Liberian ex-soldiers riot
08/02/2007 21:11  - (SA)  

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Monrovia - UN and Liberian police fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse hundreds of rioting former soldiers who were protesting against arrears in the payment of demobilisation packages, said witnesses.

At least four of the ex-combatants were arrested in the riot which brought chaos to the northern Paynesville district of Monrovia, the seaside capital of Africa's oldest republic which was established by freed slaves from America in 1847.

Shops and businesses were shut and the road intersection leading to the country's international airport was briefly closed.

The former soldiers, some of whom were veterans of Liberia's 1989-2003 civil war, stormed into the compound of the national state radio building, where shortly earlier President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had addressed journalists.

Chanting war songs, they said they wanted to present to her their complaints about the delayed severance payments, but she had already left the state radio premises.

UN armoured vehicles patrol streets

"We wanted to meet the president. We do not think this is the right way for this government to treat us. We worked for this country for many years and up to now, nothing has been done for us," one of the protesters, ex-lieutenant Amos Kollie, said.

Another protester, former Master Sergeant Jacob Toe, said: "We have families that we need to take care of."

Jordanian peacekeepers from the United Nations military mission in Liberia and Liberian police fired tear gas canisters to break up the demonstration. Two UN armoured personnel carriers patrolled the streets.

No injuries were reported, but witnesses saw at least one police officer being beaten with a stick by protesters, whom police said were also armed with knives.

Since Johnson-Sirleaf took office as Africa's first elected female head of state early last year, she has faced several protests from former members of the old Armed Forces of Liberia.

Thousands of ex-combatants have been demobilised and paid off to make way for a new, slimmed-down Liberian armed forces, the first unit of which graduated in November after training by a US defence contractor, DynCorp International.

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