LIBERIA: BEHIND THE ACRONYMS, THE ACRIMONY.
Note: the essential content in the following is from an eyewitness in Monrovia (Sr. Barbara FMM) and is kindly provided from Rua Link UK by Fr. Pat Sherlock.
MONROVIA: 28th September -- As far as the rest of the world is concerned, the UN is on assignment there, along with ECOMIL, the combined African peace-keepers force; the US are off shore, CT (Charles Taylor) is off the scene, and things must be returning slowly to normal in Liberia. The CRS (Red Cross) are in Buchanan along with the WFP (UN World Food Programme). But we should not forget that the LURD and MODEL militia - two of the combatant groups opposing CT - are still out there in the countryside, and to some extent in the cities. The acrimony still simmers....listen to Sr. Barbara's update on it all:
"Ten days ago we joined a convoy to Gbarnga. This was the first convoy to Gbarnga and we went because the day before Medicine De Monde went by themselves to Gbarnga with a little difficulty.
All the way to Totota, which is a little more than half way along what should be a 3-hour ride, the ECOMIL troops are deployed. After this it is a very sad scene indeed. We had eight LURD check points between Totota and Gbarnga and they were not easy to pass. Everywhere the soldiers of LURD say they too are hungry and they force the farmers to bring them food. In the villages along the way there were very few civilians and those we saw were obviously terrified. In most instances they were not even permitted to come and greet us. At one point, when a person attempted, he was immediately driven back.
The number of child soldiers is much greater than I have seen in the other areas. They are from 8 to 15 years old and all talking nonsense about being able to kill so many. One called 'See Fire', a take off on 'Cease Fire', said if Charles Taylor was here today he would cut out his heart and eat it to make him strong!!! Here is where our challenge really lies in the next 10 years - with these young ones, all, by the way, rolling and smoking weed.
...after 4 hours we made it to Gbarnga and went to greet the commander.... We were given escorts without guns who took us wherever we needed to go. We all split up and agreed to meet at 3pm at Phebe Hospital, which was not burned as some had said. Looted yes, but intact. Even the roofs are on. I cannot say that for our Catholic Mission. It has all been looted, down to the toilets, windows and frames. All roofs that are zinc are gone. Roofs that are asbestos or tiles are OK. Our convent looked good from one side, than we heard some noise and found two men on the roof helping themselves to our zinc. All the zinc was in the veranda. These two men were farmers who were told to take off the roofs, leave them on the floor and go. I believe them. It is the soldiers who are taking as much as they can to Guinea and Sierra Leone before the UN moves up.
The Cathedral is looted but roofs not touched, too high I guess. ....In Gbarnga there are just a few people who I am sure are forced to labour in the markets. Most of them are young women. Before we left many people from our mission came from nearby villages to greet us. They stay in the bushes because they are forced to work and carry loads to Guinea and Sierra Leone for the rebels. There is no freedom, no justice. Conscription is going on of young boys and girls. Rapes and molestation are still happening. It's not a pretty picture, but this is what most Liberians are facing."
All the way to Totota, which is a little more than half way along what should be a 3-hour ride, the ECOMIL troops are deployed. After this it is a very sad scene indeed. We had eight LURD check points between Totota and Gbarnga and they were not easy to pass. Everywhere the soldiers of LURD say they too are hungry and they force the farmers to bring them food. In the villages along the way there were very few civilians and those we saw were obviously terrified. In most instances they were not even permitted to come and greet us. At one point, when a person attempted, he was immediately driven back.
The number of child soldiers is much greater than I have seen in the other areas. They are from 8 to 15 years old and all talking nonsense about being able to kill so many. One called 'See Fire', a take off on 'Cease Fire', said if Charles Taylor was here today he would cut out his heart and eat it to make him strong!!! Here is where our challenge really lies in the next 10 years - with these young ones, all, by the way, rolling and smoking weed.
...after 4 hours we made it to Gbarnga and went to greet the commander.... We were given escorts without guns who took us wherever we needed to go. We all split up and agreed to meet at 3pm at Phebe Hospital, which was not burned as some had said. Looted yes, but intact. Even the roofs are on. I cannot say that for our Catholic Mission. It has all been looted, down to the toilets, windows and frames. All roofs that are zinc are gone. Roofs that are asbestos or tiles are OK. Our convent looked good from one side, than we heard some noise and found two men on the roof helping themselves to our zinc. All the zinc was in the veranda. These two men were farmers who were told to take off the roofs, leave them on the floor and go. I believe them. It is the soldiers who are taking as much as they can to Guinea and Sierra Leone before the UN moves up.
The Cathedral is looted but roofs not touched, too high I guess. ....In Gbarnga there are just a few people who I am sure are forced to labour in the markets. Most of them are young women. Before we left many people from our mission came from nearby villages to greet us. They stay in the bushes because they are forced to work and carry loads to Guinea and Sierra Leone for the rebels. There is no freedom, no justice. Conscription is going on of young boys and girls. Rapes and molestation are still happening. It's not a pretty picture, but this is what most Liberians are facing."
This is the story, then, many weeks after the official cessation of hostilities. Sr. Barbara's final words are:
"So let us not sit back and think this is anywhere over, and know that a lot of work needs to be done. .... The first small mission with UNAMSIL Blue hats has arrived.... As you know the UN Security Council has approved force of 15,000 and that will start by the 14th of October. The warships from USA are due to leave on the 1st of October and that has caused some to say why? I say why not! Why keep three ships offshore at an enormous cost! If they could come onshore and make a difference, well OK, but better for them to go home."
