Several Persons Killed, Others Wounded Outside Monrovia
By: Josephus Moses Gray
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
December 10, 2003
The violent protest that started in Paynesville on the second day of
disarmament has taken the lives of several persons, while the looting
of properties, harassment and intimidation of unarmed civilians in various
parts of the capital continue.
Despite of the presence of the United Nations Military Mission in Liberia
(UNMIL), the chaotic situation continues, leaving scores of persons
dead, several wounded and properties looted and damaged. The situation
is concentrated in the suburbs of Paynesville and its surrounding areas.
According to information gathered, a middle age lady identified as Marian
Jackson, a resident of Duahzon, Paynesville, was killed in her house
by unidentified-armed men.
The residents of the area told journalists that the unidentified armed
men demanded that the victim give them money, which she did by given
them coins in the amount of US$300.00. After taking the money from the
victim, the residents alleged that the armed men shot her instantly
and took away her vehicle.
The militiamen sporadically opened fire throughout the eastern suburbs
of the city and other parts of central Monrovia including outside the
compound of the UNMIL’s administrative headquarters at the premises
of the old German Embassy.
As a result of the sporadic shooting and subsequent looting of shops,
many businesses mainly in the Red Light and ELWA Junction areas were
closed for the day.
Several ex-GOL militia ostensibly going to disarm were seen everywhere
in the city toting their arms along wherever they went. During the morning
hours, the ex-combatants opened fire in front of the German Embassy
which they termed as "saying Good Morning to UN Secretary General’s
Special Representative Jacques Paul Klein".
Besides, more then nine persons were on Tuesday night shot to death
in the Redlight Paynesville Market Community by unidentified armed men.
Other report said another man yet to be identified was killed in his
residence in the same area by former GOL fighters.
Meanwhile ,the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and commanders
of the former GOL have reached an agreement aimed at ensuring the success
of the ongoing disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration(DDRR)
program in the country.
On December 9 UNMIL held a meeting with commanders of the former GOL
militias in working out modalities for the implementation of the DDRR
which started well on Sunday.
Militiamen of the former GOL, for the second day now, disrupted the
DDRR exercise which was launched on December 7, 2003 at Camp Schieffelin,
outside Monrovia, in demand of cash for weapons.
According to a release issued by UNMIL following the sudden meeting,
the processing of the current case load at the Camp Schieffelin cantonment
site will continue and subsequent disarmament will be based on a DDRR
schedule submitted by the former Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL)/GOL commanders.
The five points agreement said a maximum of 400 combatants will be taken
in a day, and disarmament will be done in designated reception centers
separate from the cantonment site. All disarmed and demobilized combatants
will receive an initial payment of their transitional safety net allowances
of US$75.00 that supposed to have commenced as of 9th December, 2003.
According to the DDRR schedule agreed upon by UNMIL and former GOL commanders,
combatants of the Army Division will be accepted today, while those
of the ATU, Wild Geese, Jungle Fire, SOD, MOD and Special Operation
Strike Force will follow tomorrow.
The Artillery Division and other units are scheduled for Friday with
the Navy and Marine Division completing the timetable on Monday and
Tuesday of next week respectively.
Meantime, US Ambassador accredited to Liberia, John William Blaney III
has called on all combatants to cooperate with the ongoing DDRR process
in keeping with the peace agreement signed by all the parties in Accra,
Ghana.
Amb. Blaney said the international community will only provide assistance
to Liberia only if the violence in the country is stopped.
In a related development, the Monday and Tuesday riot by militiamen
in Paynesville and other parts of the country, has sparked concern of
the National Human Rights Center of Liberia, which stressed that the
UNMIL should take blame for the incident due to its failure to engage
in an intensive disarmament sensitization campaign.
A release issued late yesterday by the group’s national coordinator,
A. Blamo Sieh, said it had earlier pointed out that prior to the commencement
of the DDRR, information on disarmament sites, transportation arrangement
and benefit for fighters were essential information needed to be provided
to ensure a smooth process.
"The National Human Rights Center is of the conviction that a sustained
process of disarmament is achievable when local civil society groups
are encouraged to participate in the exercise most especially as this
has the propensity to increase public confidence", the release
added.
Moreover, the human rights consortium says it behooves leaders of the
parties to the Liberian conflict such as LURD and MODEL and militias
of the former government of Charles Taylor to encourage their subordinates
to fully comply with the terms of the DDRR exercise.
Meanwhile, Chairman Bryant has declared Curfew in Monrovia and UNMIL personnel have deployed in the troubled spot of Paynesville to bring the situation under control
