disarmament COMMENCES IN LIBERIA, PAVES WAY FOR GREATER

HUMANITARIAN ACCESS, ASSISTANCE

MONROVIA, 16 April (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) -- Ex-combatants of Liberia’s three armed factions took forward steps yesterday towards contributing to the future peace and stability of the war-torn country by surrendering their weapons, during the resumption of disarmament activities administered by United Nations peacekeeping forces.

“Disarmament has been a cry of all our people.  Everybody wants disarmament to begin, and we are about to do that”, said Chairman C. Gyude Bryant, Head of Liberia’s National Transitional Government.

The northern city of Gbarnga, 150 kilometres east of Monrovia, hosted the restart of the disarmament programme to be closely followed by another three rounds tentatively scheduled in Buchanan on 20 April, and Tubmanberg and VOA on 25 and 30 April, respectively. 

The disarmament programme marks the first phase of a three-year plan for disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and remobilization (DDRR) of some 40,000 to 50,000 former combatants of the country’s long-standing civil war that damaged basic infrastructure and created large-scale displacement of over one third of Liberia’s population, in excess of 1 million people.

The humanitarian consequences of Liberia’s civil war will continue to critically impact upon the DDRR process and the overall transitional strategy for restoring lives and livelihoods.

“The success of DDRR is inextricably linked to relief and longer-term assistance.  The successful launch of disarmament activities in Gbarnga signals a positive note for the gradual transition of the country, and we hope that the international community will continue to support United Nations security forces and assistance efforts to effectively consolidate peace and stability throughout the country and hedge against reverses to conflict”, said OCHA Head of Office, Paul Bonard, who was present for the disarmament activities.

United Nations relief and development agencies, as well as local and international non-governmental organizations responding to the increased security environment provided by peacekeeping contingents of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), were at hand today delivering food and other assistance to former combatants that included children.  

“UNICEF recognizes the challenges ahead in making Liberia a place safe for the growth, survival and development of Liberian children.  We are committed to supporting the DDRR because it works towards a safer environment for all children in Liberia.  It is vital that we use the opportunities of DDRR as the launch for long-term protection for children from recruitment, separation from their families and sexual violence -- sadly all the characteristics of conflict”, remarked Angela Kearney, representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The UNICEF has negotiated with UNMIL that children will be prioritized in the process and will not spend longer than 72 hours in the demobilization camps, where they will be separated from adult combatants.  Thereafter, children will be transferred to the interim care centres from where they begin the road home to their families and communities.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has provided some material support such as plastic sheeting and kitchen sets for the demobilization centres and stands ready to provide guidance on camp management.  The agency will also assist governments in the determination of refugee status for those ex-foreign combatants wishing to seek asylum in Liberia, as well as Liberian ex-combatants in the neighbouring countries, who may not choose to return and qualify for refugee status.

For further information, please contact:  Rosemary Musumba, Public Information Officer, OCHA Liberia, e-mail: Rosemary.musumba@undp.org, tel:  00377-47-530-434; Jonathan Papoulidis, Information/Reports Officer, OCHA Liberia, e-mail: Jonathan.papoulidis@undp.org, tel:  00377-47-532-022

* *** *