ELCA Liberia Support Network

Today, 3 Nov., it appears that the situation in Monrovia has normalized. There were a few sporadic incidents last night involving a bit of looting and fights, but there was none of the mob violence that had taken shape during the past several days.

Noticeably, this mornings traffic was again flowing as usual. LWS personnel with few exceptions were able to get to work using normal transportation. The government has pushed the curfew for today to 6PM - 7AM; that will most likely remain through the next weekend for the sake of cautiousness.

In the analysis of the reasons for the last several days of unrest, there have been a number of theories. Although none of them deserve more attention than the other, one thing touches all the analyzes is the obvious fact that what has happened has nothing truly to do with religion, or Islam Vs. Christianity.

One analysis points out that former Taylor elements, having failed at getting the demobilization process continued past 31 October, staged the past days events to get the attention of UNMIL in order that they see that there are still a number of guns that need to be gotten off the streets. As of today, it did not work as the closure date for DD still remains 4 Nov. Other theories are less interesting.

In any case, we are all sleeping a bit better in the night. One can imagine having to stay indoors from 4PM everyday since last Friday.

Of interest is the fact that during these times of chaos, not only are the rogues preparing to take advantage of any opportunity to loot, but this is a time when grievances against neighbors are executed in the middle of the mayhem. Evil deeds are connected to the chaos and never investigated. Those with enemies are much more concerned during these periods of chaos, than others; a point which may explain why I have a spirited optimism during short periods of chaos, having been in the middle of much worse during the last several years. In any case, all looks to be well for the foreseeable future.

Many of these points of tension will be dissipated when Liberia gets investment, vocational/ skills training, and jobs for the younger population of the lost generation. God bless Liberia.

Charles Pitchford, Representative, Lutheran World Service

Last night was not absolutely calm. Intermittent burnings of Mandingo properties continue. Even in our managed IDP Camp Jahtondo, a Mandingos shelter was burned and others were ransacked by Liberian ex-combatants late in the night. Details are being obtained as I write.

There have been incidents reported of similar occurrences in other major Liberian cities, e.g., Buchanan, the seaport to the south, and Kakata and Gbarnga to the north. In Buchanan, the top LURD official was found with many weapons and arrested.

90 additional arrests were made yesterday and two additional deaths have been reported. bringing the Monrovia and its environs death toll to 16.

The beginning of the incident over a land dispute now reveals that the Mandingo man claiming ownership of the property is the brother of Mr. Conteh, the renown LURD Rebel leader. The flames were fueled when Brother Conteh ordered some of his colleagues to beat the Liberian man claiming ownership of he property. Liberians by-standers intervened and the situation overheated. It should be offered that there has been ill-feelings among the Liberians and Mandingos as a result of the Mandingos economic empowerment and advantage above that of the average Liberian as well as the perceived advantage gained as a result of being victorious in the recently ended war. Unfortunately, many innocent Mandingos are being terrorized now causing them to leave their homes and shelter in the nearest police stations for protection.

Amazingly, there are still many guns on the streets giving new attention to the Liberian Government's request that the disarmament camps remain open longer. UNMIL had officially announced that all camps would close by 4 November 2004. Also discovered was a cache of cutlasses and 14 fire bombs on 24th street in Sinkor (I live on 24th street). Some of our staff gave accounts that UNMIL Peacekeepers have been reluctant to deploy deep into the suburban communities of Monrovia, stating that had they deployed into the troubled areas, much of the violence may have been avoided.

A curfew was imposed yesterday and today beginning 4PM. It is expected that the curfew will remain for the duration of this week and through the weekend. Only minimum essential personnel are working within UNMIL. Our staff is working, but as a result of the 4PM curfew, some are having to leave by 2PM in order to obtain transportation back home.

Schools have been closed since last Friday and will remain so for the remainder of the week. Businesses are also taking a big hit as they have also closed their doors as a result of the curfew and the prospects of serious looting. Many of the grocery stores are down to a minimum of stocks as UNMIL seems to be buying large

I do not yet see violence systematically aimed at Christian Churches and facilities. However, we continue to be vigilant and to expect the unexpected.

Charles Pitchford, Lutheran World Service, Monrovia

From UN News Service, November 2, 2004

Rivals within a former Liberian rebel group were responsible for last week's flare-up in violence which was calmed after United Nations forces deployed throughout the area, a spokesman for the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) said today.

