05-08-2003 04:33									#1
	Liberians Rejoice as Peacekeepers Arrive Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

Mon Aug 4, 3:12 PM ET
By David Clarke

MONROVIA (Reuters) - Hundreds of war-weary Liberians danced for joy in the capital's ruined streets Monday hoping for an end to 14 years of bloodshed as West African peacekeepers arrived by helicopter.

Nigerian soldiers in flak jackets and helmets leapt out into driving rain at the international airport near the war-battered capital Monrovia, as hundreds of Liberians welcomed them with cheers and chants of "No more war, we want peace."

In Rome, the leader of the main LURD rebel group, which controls Monrovia's vital port, said his fighters would pull out once the Nigerians moved in. He reiterated demands that Liberia (news - web sites)'s President Charles Taylor leave the country swiftly.

A Nigerian army spokesman said almost 200 men -- the first wave of a thousands-strong force -- had flown in from neighboring Sierra Leone where they had helped end a savage decade-long civil war with links to Liberia's conflict.

The peacekeepers ran across the cracked tarmac to take up positions in the long grass at the airport, 28 miles from Monrovia. The crowd hoisted one Nigerian colonel onto their shoulders.

Brigadier-General Festus Okonkwo, the Nigerian force commander, said his men would need a few days before embarking on street patrols in the capital, which has become a bloody war zone during two weeks of battles.

Okonkwo said he would have enough men to move into the rebel-controlled port after a week. His men would not be deterred by any fighting, said Okonkwo, who warned he was prepared to seek authority to use force if necessary.

"If we want to keep peace and we cannot keep peace, it will amount to enforcing peace. We will get back to the people who sent us and they will give us that mandate," he said.

DANCING IN THE STREET

Exhausted, hungry people on both sides of the front line cheered and danced as the white U.N. helicopters bearing the Nigerian peacekeepers clattered overhead.

Their arrival could allow the start of the huge relief operation needed to avert a humanitarian disaster. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have sought refuge in Monrovia, dodging bullets and mortars to forage for ever scarcer food and water.

"If they stay for the next 50 years, no problem. I just want to sleep soundly. There will be no mixed reaction, all Liberians want peace," said airport worker Kerdial Johnson.

"We are very happy for them to be here so that this war can come to an end," said army chief of staff General Benjamin Yeaten, as the capital enjoyed its quietest day in more than two weeks. "Liberians are very tired of war."

Some rebels danced near the front line and waved white flags to celebrate. But battles continued in the second city Buchanan.

Three attacks on Monrovia by the rebels of Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) since the start of June have killed around 2,000 people and wounded thousands more.

LURD leader Sekou Conneh said his fighters would pull out of Monrovia when the peacekeepers moved in.

"We don't want to pull back if the peacekeepers are not there and the civilians will get attacked by Taylor's forces ... so that is why we are taking our time," he told Reuters in Rome.




Nigerian Foreign Minister Oluyemi Adeniji, who flew in with the peacekeepers, said after a meeting with the president that Taylor was "very happy" with the deployment.

Taylor, indicted for war crimes by a U.N.-backed court, has pledged to resign on Aug. 11 but has yet to set a date for his departure. He has accepted an offer of asylum from Nigeria.

But some feel Taylor, a wily survivor who waged a brutal seven-year war before winning power via the ballot box, is stalling.

President Bush (news - web sites) has yet to decide whether to send in Marines aboard U.S. warships heading for Liberia, a country founded by freed American slaves. (Additional reporting by Alphonso Toweh, Christo Johnson in Freetown)



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Is it legal to start a poll on when the belly-aching will begin?

	05-08-2003 04:35									#2
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I really don't know whether or not we should help in Liberia. If Bush wants to be consistent in his whole "we are liberators and spreaders of democracy" crap... then he needs to help Liberia.

	05-08-2003 04:40									#3
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@ the article

quote: President Bush (news - web sites) has yet to decide whether to send in Marines aboard U.S. warships heading for Liberia, a country founded by freed American slaves. (Additional reporting by Alphonso Toweh, Christo Johnson in Freetown)

I saw in the Post this morning that they'd decided on 300 troops now (and were considering more sending more troops soon).

	05-08-2003 05:54									#4
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Actually, Liberia was established by a few white settlers who ruled the colony and therefore, black population, initially, IIRC.

	05-08-2003 06:09									#5
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quote: Actually, Liberia was established by a few white settlers who ruled the colony and therefore, black population, initially, IIRC.

Technically, yeah, the country was founded by white American faux-philanthropist politicians and businessmen, but was populated by freed slaves. The slaves were the settlers, the white men were the administrators. Until 1848, anyway.

So maybe the article should have said "...Liberia, a country founded FOR freed American slaves?".

	05-08-2003 06:11									#6
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quote: Originally posted by cinch Technically, yeah, the country was founded by white American faux-philanthropist politicians and businessmen, but was populated by freed slaves. The slaves were the settlers, the white men were the administrators. Until 1848, anyway. So maybe the article should have said "...Liberia, a country founded FOR freed American slaves?".

And it should have mentioned that white and black American settlers repeated the pattern of conquest in this colony for liberty by driving the various African tribes off of land in order to establish large plantations.

And that black settlers became repulsed by the various African tribes' cultures and religious pratices, and saw them as inferior.

	05-08-2003 06:17									#7
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quote: Originally posted by MrFun And it should have mentioned that white and black American settlers repeated the pattern of conquest in this colony for liberty by driving the various African tribes off of land in order to establish large plantations. And that black settlers became repulsed by the various African tribes' cultures and religious pratices, and saw them as inferior.

True, true... but that'd probably get a bit wordy, eh?

