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UN Debates Liberian Sanctions Today

ActionAid (London)
PRESS RELEASE
June 3, 2004
Posted to the web June 3, 2004

Dangers of lifting diamond and timber embargo too soon As the United Nations
Security Council meets today to discuss Liberia, the international development
agency ActionAid has called for the UN to continue its embargo on Liberian
diamonds and timber until key conditions are met.
Gyude Bryant, chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia, and
Jacques Klein, UN Security Council special representative to Liberia, are both
at the United Nations today. Mr Bryant is expected to call for an early end to
UN sanctions on Liberia.
Stephen Kolee, policy manager of ActionAid Liberia, said: "It is dangerous to
lift sanctions while there are parts of the country and its borders where the
UN peacekeeping troops do not go and the transitional government's authority
does not reach. We want sanctions to end when we can be sure that the trade
will benefit the Liberian population and will not fuel conflict across West
Africa. The disarmament process, which started again last month, needs to be
well established and irreversible. And the trade needs to be regulated and
transparent so we know where the money goes."

   

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