | ||
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