[allAfrica.com] [AED_Fundraising_Gala_Dinner_2004] House-to-House Search Begins The Analyst (Monrovia) NEWS November 2, 2004 Posted to the web November 2, 2004 -Police, UNCIVPOL Confiscate Caches of Arms, Homemade Bombs; -Prohibit Sidewalk Sale of Gas, Fuel Oil; Nab Over 200 Hooligans, Looters The spontaneously explosive violence that engulfed the Paynesville community in the northern suburb of Monrovia last Thursday evening and spread to across the city by Friday is from most indications, subsiding. Thanks to the combined efforts of the High Command of the United Nations Military Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Civilian Police (UNCIVPOL), and Liberia National Police (LNP) the situation is on the verge of being brought under control if all things add up perfectly. The Analyst's Staff Writer has been looking at police updates on the situation and on currents efforts and measures put into place thus far to ensure that the situation does not deteriorate further or reoccur. The Liberia National Police (LNP) has disclosed that it has, in conjunction with CIVPOL and UNMIL, uncovered and confiscated caches of arms and ammunitions from several communities around Monrovia and has taken measures aimed at curtailing the spate of violence, murder, and theft that has engulfed Monrovia, its environs, and the provincial city of Kakata in Margibi County some 43 km northwest of Monrovia. According to a LNP press release said to be sanctioned by Police Director C. Clarence Massaquoi, the discoveries was made through the vigilance of a joint patrol mounted by security details of UNMIL, CIVPOL, and LNP. The press statement said the joint patrols have also nabbed more than 200 persons, all males, who where caught red-handed in acts of violence and mayhem including murder, arson, theft of property, terrorist threats, disorderly conduct, and curfew violation. "To manifest and execute our statutory mandate to protect lives and properties as well as enforce the laws, we in collaboration with our international counterparts, have launched a vigorous cordon and search operation in several volatile areas in Monrovia and its environs, which have paid off dearly. In the Jacob's Town vicinity, where this crisis erupted, we arrested and confiscated several arms, ammunitions and petrol bombs in homes and other squalor and makeshift areas. We also made similar arrests and confiscated several arms and ammunitions in the Airfield Short Cut area where petrol bombs were being manufactured," the LNP press release noted without saying with whom or in whose house the weapons were uncovered. Besides, the police statement said they arrested some individuals with cutlasses, knifes, and other blunt objects with blood stains which, according to them, suggest that several persons were hatched or butchered during the four-day-old communal violence and have therefore taken several measures to curtail the situation. The release said, "To ensure the public safety of all our citizens and foreign residents, we have instituted this measure: As of tomorrow, November 2, 2004, the selling of gasoline and fuel on the sidewalks and streets of Monrovia is hereby abolished. Only fuel and gasoline stations are authorized to sell gasoline and fuel. This is in keeping with Section 15.4 Sub-Chapter 3 of the New Penal Code of Liberia, captioned: "Failure to prevent catastrophe. Anyone caught going contrary will be arrested and prosecuted in keeping with the above section of the law cited." The police then warned would-be violators to take heed as everything was being done to apprehend anyone in the business of fostering his or her own "negative agenda." "We are watching you by the minute, and we want the public to rest assure that these individuals will be exposed when caught. I want to reiterate that irrespective of position and status, when you are caught you will be exposed, arrested and charged," the police noted. Describing the present 15-hour curfew that starts from 4:00 p.m. and ends at 7: 00 a.m. as "good for all of us" the release warned all those in the habit of violating it to "have themselves to blame" because the police "remains resolute to [foil] every, and all attempts to subvert the peace process." On the casualties of the violence, the LNP statement disclosed that a total of 82 persons were reported out of which 60 were treated for various wounds and discharged, 8 died two at the hospital, and 20 hospitalized. The latest UNMIL update on the violence put the number of deaths to 16 and 250 arrests, all males. Meanwhile, the security forces have also advised those bent on continuing the violence to be prepared to face the full force of the law. "We want to appeal to all those withholding arms with intent to cause chaos or not to turn them in with immediate effect as possessing arms without the full knowledge of authorities is illegal and a violation of the laws of Liberia. We want to further appeal to the public to provide information not only about arms, but also criminals who are masquerading under various schemes and subterfuges to disrupt public peace and information provided will be meticulously followed up to the letter in bring them to book in accordance with law," the statement said.   =============================================================================   Copyright © 2004 The Analyst. All rights reserved. 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