From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS: LIBERIA : PERSUADING WARRIORS TO DI
Originator: barnhart@gagme
Organization: Evanston, Illinois
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 00:38:18 GMT

Title: LIBERIA : PERSUADING WARRIORS TO DISARM


an interpress service feature

by lansana fofana

freetown, sept 01 (ips) -- turning down an appeal by west
african governments to call off its bloody offensive against
liberian warlord charles taylor, a sierra leone-based opposition
movement appears to be pushing on to the capital monrovia.

it came as little surprise to liberia watchers that the
economic community of west african states (ecowas) failed in
their latest move, aug 25, to persuade the united liberation
movement of liberia (ulimo) to agree to a ceasefire.

instead, reports suggest the rebels are successfully
advancing on monrovia -- held by the ecowas peacekeeping force
-- through taylor territory in a new twist to the two-years of
chaos in the war-torn west african country.

around 25,000 refugees have fled into monrovia in the last
few weeks escaping the escalation of fighting in the
countryside, aid agencies say.

ulimo is made up of disgruntled soldiers of late president
samuel doe. they mainly belong to doe's krahn tribe. others are
fighters of the movement for the redemption of liberia muslims
(mrm).

a peace meeting organised by ecowas in freetown, siera leone,
last week was a disaster. taylor, whose national partriotic
front of liberia (npfl) controls three-quarters of the country,
did not send a delegation. ulimo turned up a day late and then
refused to concede to an immediate ceasefire.

nigerian field commander, general ishaya bakut, head of the
seven-nation west african peace-keeping force (ecomog) left for
monrovia even before the meeting resumed on day two. an aide to
the general confirmed bakut had lost hope of making head way in
freetown.

a foreign diplomat pointed out that peace could not be
discussed without the npfl's presence at the negotiating table.

ironically, ulimo boss, releigh seekie told the ips that his
movement was committed to the ceasefire provisions of
yamoussoukro four, last october's peace accord signed by ecowas
and the npfl which agreed to the disarming and encampment of all
warring factions.

he said it would take time to get a ceasefire in place
because ulimo fighters in liberia's north east front needed to
be ''thoroughly educated on the issue''. (more/ips)


liberia: persuading (2)

''ulimo is prepared to lay down arms provided the npfl does
the same. we are even prepared to talk to charles- taylor on a
neutral ground - in a neutral country'', said seekie.

the key issue of discussion in freetown was to have been how
to kick-start the peace accord.

yamousoukro four hinged on taylor's pledge to disarm and
encamp his army on condition the 10,000-strong ecomog force set
up a buffer between npfl and ulimo on the border dividing sierra
leone and liberia.

however, since october, neither side had honoured its part of
the agreement. on several occasions the npfl has ambushed ecomog
units near the sierra leone border.

ulimo has since vowed to defeat the npfl militarily saying it
had little faith in ecomog's ability to disarm taylor.

through cross border raids from its base in south-east sierra
leone, ulimo has over the last two months managed to capture
three counties formerly held by taylor, lofa, grand cape and
bomi.

the military conflict seems set to escalate. the ecomog
command in monrovia reported, aug 29, mass troop and weaponry
movement in npfl-controlled areas, an indication that taylor
might not rule out an eventual attack on monrovia himself.

he has accused ecowas of colluding with ulimo. they have
vehemently denied this.

ecomog, too, is said to be overstretched having to defend
monrovia and stave off npfl provocations outside the capital.
what is certain is that peace for liberia is still painfully
distant.

''the problem is not that we are refusing to co-operate with
ecomog. it is that we can only bargain from a position of
strength'' seekie told ips. (end/ips/lf/ro/oa/92)


-- 
Mr. Aaron Barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us -- posting from Evanston, Illinois