Liberia: Urgent protection needed for civilians
Liberia: Urgent protection needed as peace remains elusive for thousands of civilians
Despite the peace agreement of 18 August 2003 and the establishment of a United Nations (UN) peace-keeping operation,
civilians continue to be killed, raped, used as forced labour and driven from their homes, an Amnesty International
delegation recently returned from Liberia concluded.
Speedy deployment of additional UN peace-keeping forces is necessary to provide protection. In addition, the
perpetrators of these abuses must be made to understand that they will be held accountable.
"All parties to the conflict who signed the peace agreement a little over three months ago are violating the terms of
that agreement - including a commitment to end human rights abuses," Amnesty International said.
Although the capital Monrovia enjoys an uneasy calm after the devastating events of June and July, attacks on the
civilian population by former government forces and the two armed opposition groups, the Liberians United for
Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), are continuing in Bong, Nimba and
Grand Bassa Counties.
"Instead of being able to return to their homes, hundreds of thousands of people remain internally displaced. These
numbers increase daily as civilians flee killings, rape, beatings, forced labour and extensive looting," Amnesty
International said.
During their two-week visit to Liberia, Amnesty International's delegates met large numbers of internally displaced
people in camps around Monrovia, in Kakata in Margibi County, Totota in Bong County and also in Sagleipie in Nimba
County. Those in Kakata and Totota described how their villages were attacked and looted by LURD forces and how, as they
fled, their few remaining possessions were taken by former government forces based around Sanoyie. Those in Sagleipie
had fled MODEL forces as they advanced towards Tapeta and Graie, killing, looting and destroying villages. Predominantly
Krahn, MODEL forces are attacking those from the Mano and Gio ethnic groups in Nimba County because of their assumed
support for former President Charles Taylor.
Amnesty International delegates met representatives of the former government of Liberia, LURD and MODEL who now hold
ministerial positions in the National Transitional Government of Liberia and urged them to exert influence on combatants
and demand an end to abuses against civilians. It appears, however, that command and control structures have broken
down.
"Those now in government should publicly condemn continuing abuses against civilians, urge the combatants whom they
represent to cease these abuses immediately and make it clear that they will be held accountable," Amnesty International
said.
"In addition, the international community - which brokered the peace agreement - must insist that its signatories fulfil
their obligations under that agreement to respect international human rights and humanitarian law," Amnesty
International said.
The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), deployed from 1 October, has a clear mandate to protect civilians under imminent
threat of physical violence. Only some 4,500 of its full complement of 15,000 troops have so far been deployed and UNMIL
is unlikely to reach full strength until March next year at the earliest. Despite this shortfall, disarmament and
demobilization are due to start on 7 December.
"It is clear that the presence of UN troops offers protection to the civilian population in the few areas where they are
currently deployed," Amnesty International said. "What is needed urgently is swift deployment of additional forces, with
adequate logistical support beyond Monrovia and the main route to Gbarnga. Once deployed they should vigorously pursue
their mandate to protect civilians."
Despite the scale and gravity of the abuses during Liberia's protracted armed conflict, it remains unclear how those
responsible will be held accountable. The peace agreement provides for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission but also
says that a recommendation for a general amnesty will be considered by the National Transitional Government.
"There can be no amnesty for war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international
humanitarian law," Amnesty International said. "Those responsible for crimes under international law must be brought to
justice."
"There appears at the moment to be a lack of impetus by the international community to address impunity in Liberia,"
Amnesty International said. " As a first step, there is an urgent need for an international, independent investigation
to establish the facts, preserve evidence and identify a process to bring those responsible for these crimes before a
competent court."
Background
Amnesty International's delegates also received detailed accounts of the events of June and July as LURD forces
encroached into Monrovia. Over a thousand civilians died as a result of indiscriminate shelling by both LURD and
government forces of areas with no obvious military target, or in cross-fire. Internally displaced people and refugees
in camps in Montserrado County described how the camps were attacked and civilians, including children, abducted and
forcibly recruited to fight.
The delegates met a number of former child combatants, both boys and girls and some as young as 10 years, who had been
forcibly recruited by both government and LURD forces. Several adolescent girls recounted how they had been taken
directly from their school in Nimba County by former government forces; the majority had been raped and forced to carry
ammunition or to cook for fighting forces.
View all documents on Liberia at http://amnesty-news.c.tep1.com/maabHNfaa2sfubb0hPub/