   |
|
afrol News, 12 February - In the Liberian capital, Monrovia, police are rounding up people suspected of working as rebel agents after a state of emergency was declared last week. The state of emgerncy was an answer to rebel attacks 35 km north of the capital. Aslo others were arrested, according to human rights groups. Amnesty International yesterday warned "The state of emergency declared last Friday in Liberia is being used as a justification by the security forces to abuse power and commit human rights violations against the civilian population." The reports by the human rights group, civilians without connection to the rebels had been rounded up, were confirmed by independent media reports. The Reuters news agency reported Monrovia police had also detained scores of street children, fearing they would use the chaotic situation to cause trouble. According to Amnesty, panic has spread amongst the civilian population amidst reports that security forces have been carrying out the detention and forcible recruitment of young men and boys, and harassment and arrests associated with dissident hunting, and looting of civilian property by the security forces, which reportedly took place over the weekend. - These incidents are likely to lead to further abuses such as the rounding up and detaining or killing of 'suspected dissidents' which may include political opponents, human rights activists and ordinary citizens," the group said. On Sunday 39 young men and boys were reportedly rounded up from various churches around Monrovia and forcibly taken to a field near Duala market. They were told they had to fight with the army and forced to sit with their shirts tied together for several hours. Many fled the normally busy market in panic, fearful that they too would be rounded up and forced to fight with the government army. Liberian Information Minister Reginald Goodridge confirmed to Reuters had done "a raid" in Duala "and arrested some people and the investigation is still going on," adding that Monrovia was now calm. - The actions of the security forces directly contradict public assurances made by President Taylor on Friday that the state of emergency would in no way affect the civil liberties of the Liberian people, Amnesty commented. The group however agrees with the Liberian government in its call on the international community to play a stronger role in the protection of civilians. The government has called on Britain and the US to use their influence in the region to end the conflict. Tens of thousands have already been displaced by the fighting in Liberia, and also Sierra Leonean refugees still in Liberia have been victims of the fighting. Estimates in January talked of as many as 100,000 displaced people in Klay Junction, the village that was attacked by rebels last week. There has been fighting in northern Liberia since 1998 but it has intensified significantly since last September, particularly in Lofa County, which is more or less controled by rebels. The rebel group Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), which has bases in neighbouring Guinea, is leading the fighting. The LURD is thought to be led by former chief of staff Charles Julu, who served in the regime of Samuel Doe, assassinated in 1990 after Taylor launched an insurgency. After the Liberian government sponsored attacks on Guinea about one year ago, Guinea is reported to have increased its support to the LURD rebels, enabling them to launch attacks far into Liberian territory. Sources: Based on Amnesty, press reports and afrol archives
|