Monrovia port taken over
2003-08-14 15:04
Monrovia - In a major move to secure Liberia's war-wracked capital, west African peacekeepers took control on Thursday of Monrovia's port, while new President Moses Blah was in Ghana for peace talks with rebel leaders.
West African Ecomil peacekeepers were handed control of the deep-water harbour - a key gateway for food and direly needed humanitarian aid - by rebels who had seized it nearly a month ago.
The ceremony was attended by General Festus Okonkwo, the Nigerian commander of Ecomil, United States ambassador to Liberia John Blaney, and Sekou Fofana, the deputy secretary-general of rebel group Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (Lurd).
"As far as we are concerned, we will co-operate.... We will comply and we will leave," said Fofana.
Huge crowds cheered the Ecomil troops, who took control shortly after 11:30 and were accompanied by three US soldiers.
Other US troops arrived outside Monrovia earlier on Thursday, but a military spokesperson said they would provide only logistical support and let Ecomil handle the port-securing operation.
Discussing the peace process
Meanwhile, Blah, who took over on Monday after Charles Taylor went into exile, arrived in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, to discuss peace prospects with rebels.
He will meet members of the country's two rebel groups - Lurd and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (Model) - who have been attending west African-brokered talks in Ghana since June.
Foreign minister Lewis Brown said the aim of the visit was "to discuss the peace process and the way forward".
"We are very optimistic, the process is well advanced," he said.
The handover of Monrovia's port, which has been occupied by rebels since July 19, is crucial to resolve Liberia's acute humanitarian crisis.
The port is the main gateway for food and supplies to the war-torn city, where about 450 000 displaced people are living on the edge amid an acute shortage of food, water and medicines.
Earlier on Thursday, an estimated 200 US troops, including a 150-strong rapid reaction force according to Pentagon sources, flew to Monrovia's Robertsfield airport to help the Ecomil operation.
There are already about 100 US soldiers on the ground in Monrovia, out of some 3,000 Marines who are aboard the ships off the coast.
'American boots on the ground'
US ambassador to Liberia, John Blaney, was exultant as he watched the troops fly in to Monrovia's airport on helicopters.
"This is a great day. I think this operation is important because it's good to see American boots on the ground."
Military attaché Sue Ann Sandusky said the west Africans were in charge of Thursday's operations.
Another US source said the troops were "providing logistical air support".
Meanwhile, looting continued on Thursday for a second day at the port by civilians desperately seeking food before the handover.
The Lurd rebels also appeared to have taken part in looting ahead of their withdrawal.
Their trucks and four-wheel-drive vehicles were piled high as they departed with ammunition and arms, furniture and food.
Several thousand civilians meanwhile gathered at a bridge separating the southern - and starving - government-held zone to try to cross to the northern rebel-occupied side, where the port is located, but were held back by government troops.
Singing the Liberian national anthem and When the Saints Go Marching In, they said they were either trying to cross to look for food or seek missing relatives.