While previous reports blamed the violence on religious differences, James Boynton told the UN News Service that some members of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) wanted to hold onto their weapons while others are ready to go forward with the political process.

"The facts that have come to light since [the start of the violence] don't point to a religious conflict at all," he said. "We believe that the conflict arose over property issues, and from that there were others that jumped on board with their own issues to incite riots and commit arson," he said, naming LURD members who targeted those within a splinter of the group.

Some LURD members wanted to see the disarmament process continue while others "thought it was wise to bring it to end," he said.

The situation has remained "very calm" over the last 24 hours, the spokesman reported. Some 250 people were arrested, 208 were reported injured and 16 died during the violence.

Community meetings held in the flashpoint areas - including Jacob's Town and Paynesville - were broadcast by UNMIL radio and aired on local television stations as part of the UN's effort to restore calm.

Most of the deaths, according to Mr. Boyton, resulted from "blunt force trauma from clubs, sticks or rocks and [injuries from] machetes." One individual was burned to death while two others were reported shot.

Asked whether the low proportion of injury by gunfire in a country which had been awash in weapons was a reflection of the UN's just-concluded disarmament campaign, he replied: "We would like to think so."

While cautioning that it would be "naïve" to think all weapons have been collected, he added, "We do term the disarmament programme to be a success."

The UN appeal for humanitarian aid to Liberia is set to fund projects to help former fighters rejoin society. In his latest report on Liberia, Secretary-General Kofi Annan noted that the "ex-combatants constitute a highly volatile group" who need urgent education, training and job opportunities.

But the appeal faces a roughly $200 million budget gap. Mr. Boynton called this a "real concern" as the UN seeks to reintegrate demobilized soldiers back into a society already suffering from an 85 per cent unemployment rate.

In order to support the UN's efforts to achieve sustained peace in Liberia, donor countries should "make good on their pledges" to help fund the humanitarian appeal, he said.

It started Thursday, 28 October, over a land dispute. A Mandingo man claimed to own the property upon which he and associates built a small mosque. Another Liberian man contested that the land was his, that he never sold it to anyone. The Muslim population (comprised mostly of Mandingos) comprise approximately 22% of the Liberian Population with Christians comprising the remainder, except for about 8% of the population that continue to cling to traditional religious beliefs.

The Mandingo Tribes have been Nomadic and span over most of West Africa and into many other parts of Africa finding their culture in more regions of Africa than any other tribes. As such, they have a greater opportunity of movement and integration than any other group. There has been historically a feeling of bad blood between the Liberians and Mandingos, as they, over the years, have wandered in and out of Liberia from neighboring countries, i.e., Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast. All of these surrounding countries have Muslim majorities. Several decades before, the Liberian Constitution gave any man of colored origins an alternative for automatic citizenship in Liberia. As a result of so many Mandingos coming into Liberia, the Liberian Constitution was changed so that citizenship is no longer automatic, even for persons of color.

The incident that seemed to have started the troubled mushroomed out of control, not necessarily because of Religious overtones, but because of jealousies of the economic empowerment of the Mandingo people over that of the average Liberian. It is the quasi- mafia element that is embellishing the situation for their best advantage. They have destroyed Mandingo homes and businesses and have tried to eliminate the continued Mandingo grip on Liberia's informal economy.

The problems continued into Friday evening and throughout the weekend, with the burning of religious structures and attacks on individuals Mandingo homes and property. Many of our staff returning to work today, Monday, reported eye-witness accounts of Mandingo home destruction and beatings of Mandingo People.

Since the LURD Rebel group defeated the government forces causing Charles Taylor to step down last year, they have carried themselves as victors and as a result of the LURD being predominantly a Muslim force, they have aided and abetted the Mandingos at the expense of the average Liberian. As demobilization is almost complete, the general Liberian population is more emboldened to these acts of rage against Blacks coming from different countries.

As of Sunday evening, UNMIL reported more than 200 persons had been arrested, and approximately 208 persons were taken to the hospital, of that number 47 were in critical condition and 14 deaths resulted.

Today, 1 November, UNMIL has proclaimed that Monrovia is now clear and safe, and that all of their staff not living directly in effected areas, where transportation may still be a problem, to report to work. Through our contacts in UNMIL, we have been successful in having them patrol our compound area on the hour during the weekend. Schools and Lebanese businesses have been closed since Friday and most are closed today.

