UNITED NATIONS: UN to Help Reconstruct War-Battered Liberia

By Thalif Deen Reprint | | Print |

Thalif Deen

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 23 1997 (IPS) - The United Nations, rejoicing over the establishment of a democratically-elected government in Liberia, says it is shutting down its peacekeeping operations in the war-battered West African nation.

The 300-member U.N. Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL), created four years ago by the Security Council, will cease to exist after its mandate runs out on Sept. 30. UNOMIL consisted of troops and military observers from Bangladesh, China, the Czech Republic, Egypt, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan and Uruguay.

“The principal objective of UNOMIL has been achieved,” says Secretary-General Kofi Annan. In a further effort to provide rehabilitation assistance for the war-ravaged nation, the United Nations plans to set up a new U.N. Peace-building Support Office in Monrovia

“I am convinced that such a presence could greatly assist the new government in its efforts for reconciliation and reconstruction and contribute to promoting peace and stability in the region,” says Annan.

In a report to the Security Council early this week, the Secretary-General praised both the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) for playing “a leading role in bringing peace to Liberia.” Both were involved, along with the United Nations, in mediating the dispute and monitoring the cease-fire and the disarmament process.

“Above all, however, credit goes to the Liberian people who, through the electoral process, demonstrated their commitment to peace and their desire for the establishment of a democratically elected government in their country,” he said.

After nearly eight years of factional fighting, Liberia held its presidential and legislative elections in July, followed by the installation of a new government in August. Charles Taylor was elected president and his National Patriotic Party won 21 of the 26 Senate seats, and 49 of the 64 seats in the House of Representatives.

In his inaugural address, Taylor emphasised reconcilation, the protection of human rights, national unity and the urgent need for the reconstruction of Liberia’s war-shattered economy.

The United Nations has successfully completed a process of demobilisation and demilitarization under which more than 15,000 ex-fighters and ex-guerrillas have been found gainful employment. Of these, 3,000 were child soldiers. ” This has kept them away from activities that could have undermined security during the electoral process,” Annan told the Security Council.

The total military strength of the warring parties was estimated at more than 33,000 and, as part of the disarmament process, more than 50,000 pieces of ammunition and 4,428 serviceable and 1,103 unserviceable weapons were surrendered to ECOMOG and UNOMIL. After the official disarmament exercise ended in February, ECMOG has recovered an additional 3,750 assorted weapons and 152,500 pieces of ammunition.

Since the end of the disarmament exercise, several U.N. agencies have been major partners in the consolidation of peace and preparations for the return to normality in Liberia. Their activities are now focusing on two primary areas: the resettlement and reintegration of the population and the preparation of a rehabilitation and reconstruction plan.

In his report, however, Annan has warned that the situation in neighouring Sierra Leone “remains a potential threat to Liberia’s stability.”

Outbreaks of heavy fighting in July in south-eastern Sierra Leone caused an influx of a large number of refugees into Liberia. The refugees included 200 militiamen, who were disarmed by ECOMOG. Currently, there are an estimated 130,000 Sierra Leonean refugees in Liberia. The refugees are being provided food and shelter by the U.N. High Commissioner for Rfugees and the World Food Programe.

A country that was once the world’s third largest rubber producer, Liberia is expected to launch a programme to revive plantations abandoned during the civil war. A huge rubber plantation managed by Firestone, the country’s largest private sector employer and which fell into the hands of one of the warlords, is to be rehabilitated. The mining of Liberia’s main export earner, iron ore, also came to a standstill during the conflict.

Since 1990, the United States has provided more than 320 million dollars in humanitarian aid to Liberia. Washington has also provided more than 30 million dollars for trhe peacekeeping operation by ECOWAS, and for election and cease-fire monitoring by U.N. military observers.

Described as one of the oldest U.S. allies in Africa, Liberia is one of only three African countries with whom Washington has had defence agreements. At onetime, Liberia also had the biggest concentration of U.S. government assets in Africa. The world’s largest Voice of America transmitter was located in Liberia, which was also home for about 400 million dollars in U.S. private investments.