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65,000 Fighters Disarmed, 20,000 Weapons, 5 Million Ammunition Collected

The NEWS (Monrovia)
NEWS
August 19, 2004
Posted to the web August 19, 2004
Monrovia
The head of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) retired American
Airforce General, Jacques Klein has given an 'impressive' report about the
disarmament of more than 65, 000 former fighters.
Ambassador Klein told a special session of the Transitional Legislative
Assembly that more than 20,000 weapons, 20,000 pieces of bombs and explosives
have been collected so far by UNMIL.
He said more than 5 million rounds of ammunition have been reported to UNMIL by
the former combatants. He explained that the total number of ammunition rounds
collected in Liberia so far, exceeded twice the number collected in Sierra
Leone.
Ambassador Klein gave statistics in the disarmament process at a special
session of the Legislative Assembly (NTLA) Wednesday to mark the first
anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed last year in Accra, Ghana.
The UNMIL boss disclosed that troops from Ethiopia are expected in the Country
shortly to complete the 15,000 men requested by him.
He said disarmament was continuing and that the process would begin in Voinjama
Friday (tomorrow).
Apart from the disarmament process, UNMIL soldiers, he pointed out, have
immunized 128,000 children against measles and that they intend to vaccinate
about a million children against polio.
Ambassador Klein said, "UNMIL is not only working to ensure the restoration of
peace, but also it is training a new Liberia National Police, working with the
judiciary to maintain the rule of law and repairing bridges "
He said UNICEF has reunited 71 percent of children with their parents. Amb.
Klein also said UNMIL is currently supporting the work of the National
Elections Commission (NEC).
To this end, he said one of the key objectives of UNMIL is to ensure the
holding of elections in an environment free of harassment and intimidation.
"UNMIL and the international community will use all its power within resolution
1549 to ensure the implementation of the Peace Accord," Amb. Klein maintained.

   

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