LIBERIA: UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SEES ECOMOG OFFICIALS AND REFUGEE CAMP DURING HER VISIT TO ENCOURAGE IMPLEMENTATION OF ABUJA PEACE ACCORD

Record ID: 337737

  • Title: LIBERIA: UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SEES ECOMOG OFFICIALS AND REFUGEE CAMP DURING HER VISIT TO ENCOURAGE IMPLEMENTATION OF ABUJA PEACE ACCORD
  • Date: 17th January 1996
  • Summary: MONROVIA AND CONGO TOWN CAMP, LIBERIA (JANUARY 17, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) MONROVIA 1. GV SOLDIERS WALK PAST ECOMOG TRUCKS 0.10 2. GV ECOMOG LABEL ON BACK OF TRUCK 0.15 3. GV ECOMOG SOLDIER ON DUTY AS ECOMOG OFFICIALS TALK IN ENTRANCE TO ECOMOG HEADQUARTERS 0.23 4. GV PEOPLE WALK ALONG ROAD BEYOND TRUCK 0.30 5. G
  • Embargoed: 1st February 1996 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MONROVIA AND CONGO TOWN REFUGEE CAMP, LIBERIA
  • City:
  • Country: Liberia AFRICA
  • Reuters ID: LVA427COHYFZH48ZVML58S8CC1FS
  • Story Text: United States (U.S.) ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright met ECOMOG peace keeping officials and visited a refugee camp during her visit to Liberia on January 17.

    Albright, who was also visiting the country in her capacity as a member of U.S. President Bill Clinton's National Security Council, came to Liberia to show support for the Abuja peace accords ending six years of civil war there.

    She met General John Inienger, the commander of the 7,500-strong ECOMOG forces sent by ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) as peacekeepers to Liberia.

    Fighting between ULIMO-J militiamen and ECOMOG and delays in the arrival of U.S. and Western logistics backup had forced ECOMOG to delay its plan for starting to disarm 60,000 rebels in mid January.

    Later in the day, Albright visited Congo Town refugee camp, near Monrovia and heard refugees' appeals for help in achieving repatriation.

    Albright said the situation in the refugee camp was deplorable and that she understood the refugees' need to return to their homes. She promised to raise their concerns to U.S. leaders and at the United Nations.

    At a news conference, Albright said the United States supported the Abuja peace accords but that it was up to Liberians to implement the terms of that agreement.

    She stressed that developments in Liberia were critical to the wider search for peace on the African continent.

    Almost 150,000 people were killed and half the pre-civil war population of 2.5 million was displaced as a result of the civil war, which broke out in 1989.


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