From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS: LIBERIA: WILL ECOWAS PUSH FOR GLOBAL SANCTIONS LEAD TO PEACE?
Originator: barnhart@gagme
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 05:45:59 GMT

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Trade & Finance; United Nations
Title: LIBERIA: WILL ECOWAS PUSH FOR GLOBAL SANCTIONS LEAD TO PEACE?


an inter press service feature

by toye olori and peter da costa

abuja, nov 10 (ips) -- west african leaders are actively seeking
united nations backing for economic sanctions against liberian
warring factions to enforce compliance with peace accords.

at a meeting in nigeria's capital, abuja, over the weekend
the 16-member economic community of west african states (ecowas)
mandated a group of foreign ministers to table the request at
the current u.n. general assembly session in new york.

the ministers will ask the u.n. security council for approval
and implementation of sanctions against the rebel national
patriotic front of liberia (npfl) which controls 75 percent of
the country.

they will urge u.n. secretary-general boutros boutros-ghali
to persuade the international comunity to help bring lasting
peace to the civil war-torn country through sanctions.

in calling for ''comprehensive sanctions'', the abuja summit
took the next logical diplomatic step from july's senegal summit
which first threatened punitive measures against warring
factions reluctant to implement peace accords.

ecowas leaders had given npfl leader charles taylor a month
to disarm and encamp his 12,000-strong army as a precondition
for repatriation of liberia refugees, voter registration and
elections -- the main elements of ecowas's peace plan.

analysts of the three-year-old crisis in liberia see this as
last chance for taylor who has been a stumbling block in the way
towards peace.

taylor argues the ecowas 10,000 men intervention force in
liberia is a tool for west african superpower nigeria's
expansionism. he has always called for the force to be replaced
by u.n. peacekeepers.

but nigerian president ibrahim babangida believs that taylor
does not represent democrcay. ''he does not believe in the
freedom of choice that is the god-given right of the liberian
people'', babangida told saturday's meeting in abuja.

the meeting was attended by heads of state of benin, burkina
faso, cote d'ivoire, ghana, guinea, nigeria, sierra leone and
togo. senior government officials represented gambia and
senegal. (more/ips)


liberia: will (2)

three weeks ago taylor declared war on the safe haven of
monrovia, liberia's interim government-administered capital,
where over half the country's 2.5 million citizens currently
live.

but the ecowas peacekeeping force retaliated to defend its
security zone around monrovia, launching bombing raids and naval
bombardments at taylor's strongholds, including gbarnga, npfl
capital 190 km to the north-east.

the npfl's onslaught has effectively failed although
skirmishes continue. abuja has set midnight tuesday as the
deadline for a new cease-fire.

ecowas's strategy is to secure u.n. members' approval for a
military blockade of all liberia's air, sea and land ports in a
bid to deny the npfl access to war supplies and lifeblood
commodities.

taylor controls buchanan, a port city 72 km south-east of
monrovia. he also holds sway over smaller ports at harper and
greenville as well as the country's only international airport.

via buchanan greater liberia (the hinterland outside
monrovia) is supplied with basic commodities like rice, which
taylor offers his fighters instead of cash, and fuel - without
which the npfl military and political machine would grind to a
halt.

buchanan is also key to the export of liberia's natural
resources, all in npfl-controlled territory. taylor makes big
profits from timber, iron ore, diamonds and rubber.

u.n. backing for global sanctions is seen as a key element of
ecowas's action plan because it will facilitate interception of
foreign-owned commercial vessels and policing a 'no-fly' zone
over liberian airspace.

taylor's major trading partners include nationals of france,
the u.s. and germany, a key reason ecowas wants official u.n.
ratification of its planned embargo. west african leaders
believe only by making the war unprofitable can they propel the
npfl toward the ballot box.

however, taylor is known to be covertly supported by benin,
burkina faso and cote d'ivoire whose leaders have on different
ecowas gatherings suggested mellowed action against the npfl.

cote d'ivoire's octogenarian leader felix houphopuet-boigny
was thrust into the forefront of mediation efforts because of
his influence with the npfl.

but cote d'ivoire refuses to close its border with greater
liberia, an entry point that ensures the npfl access to military
supplies overland from burkina faso. (end/ips/pdac/to/ar/92)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african