Although all is well today, much of the transportation from the outskirts of the city into town is still not running. Many of our staff have not been able to come to work as of the sending of this mail.

Also today from Maria Immonen, LWF World Service, Advocacy and Communication, West Africa and the Horn of Africa:

" I spoke to Rev. James Gayflor the General Secretary of the Lutheran Church in Liberia (LCL) today. He has no access to email today, but hope to send me a detailed report tomorrow. For the time being, he informed me as follows:

1. The Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) held a meeting today to assess and discuss the situation. LCC has invited their Muslim counterparts for an inter-religious meeting on Wednesday morning about 10.00 am.

2. Curfew still in force and situation controlled by the UN Military. No burning or looting seen at the moment, situation but still "fragile" as no one could be 100% sure what might happen next. Many offices and shops closed. Even LCL office open temporarily only.

3. LCL will communicate also on Wednesday following the inter-religious meeting.

4. Bishop Harris is on his way home from the US and will only arrive on Wednesday."

HEADLINE: U.N. PEACEKEEPERS ENFORCE LIBERIA CURFEW
BYLINE: JONATHAN PAYE-LAYLEH
DATE: 30 October 2004
SOURCE: Associated Press Newswires © 2004.

Blue-helmeted peacekeepers in flak jackets patrolled the deserted streets of Liberia’s capital on Saturday, firing in the air to enforce a round-the-clock curfew a day after Muslim-Christian violence reverberated through this seaside city.

Interim head of state Gyude Bryant imposed the curfew in Monrovia on Friday after violence began before dawn and degenerated into mayhem and looting sprees in other parts of the city.

Around midday Saturday, Bryant announced that the curfew had been lifted for a few hours to allow people to go out and get food and water, state radio reported.

On Saturday, at least five burned-out vehicles lay along a main road in Monrovia’s eastern district of Paynesville, where several churches and mosques were set ablaze, apparently sparking the violence.

Streets were deserted, shops were shuttered and one destroyed church could be seen still standing after its roof, set ablaze the day before, had collapsed.

“Don’t you know there is a curfew in force? Keep inside your houses!” screamed one U.N. peacekeeper from Ghana, leaning out of a white pickup truck as he waved a machine-gun at a small group of people who ventured outside.

It was unclear how many people were killed and injured in the violence Friday, but some residents and peacekeepers put the death toll at five. One Ghanaian peacekeeper was hospitalized after being hit by a rock in the stomach on Friday, peacekeepers said.

The violence was some of the worst to hit the capital since the end of a three-year rebel war last year.

It was unclear what sparked the mayhem. Religious violence is rare in Liberia, a tiny nation in West Africa founded in the 1800s by freed American slaves. About 40 percent of the country’s 3.3 million people are Christian, and 20 percent are Muslim.

A nationwide program to disarm ex-combatants is to end Sunday, and Bryant said the government believed the violence was organized by “evil forces who do not want to see an end to the disarmament and the success of the peace process.”

The U.N. special envoy to Liberia, Jacques Klein, said Friday he had given peacekeepers orders to “react with maximum force, and this means shoot to kill.”

Klein said U.N. troops and Liberian police had detained 168 people, and peacekeepers had been ordered to patrol through the night to enforce the curfew.

On Friday, a police officer said one U.N. armored personnel carrier trying to disperse a crowd inadvertently crushed and killed three people.

Liberia is struggling to recover from fighting that began in 1989 and claimed at least 150,000 lives. A three-year war ended last year when rebels shelled the capital, forcing President Charles Taylor to accept a peace deal that entailed exile in Nigeria and paved the way for a transitional government that gave top rebel officials ministerial posts.

A 15,000-strong U.N. peace force is stationed in the country, which is expected to hold elections in October 2005.

Sekou Conneh, who heads the main Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy rebel group, urged ex-fighters to remain indoors: “We are in no way going to be a part of that ... the war is over.”

MONROVIA, 29 Oct 2004 (IRIN) - Religious riots between Christians and Muslims erupted in the Liberian capital Monrovia on Thursday night and continued on Friday morning until UN peacekeeping troops restored order and the government imposed an indefinite curfew.

