By Josephus Moses Gray
Monrovia, Liberia


The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

April 23, 2004

Several personnel of the Inter-Con Security Guards on April 22nd staged a mutiny at the United States Embassy Compound near Monrovia. Inter-Con is a private US based security firm operating in Monrovia..

According to report gathered at the U.S. Embassy, the incident occurred during the morning hours when aggrieved employees of Inter-Con besieged the compound hosting the U.S. Embassy and other offices.

Owing to the situation, normal activities at the embassy came to brief halt, as visitors and other guests could not enter the Embassy, while employees and those who were already in the compound could not leave.

The main entrances to the Embassy were blocked as the mutineers besieged the area in protest for job benefits reportedly due them. Every Tuesday and Thursday of a week are days set aside by the embassy for applicants and other activities but the incident affected applicants on Thursday.

Some of the mutineers told journalists that they have not received their “ just” benefits from their employer despite of their commitment to duty.

They alleged that family members of their colleagues who died on duty during the last rebel war on Monrovia received benefits while they have been left out.

They stated that they work for eight hours-standing on their legs daily without a break, adding: “we have not received our medical and transportation benefits…”

According to them, their action is a peaceful one aimed at arousing the attention of the U.S. Embassy authorities since their employer is “insensitive” to their plight.

But the mutiny was brought to a halt when a joint operation team from the Liberia National Police and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) forcibly removed them from the compound.

Meanwhile, when the Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Embassy, Madam Christina Porche was contacted via mobile for comments on the incident, she said the Embassy will issue a statement to that effect on 23 April.