| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER |
Liberia's deputy information minister has denied news reports that former combatants were signing up for active duty in the capital to help the government fight rebels who invaded north-western Liberia earlier this week.
"It is incorrect to say ex-fighters are being recruited. The standard army can deal with the situation," Milton Teahjay told IRIN on Friday.
Humanitarian sources in Monrovia told IRIN on Friday
that former combatants were being recruited but they
had no idea of their number.
The government launched a counter-offensive on Thursday
and according to Teahjay, "the dissidents are
retreating and at least two towns have been retaken".
He said he was not able to give any details of casualties
or fatalities and added that the government still did
not know the identity of the rebels.
A state of emergency declared on Wednesday by President Charles Taylor was still in effect and was helping the security forces bring the situation under control, Teahjay said.
On 11 August, the government announced that armed men
had infiltrated towns and villages in Lofa County from
neighbouring Guinea. President Charles Taylor has repeatedly
complained that Liberian dissidents were being trained
in camps in Guinea.
UNHCR reports no general population movement
Meanwhile, Marcellin Hepie, UNHCR Senior Programme Officer in West Africa told IRIN: "There are no reports of general population movements in the area and I believe the refugees have remained in the camps."
There have been no reports of any Liberian refugees crossing into Guinea anywhere along the Gueckedou/Macenta part of the border, according to a UNHCR update on the situation in Lofa County.
Amnesty calls for respect for human rights
Amnesty International (AI) has called on Liberia's security forces to respect human rights in restoring law and order in Lofa County, according to a news release issued on Thursday.
"Civilians, irrespective of their ethnic origin or perceived stance towards the Liberian government, must be protected from unlawful killings, torture and ill treatment or detention without charge or trial by the security forces," AI said.
The security situation in Lofa County has been tense for several months, AI said. In April, the town of Voinjama was reportedly attacked by a group of armed men and the government accused Guinea of harbouring the attackers and other political opponents of Liberia, including people of Mandingo origin.
A number of civilians, mostly from the Mandingo ethnic
group, were reportedly killed during and after the
fighting in Voinjama, according to AI. Numerous incidents
of harassment of civilians by members of the security
forces have since continued to be reported, AI added.
Government urged to investigate harassment by security
forces
Meanwhile the Centre for Law and Human Rights Education in Monrovia wants the government to investigate alleged harassment of Sierra Leonean refugees in Lofa County by the security forces, Star Radio reported on Tuesday.
Recommendations in a report published this week following a visit by officials from the centre to Lofa County, included prosecuting security officers implicated in alleged harassment, and compensation for victims, Star said.
The Centre also called for the training of security personnel on refugees' rights under international law and said that the government must stop armed security personnel from entering refugee camps, Star reported.
(ENDS)
[IRIN-WA: Tel: +225 217366 Fax: +225 216335 e-mail: irin-wa@ocha.unon.org ]
Item: irin-english-1421
[This item is delivered in the "irin-english" service of the UN's IRIN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. For further information or free subscriptions, or to change your keywords, contact e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org or fax: +254 2 622129 or Web: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer.]
Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 1999
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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