Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Monrovia (Fides Service )-“Difficulties encountered with regard to the disarmament operation are a sign that the process to peace is still long” Father Mauro Armanino SMA Superior Provincial in Monrovia, capital of Liberia told Fides Service. “After tension on Sunday 7 December today shooting can still be heard in some parts of the city. This is a form of protest by the militia who have yet to receive the money and food promised by the UN peace keeping force in exchange for disarming ” the missionary told Fides Service.
The disarmament operation was to start on 7 December when hundreds of militants armed with 7 Kalashnikov, rocket launchers and mortar bombs gathered at Schieffelin camp about 5 km from Monrovia to hand over their arms and be registered, but on learning the conditions they refused to lay down the weapons. The men had been promised 300 US dollars and training for a civil occupation, but when, about to disarm, they were told that the first 150 US dollars would be paid at the end of the three week disarmament campaign and the rest later, they refused to comply.
By way of protest the soldiers began shooting in the air to give vent to their anger and frustration, stopping the traffic and people from going to work.
About 40,000 guerrilla troops must be disarmed, many were recruited by force as children and made to take part in atrocities such as rape, massacre on civilians, raids on villages. “When young men are turned into war machines it is difficult to make them stop. They cannot simply be told: ‘that’s enough, go home. They are fighting for their rights and they do this in the only way they know how: by shooting”.
A United Nations peace keeping force is being deployed in Liberia. “Several thousands of troops have still to come” Father Armanino told Fides. “Only 4,500 of the promised 15,000 have arrived. Moreover the UN peacekeepers do not go much beyond Monrovia. This means that the rest of the country is in a state of complete insecurity”.
The disarmament of all the different militia groups was a major point in the peace agreement signed in August this year to put an end to years of civil war between troops loyal to exiled president Charles Taylor, and the rebels of LURD (Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy) and MODEL (Liberian’s Democratic Movement). Taylor agreed to go to Nigeria in exile but he is wanted by INTERPOL and the International Court for Sierra Leone, which accuses him of being involved in violation of human rights in the war in Sierra Leone. (L.M.) (Fides Service 9/12/2003, lines 39, words 483)