Officials at the city's main John F Kennedy hospital were not immediately able to give casualty figures, but ambulances raced across the city all day carrying the wounded. Reuters reported that at least four people had been killed.

Residents said the trouble began on Thursday night over a land dispute in the eastern suburb of Paynesville and quickly escalated after a car was set on fire and burned down a nearby mosque.

Muslim crowds subsequently burned down three churches and on Friday morning, Christian youths armed with sticks, knives and broken bottles burned down the Muslim Congress High School in central Monrovia, the only Islamic high school in the city. They also tried unsuccessfully to burn down the two main mosques in central Monrovia. Some shops were looted.

The rioters were prevented from torching the city centre mosques by Nigerian peacekeepers who patrolled the city in white armoured cars while UN helicopter gunships clattered overhead. Ghanaian and Irish troops were also involved in helping to restore order.

Gyude Bryant, the chairman of Liberia's transitional government, said in a radio broadcast on Friday morning that he was imposing an indefinite curfew and everybody should stay at home. The streets subsequently emptied.

UN officials reported hearing gunfire at one point near the former German Embassy in the eastern suburbs, which now serves as the headquarters of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

Residents in Kakata, a town 50 km northeast of Monrovia, told IRIN by telephone rioting between Christians and Muslims also took place there, but UN peacekeepers soon restored order.

UN officials said gunfire was also reported during similar disturbances in Liberia's second city Buchanan, 120 km southeast of Liberia, and Ganta, on the northern frontier with Guinea.

Residents in Paynesville said the trouble began when a group of former fighters of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebel group beat up a man who objected to them building a house on his land. These men were from the Mandingo ethnic group. The injured man's family and neighbours subsequently set up a manhunt for all Mandingos in the area that led to the burning of the mosque.

Jacques Klein, the UN Secretary General's Special Representative in Liberia, said in a radio broadcast that the 15,000 UN peacekeepers in the country would respond with "maximum force" to any attempts to disturb the peace.

"I have given orders to UNMIL formed police units and military troops to deploy to all affected areas and to react with maximum force to any activities of violence against innocent civilians and property," Klein said in a broadcast on UNMIL Radio.

He warned that further instability could easily dissuade donors from disbursing US$450 million pledged earlier this year towards Liberia's reconstruction and could disrupt preparations for fresh elections in October 2005.

A seven-month programme to disarm and demobilise Liberia's three armed factions is due to end on Sunday and an official campaign to repatriate over 300,000 refugees from other West African countries got under way earlier this month.

But Klein warned: "Already some of the donors are beginning to question if Liberians are really ready to put violence behind them and work for peace, reconciliation and reconstruction."

There is widespread resentment against Mandingos in many parts of Liberia. They formed the backbone of LURD, Liberia's largest rebel movement, during the latter stages of the country's 14-year civil war, which ended in August 2003.

The above material comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies.

Violence erupted last night in the Redlight district to the north of Monrovia leading toward Kakata (also under tension and violence) and to the up-country direction of Phebe Hospital. Although information is somewhat conflicting, it appears that the violence is between Muslims and Non-Muslims. It supposedly began over a land dispute.

Whatever the reason, violence has continued into this morning and is marked by waves of burning of Mosques and Muslim owned petro-stations. Roadblocks designed to stop Muslim Taxi drivers from entering the city have been illegally set-up by those against Muslims. Muslims are the primary business people among the Liberian African communities in Monrovia.

Throngs of people are on the streets as no taxis are running. Many people have come from their homes hoping to go to their normal places but can not obtain transportation. Mobs of would be looters are waiting to take advantage of the situation.

A conversation few moments ago with the head of CRS living in Mamba Point on the 5^th floor, reported that he could see 6 structures burning in just one direction.

The wife of the LURD Rebel Leader Conteh, is reportedly trying to defend her home from a mob of looters which is located just around the corner from our LCL compound.

Most of our employees have not been able to get to come to work and those of us here are asked by UNMIL to go home as there has been a curfew presently established.

Further reports from our employees in the outer areas are reporting the fires are being started in their areas as well as in Monrovia’s center.

UNMIL has imposed a curfew which I think will remain in place during the weekend.

I do feel that UNMIL will get the situation under control. Remember, we have been through worse and their were no UNMIL Peacekeepers to help. I remain optimistic.