UNMIL Suspends Disarmament Wednesday

The NEWS (Monrovia)
NEWS
December 15, 2003
Posted to the web December 15, 2003

By Stanley Mcgill
Monrovia
The disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration (DDRR)
program which commenced on December 7, 2003 with former Government of Liberia
combatants at the Camp Scheiffelin Military Barracks is expected to be
temporarily suspended by the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
This was disclosed to The NEWS by a Public Information Officer of UNMIL, Lt.
Col. Borje Johanson last Saturday evening in a telephone interview.
Col. Johanson explained that UNMIL will be temporarily suspending the
disarmament process at Scheiffelin by Wednesday, December 17, 2003 to allow it
settle the payment of the US$75.00 to combatants who have already disarmed.
He said up to Friday evening, about 8,500 combatants from the former GOL had
turned in their weapons to UNMIL and that most of them have not received their
US$75.00 disarmament allowance.
UNMIL has said earlier that the number of fighters turning out for disarmament
per day far exceeded the amount expected. UNMIL has expected to disarm 1,000.
He indicated that as a result of this, the site has become overcrowded with the
disarmed fighters and those trooping in to turn in their weapons.
He did not state a specific time when the process would resume. However, a
release from UNMIL Headquarters last evening confirmed that the disarmament
exercise would be suspended Wednesday and would resume after the holiday season
on January 20, 2004.
According to the UNMIL release, the decision to suspend the disarmament
exercise is to "allow for the creation of more capacity and the upgrading of
living conditions at the site, where more than 8,000 former combatants have
disarmed".
The release also said former combatants who have disarmed and wish to remain at
the Camp Scheiffelin during the holiday period would be provided with food,
shelter, and other support, and would continue to participate in initial
rehabilitation activities.
For those who have disarmed and wish to return to their communities over the
holiday period will return to the camp upon the resumption of activities in
January.
It can be recalled that following the offer of US$75.00 to each disarmed
fighter, the Camp Scheiffelin site became overcrowded with combatants who were
eager to turn in their weapons after three days of protest in Monrovia which
led to the deaths of scores of individuals including some of the combatants
themselves.
When The NEWS visited the site, it was observed that the US$75.00 offer
attracted thousands of combatants who were pouring from all parts of the
Country under the control of the former Government of exiled President Charles
Taylor.
The fighters complained that turning over their weapons was easy, but receiving
the US$75.00 was very difficult. Some of them suggested to their colleagues to
sleep at the site so that they would be among the first to queue the next day.
More than 40,000 combatants from the three warring factions are expected to be
disarmed by UNMIL over a nine-month period. This will pave the way for
elections in 2005.

   

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