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Warning of Looming Catastrophe, Annan Urges

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allAfrica
July 29, 2003

Warning that the volatile situation in Liberia could deteriorate into a massive humanitarian catastrophe, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged the Security Council to mandate the deployment of a multinational force to the west African nation.


In a strongly worded letter to the President of the 15-member body, Mr. Annan says to prevent a major tragedy the intervention should be led by a Member State and authorized under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which permits the use of force. "The consequences of allowing the situation to spiral out of control are too terrible to contemplate," he says, calling attention to the danger posed not only to Liberia, but also other West African States, particularly neighbouring Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire.

The Secretary-General also calls on the Liberian parties to immediately and unconditionally respect the ceasefire they signed in Accra on 17 June, allow for the immediate resumption of international humanitarian assistance, and resume comprehensive peace talks. All States were urged to "desist from any action that might be construed as supporting or otherwise encouraging the continuation of the armed conflict."

Earlier this month, following Mr. Annan's recommendation, the Council endorsed a UN role in support of the implementation of the ceasefire. Today he emphasized that "the time has now come for the Security Council to take action to give practical effect to that commitment, in the light of the most recent grave deterioration in the situation." Mr. Annan also voices deep concern over recent flagrant violations of the ceasefire. "There are reports that several hundred innocent civilians have been killed in fighting in and around Monrovia, and of wanton destruction of property and widespread looting," he writes, noting that approximately one-third of the country's population - some 1 million people - are seeking refuge in the already overcrowded capital, Monrovia.

At the same time, virtually all international relief operations have ceased in most parts of the country. "The combination of cholera outbreaks and food shortages in an environment of ongoing violence, disruption of life-saving services, and cessation of humanitarian aid threatens to produce a major humanitarian catastrophe," Mr. Annan warns, adding that the scale of the crisis could exceed that of the recent one in Bunia in the war-ravaged Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Secretary-General is appealing to leaders in the region to press for the strict observance of the ceasefire and to intensify the quest for a comprehensive political arrangement "which would be fully consistent with the relevant provisions of the ceasefire agreement signed in Accra on 17 June 2003, including in relation to President [Charles] Taylor," according to the letter. [That accord calls for the formation of a transitional government, which will not include President Taylor, in accordance with his 4 June declaration at the opening of the Accra talks. In his address, the Liberian leader offered to "remove himself from the process that would continue to perpetuate this crisis?(as) it has become apparent that some people believe that President Taylor is the problem."]

While acknowledging the "commendable efforts" of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mr. Annan warns that "broader international action is urgently needed to reverse Liberia's drift towards total disintegration." "Our collective interest and our common humanity demand urgent and decisive action from the Security Council," the Secretary-General states. "We cannot be oblivious to the warning signs of an imminent possible catastrophe."

Letter dated 28 June 2003 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council

In my letter of 18 June (S/2003/659), I brought to the attention of Members of the Security Council the ceasefire agreement signed by the Liberian parties in Accra on 17 June 2003 under the stewardship of ECOWAS. I saw your prompt endorsement of a United Nations role in support of the implementation of that agreement as reflecting the Council's commitment to promote the peaceful resolution of the Liberian conflict. I believe that the time has now come for the Security Council to take action to give practical effect to that commitment, in the light of the most recent grave deterioration in the situation.

I am deeply concerned at the flagrant violations of the ceasefire that have occurred in recent days. There are reports that several hundred innocent civilians have been killed in fighting in and around Monrovia, and of wanton destruction of property and widespread looting. Approximately one third of the population of Liberia - about one million people - are seeking refuge in an already overcrowded Monrovia, where health and other humanitarian services are stretched to the limit. Virtually all international relief operations have ceased in the capital and most of the country. The combination of cholera outbreaks and food shortages in an environment of ongoing violence, disruption of life-saving services, and cessation of humanitarian aid threatens to produce a major humanitarian catastrophe. This could be on a scale possibly even greater than the recent one in Bunia in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The violations of the ceasefire shake the very foundations of the Accra peace talks. I am appealing to ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to press for the strict observance of the ceasefire agreement and to intensify the quest for a comprehensive political arrangement which would be fully consistent with the relevant provisions of the ceasefire agreement signed in Accra on 17 June 2003, including in relation to President Taylor.

The intense fighting around Monrovia in recent days has made it evident that, notwithstanding the commendable efforts of ECOWAS, broader international action is urgently needed to reverse Liberia's drift towards total disintegration. The consequences of allowing the situation to spiral out of control are too terrible to contemplate - not only for Liberia, but also for the countries of the subregion, particularly neighbouring Sierra Leone and Cí´te d'Ivoire.

I therefore would like to request that the Security Council take urgent action to authorize the deployment to Liberia of a highly trained and well-equipped multinational force, under the lead of a Member State, to prevent a major humanitarian tragedy and to stabilize the situation in that country. Such a force would be authorized under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

Meanwhile, the Liberian parties should immediately and unconditionally respect the ceasefire to which they agreed in Accra, allow for the immediate resumption of international humanitarian assistance, and also resume comprehensive peace talks under the auspices of ECOWAS. At the same time, all States, including in particular Liberia's neighbours, should desist from any action that might be construed as supporting or otherwise encouraging the continuation of the armed conflict.

I regret that this is the second such initiative that I have had to request in recent months. I am again compelled to do so by a grave humanitarian and security situation with massive potential for exacerbating regional instability. Our collective interest and our common humanity demand urgent and decisive action from the Security Council. We cannot be oblivious to the warning signs of an imminent possible catastrophe.

I should be grateful if you would bring the present letter to the attention of the Members of the Security Council. (Signed) Kofi A. Annan


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FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Policy Forum distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.