The nature of the insurgency in Liberia is unclear. Considerable conjecture also surrounds the nature of the attacks into Guinea. Some regard the incursions as a coordinated effort by Liberian President Charles Taylor to retaliate against Guinea for providing asylum to Liberian dissidents and armed groups that have allegedly attacked Liberia. Others speculate that some of these border clashes are the product of local business transactions gone awry between RUF rebels and Guineans believed to be involved in diamond trafficking and other illegal cross-border activities. Regardless of the underlying causes of the current violence, President Conte's public threat to the safety of refugees in his country is unprecedented.
Guinea faces legitimate security concerns.
But Guinean authorities should exercise caution in public pronouncements and should act responsibly to ensure the protection of hundreds of thousands of innocent refugees seeking safety on Guinean soil. National Guinean officials should hold those responsible for abuses accountable. Without proper safeguards, conditions are ripe for further human rights abuses against refugees in the region, as many observers predict cross-border attacks are likely to increase in the months ahead. The international community should do its share by pursuing a just peace in Sierra Leone, supporting strong military measures against the RUF rebels, and bolstering refugee protection and assistance in Guinea and Liberia. These newest threats to refugee safety in West Africa are occurring as the U.S. Congress is poised to pass an appropriations bill that would unwisely cut U.S. funding for African refugees to its lowest level in more than a decade.