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afrol News, 11 December - "The international community must take urgent and concrete steps to protect vulnerable populations from further human rights abuses," the human rights group Amnesty International stated today, following a recent visit to Liberia where researchers found that civilians have become the main targets in the armed conflict in Lofa County. The armed conflict, which last week reportedly spread to Gbopulu county between Liberian security forces and armed opposition groups based in Guinea, has been going on since early 1999. "Amnesty International has documented continuing human rights abuses, including torture while in incommunicado detention, rape of women and girls, forced military recruitment of men and boys, and killings, going back to at least mid-2000," the group claims. - In recent weeks, the targeting of civilians has become increasingly arbitrary, with all ethnic groups at risk, Amnesty warns. Previously, members of the Mandingo ethnic group were the primary targets and victims of human rights abuses. Those responsible for these abuses include Liberian security forces - the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATU) and national police - and armed opposition groups based in neighbouring Guinea, according to Amnesty. The Sierra Leone armed opposition Revolutionary United Front (RUF), fighting alongside Liberian security forces, had also been responsible for human rights abuses against Liberian civilians. Since the beginning of December 2001, government sources have reported large-scale killings and other attacks on civilians in Gbopulu county by "dissidents". The main armed political group, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), has however denied responsibility. There has been no independent confirmation of the large-scale killings. - Amnesty International is alarmed by the continuing lack of protection for civilians. Humanitarian agencies working in camps for internally displaced people (IDP) in Gbopulu county have had to leave temporarily due to the conflict, the group today states. "The lack of international presence in the camps raises urgent and serious concerns for IDP protection." According to Amnesty, "many families have become separated during their flight from Lofa country and there are large numbers of unaccompanied women and children in IDP camps. Liberian civilians and Sierra Leonean refugees in camps in Cape Mount county are also at risk." During their visit in early November 2001, Amnesty researchers found that no agency was exercising responsibility for ensuring the protection of civilians. The Liberian Reconstruction, Reconciliation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), an ad hoc governmental agency largely composed of former combatants, which is charged with the responsibility of co-ordinating humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people, has no mandate to provide protection. According to the group, "the government has been hostile to any public criticism of its conduct, especially with regard to the behaviour and impunity of the security forces. It has failed to take the necessary steps to bring those suspected of being responsible for human rights abuses to justice." The organisation today urged the international community, including the United Nations (UN) and other humanitarian agencies working in Liberia, to organise "a well-coordinated, committed and vocal effort to protect all vulnerable groups in Liberia." - While growing international attention on Liberia is focussed on its role in supporting the RUF in the Sierra Leone armed conflict, there is an imperative need for concrete steps to be taken to protect Liberian civilians and to end the human rights abuses against them," an Amnesty spokesman said. - Furthermore, the UN should live up to its commitments articulated in the thematic Security Council resolutions related to the protection of civilians when it considers the new mandate for the UN Peace-building office in Liberia, Amnesty added. "This includes urgently deploying independent and impartial human rights monitors with clear authority to document and report publicly on human rights abuses against civilians." Sources: Based on Amnesty International and afrol archives
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