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ECOWAS Urges UN to Lift Liberia Sanctions

Vanguard (Lagos)
NEWS
August 29, 2003
Posted to the web August 29, 2003
United Nations
A senior African representative urged the UN Security Council, Wednesday to
lift its sanctions against Liberia so the country's transitional government can
begin to "function effectively."
Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS), told the UN that sanctions had been placed on Liberia
because of former Liberian President Charles Taylor's support for rebels in
neighbouring Sierra Leone. Taylor, a former warlord, stepped down as Liberia's
President earlier this month and went into exile.
"Keeping the current regime of sanctions in place will doubtless make it
impossible for it (the transitional administration) to function effectively,"
Chambas said. "Therefore, I would strongly entreat this council to consider
lifting all the sanctions, except the arms embargo, currently imposed on
Liberia to further signal support for success of the Liberian peace process,"
the ECOWAS representative urged. The Security Council has yet to formally
address the matter, but has said it "remains concerned at the situation in
Liberia, particularly the continuing dire humanitarian situation of much of the
population."
The UN imposed sanctions on Liberia in May 2001 in order to halt arms imports
into the country, and amid suspicions that lawmakers and businessmen were
trafficking raw diamonds. An embargo was also placed on the West African
state's wood trade July 7. The lifting of sanctions on Liberia was also called
for on August 15 by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special representative to
Liberia, Jacques-Paul Klein, soon after he arrived in the Liberian capital,
Monrovia. However, there is little probability UN sanctions will be lifted
quickly as the Security Council wants to wait to see if stability can be
returned to the country, according to a diplomat close to the matter.
"The idea is to wait while a monitoring system is put in place," the diplomat,
who asked to remain anonymous, indicated. He said UN officials are also
concerned that a lifting of sanctions too soon would allow diamond traders and
smugglers to renew their trading activities.
Meanwhile a contingent of 250 troops from Mali is expected to arrive in Liberia
on Thursday to bolster the West African peacekeeping force there.
There are now some 1,500 Nigerian troops in Liberia, with a further 700
expected this week from other West African countries.
Rebel attacks in the north and southeast of the country are threatening the
fragile peace.
Thousands of civilians have been fleeing a new advance by Lurd rebels in north-
eastern Nimba County, a stronghold of former President Charles Taylor and one
of the few areas still under government control.
The United States said the renewed violence was jeopardising the peace
agreement signed last week and hampering relief efforts.
Most American troops left Liberian soil on Sunday to return to US warships
moored off-shore, and Washington says it will end all direct involvement on 1
October, when a UN operation is due to begin.
On Wednesday, West African nations told the United Nations Security Council
that international assistance is vital to secure a lasting peace.
Meanwhile, a Liberian specialist in sexual violence against women has reported
a number of rapes in the capital's Samuel Doe stadium, where thousands of
displaced people have sought protection since June.
Gertrude Garway was quoted by the French AFP news agency as saying that she was
aware of 16 rapes of women aged six to 42.
"But it is impossible to say accurately how many women have been raped, because
victims are usually ashamed and afraid to come forward," she said.

   

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