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POLICY STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA ON ALLEGATIONS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE AND THE ECOMOG HIGH COMMAND AT THE EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE COMMITEE OF FIVE ON SIERRA LEONE OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA IN THE CIVIL CRISIS IN THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE
MONROVIA, LIBERIA, DECEMBER 29, 1998
POLICY STATEMENT
The Government of Liberia views with disappointment and indignation suggestions and allegations by the Government of Sierra Leone that Liberia is supporting former Junta/RUF forces in Sierra Leone.
The government of Liberia reiterates unequivocally that it is not supporting in any form the forces of the AFRC or RUF in Sierra Leone. It is the policy of the Liberian government to welcome the restoration of constitutional rule in Sierra Leone under the leadership of the democraticlly elected government of President Tejan Kabbah.
The government categorically denies and takes exception to these unfounded allegations by the Government of Sierra Leone and the ECOMOG High Command at the current Committee of Five Meeting on Sierra Leone in Abidjan, La Cote d'Ivoire, and demands concrete proof of these allegations.
The Government wishes to inform the International Community as a matter of fact and record, that successive regimes in Sierra Leone, from that of President Joseph Momoh to the elected Government of President Tejan Kabbah have used Liberian mercenaries, usually associated with former warring factions in Liberia, to augment their national security capacity. Even now, the Kamajoh Militia are using Liberian mercenaries to assist in their fight against the Junta/RUF forces. We view the constant arming and use of these mercenaries as a threat to our national security and to the stability of the Sub-region.
The Government of Liberia considers this situation as grave and reiterates its call on the Kabbah Government to enter meaningful dialogue with all parties to the conflict as a way of finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the Sierra Leonean crisis.
The Liberian Government further calls upon the United Nations to establish a Commission of Inquiry with immediate effect to investigate the circumstances leading to the involvement of all foreign nationals, including Liberians, in the Sierra Leonean civil war.
The Liberian Government recalls its decision to permit the deployment of ECOMOG forces at its border with Sierra Leone, and the subsequent deployment of said forces. The Government also recalls its request to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the Deployment of UN Observers at the Liberian-Sierra Leonean border.
The Liberian Government further recalls its invitation to the Sierra Leonean Government for a joint patrol of the Liberian-Sierra Leonean border together with Liberian Security Forces and ECOMOG forces.
The Government of Liberia desires to note that in spite of all these efforts and overtures, no concrete response has been forthcoming.
The Government also recalls the accusation made by Col. Bukary Musa of ECOMOG, that over 3,000 fighters of the defunct NPFL were being trained at Camp Naama in Liberia to assist remnants of the deposed AFRC Junta fight ECOMOG. This allegation was proven to be false and baseless following an investigation carried out jointly by ECOMOG, the Liberian Press and the US Embassy near Monrovia.
The Liberian Government wishes to draw attention to the statement of the United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Amb. Vicki Huddleston, that there is no evidence that the Liberian Government is involved in aiding the war in Sierra Leone.
The Government wishes to also point to the results of an independent investigation conducted by Col. Dempsey, Military Attache at the US Embassy in Monrovia, which found no evidence of the alleged involvement of the Liberian Government in the Sierra Leonean conflict.
The Government of Liberia has demonstrated a great deal of patience and employed the highest form of diplomacy in the face of these unwarranted accusations through the following actions and activities:
1. Maintained an open line of contact and direct dialogue with President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah aimed at building confidence between Liberia and Sierra Leone.
2. Dispatched at least four high level Presidential Delegations to Freetown to hold talks with President Kabbah and Sierra Leonean officials within the past year.
3. Hosted President Kabbah in Monrovia for a one-day Summit, with US President Bill Clinton's Special Envoy for Africa, Rev. Jesse Jackson in attendance.
4. President Taylor visited Conakry, Guinea twice in the past six months, and on both occasions held a one-day Summit with Presidents Tejan Kabbah and Lansana Conteh. At the second Summit last November, Rev. Jesse Jackson was again in attendance.
In conclusion, the Government of Liberia recognizes that its security and stability are inextricably bound together with those of the brotherly state of Sierra Leone. The Government has accordingly been most anxious for durable peace to be restored to the Republic of Sierra Leone. Towards this goal, the following National Security Policy measures are being pursued :
A. The containment or limitation of the fighting to
Sierra Leone through the non-support of belligerent
forces and the stationing of Liberian Security forces
along the Sierra Leone border to prevent spill over
of the conflict into our territory;
B. The advocacy of a peaceful approach to the resolution
of the
conflict and the discouragement of the use
of military force against dissident forces;
C. The closure of our border with Sierra Leone and the
deployment
of military and paramilitary forces to work with
ECOMOG to prevent spill over of the conflict, and
D. The appeal to the United Nations High Commission
for Refugees
and the International Committee of the Red Cross
to prepare for emergency humanitarian service to Sierra
Leoneans who may come across the border into Liberia.
Liberia is cognizant of the role it is called upon to play as an honest broker in the Sierra Leonean conflict and feels confident that it can effectively perform this onerous task. However, a crisis of confidence is being created by these uncorroborated allegations, thereby making this task more difficult to achieve.
As a result of this situation, Liberia may be prepared to recuse itself from the process until such time when the crisis of confidence is resolved.
[ENDS]
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1999 14:34:44 +0000 (GMT) From: UN IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@wa.ocha.unon.org> Subject: LIBERIA: Government policy statement on Sierra Leone 1999.01.05
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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