- Title: LIBERIA: REBEL AND MILITIA GROUPS FORMALLY DISBAND IN LINE WITH PEACE DEAL
- Date: 5th November 2004
- Summary: (W7) MONROVIA, LIBERIA (NOVEMBER 3, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. MV ARRIVAL OF LIBERIAN PRESIDENT GYUDE BRYANT AT MANSION; SCU MEDIA 0.09 2. MV UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE JACQUES PAUL KLEIN APPROACHES PODIUM 0.14 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) KLEIN SAYING: "A little over a year ago the Liberian comprehensive peace agreement was signed in Accra. That moment signalled an end to 14 years of mindless violence and brought the promise of a new beginning. The signing of this declaration today demonstrates the former warring factions' commitment to that agreement and to its implementation." 0.38 4. MV BRYANT SITTING ON SOFA LISTENING 0.42 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) KLEIN SAYING: "We knew that we would have setbacks. The past weekend has been one of those. However, we must collectively demonstrate that we will have the resolve and not tolerate those who seek to undermine the peace process. For those who continue to undermine the process, you will become increasingly marginalised and isolated and ultimately have no political future in Liberia." 1.08 6. MV AUDIENCE APPLAUDING; SLV SIGNING CEREMONY BY LEWIS BROWN ON LEFT, CHIEF NEGOTIATOR OF THE FORMER GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA AND DANIEL CHEA, CHIEF MINISTER OF DEFENCE OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA; SLV AUDIENCE APPLAUDING 1.29 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 20th November 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MONROVIA, LBERIA
- Country: Liberia
- Reuters ID: LVAYKLXUQ4IZWQB8EMQEIL0AFHM
- Story Text: Liberia's rebel and militia groups formally disband
in line with a peace deal signed last year.
The leaders of Liberia's two rebel groups
Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD)
and MODEL (Movement for Democracy in Liberia) and
government militias made the joint declaration at a
ceremony in Monrovia on Wednesday (November 3) attended by
senior UN officials and diplomats.
The parties acknowledge that having ceased to exist as
military forces in Liberia, they shall not own, use or
carry any weapons, instruments, machinery or materials of
war and shall not engage in any use of force either
individually or in concert, their declaration said.
Liberia is struggling to emerge from more than a decade
of civil war which left it economically ruined, home to
hundreds of thousands of jobless youths and awash with
weapons.
The biggest peacekeeping force in the world, made up of
15,000 UN soldiers, has helped disarm more than 95,000
fighters but it has not reached all parts of the country
and tensions in the capital remain high.
Mobs of Christian and Muslim youths armed with sticks
and knives fought running battles in Monrovia last week in
sectarian violence that killed 18 people and injured over
200.
UN Special representative Jacques Paul Klein said, "We
must collectively demonstrate that we will have the resolve
and not tolerate those who seek to undermine the peace
process. For those who continue to undermine the process,
you will become increasingly marginalised and isolated and
ultimately have no political future in Liberia."
The heads of the former warring factions urged
ex-fighters to co-operate with the peacekeepers.
LURD chairman Sekou Conneh said the time had come for
Liberia to work for peace and urged the UN mission in
Liberia to comb the city thoroughly for arms, appealing to
people to show where weapons were concealed.
Thomas Nimley, leader of MODEL assured former fighters
they would not be punished if they turned over weapons even
after the October 31st cut-off date for the UN disarmament
programme.
Some 27,000 rifles, 6.84 million bullets and 29,830
rounds of heavy ammunition such as mortars and grenades
have been collected so far under the disarmament programme,
the UN said.
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