***************************

The story of Liberia really is an interesting (and often times depressing) tale, though... A reverse colonisation that ended up acting like all those other regular colonisations... Mulattos beating up natives in the streets. Sigh.

If anyone's interested in reading about it, I know a great site:

http://pages.prodigy.net/jkess3/History.html

	05-08-2003 06:18									#8
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quote: Originally posted by cinch True, true... but that'd probably get a bit wordy, eh?

Wordy history is more truthful, and more interesting, than "feel-good" history.

	05-08-2003 06:22									#9
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IIRC, Chegitz told that the freed slave elite was about 5% of the population, yet always held power except for one time, when a president from the local population came to power (it's not Taylor)

	05-08-2003 06:23									#10
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But initially Spiffor, white rulers controlled Liberia.

	05-08-2003 06:24									#11
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quote: Originally posted by MrFun But initially Spiffor, white rulers controlled Liberia.

Well, I believe you. I suppose Chegitz were referring to the time after the white administration.

	05-08-2003 06:24									#12
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quote: Originally posted by Spiffor IIRC, Chegitz told that the freed slave elite was about 5% of the population, yet always held power except for one time, when a president from the local population came to power (it's not Taylor)

That would be Samuel Doe. He weaselled and murdered his way to power, and Taylor incited the civil war that brought Doe down (and Taylor up, conveniently).

So, basically, for the last 25 years, Liberians have had the choice of either a native warlord or a freed-slave warlord. Woo-hoo.

	05-08-2003 06:40									#13
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I'm a bit concerned that this peace keeping force would need to seek a mandate to use force. Shouldn't they already have it if they expect to keep the peace?

	05-08-2003 06:52									#14
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quote: Originally posted by Kirnwaffen I'm a bit concerned that this peace keeping force would need to seek a mandate to use force. Shouldn't they already have it if they expect to keep the peace?

Indeed. If they need a mandate, they might become sitting ducks similar to UN troops in Bosnia.
However, it seems both sides of the conflict have somehow agreed to stop fighting (well, its at least the third time Taylor promises to step back ). With luck, the peacekeepers' role will be to instill a sense of secutiry and stability to the population, and will be to impress disbanded fighters into not pillaging / wreaking havoc.

	05-08-2003 06:57									#15
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Who's going to bellyache Sloww? your fellow conservatives?

It whish this had happened quicker: But a total force of about 3000 sound mighty small if the deal really falls apart between Taylor and the Rebels. The big test will come on the 11th, when Taylor says he will go.

Hope immunity was not part of the deal: that scum needs to rot in some dank dungeon for all his crimes.

	05-08-2003 07:03									#16
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quote: Originally posted by GePap It whish this had happened quicker: But a total force of about 3000 sound mighty small if the deal really falls apart between Taylor and the Rebels.

Indeed, these troops won't be able to do rats except escorting doctors if the **** hits the fan once again between Taylor and the Rebels.
However, if the deal is respected, 3000 seems enough to make sure that disbanded loyalists don't plunder and such, and to make sure that the population doesn't begin to pillage / riot as well.
It seems the Rebels have a nearly unanimous support in the population of the country right now. While it is likely this support will decrease when the common enemy will be gone, this may insure that no contrarevolution will emerge in some remote part of the country. As such, the peacekeeping force will maitain order in urban centres. 3000 will be enough in the best-case scenario. This whole force will be a pathetic sham in the worst-case scenario.

	05-08-2003 07:09									#17
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quote: Originally posted by MrFun And it should have mentioned that white and black American settlers repeated the pattern of conquest in this colony for liberty by driving the various African tribes off of land in order to establish large plantations. And that black settlers became repulsed by the various African tribes' cultures and religious pratices, and saw them as inferior.

They were inferior in very many ways. See the Africa thread of last week for details.

	05-08-2003 07:20									#18
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I'm mostly concerned that these peacekeepers will become walking targets. They've already made it perfectly clear that they're not allowed to use force, so I'm kinda feeling like they've lost their deterrent effect. That leaves the desire for peace on the part of the population (fickle-they don't care how they get it as long as they get it) and the good will of the rebel forces to prevent the whole thing from flaring up again. Call me a pessimist, but...

	05-08-2003 07:41									#19
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quote: Originally posted by Sikander They were inferior in very many ways. See the Africa thread of last week for details.

BTW, there is a very interesting discussion about the Mali history in the Civ3 Files forum

(I have created a Mali Civ, but I'm yearning to make it more accurate)

	05-08-2003 08:02									#20
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quote: Originally posted by Spiffor BTW, there is a very interesting discussion about the Mali history in the Civ3 Files forum (I have created a Mali Civ, but I'm yearning to make it more accurate)

Very interesting. Molly sure knows his African history. I have an interest, but have just begun to learn anything substantially about Africa.

	05-08-2003 08:05									#21
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Well, I found a goldmine on http://www.mande.net about the Mali history, but it sadly only in French. That's too bad, because there are tons of data and history.
But Molly sure knows better than me. Nobody gets better than Molly when it comes to history

	05-08-2003 08:41									#22
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Nice work Nigeria.


I'm still confused on why Bush is waiting for Taylor to leave? What is the reasoning behind it? Nobody has explained WHY he wants him to leave...

I think we should have sent in peacekeepers but MAJOR PROPS for Nigeria for doing it.

	05-08-2003 10:58									#23
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I am still worried that the rebels will find an excuse to take Monrovia. I think the rebels want to take the capital so they have absolute power (millitary Junta) rather than a democracy. I bet they are so corrupted by the want of power that the UN won't have a chance to set up a democracy.

	05-08-2003 11:08									#24
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UN is a joke

You actually expect results out of them?

	05-08-2003 11:12									#25
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Can I still say United Negro College Fund?

	05-08-2003 11:13									#26
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quote: Originally posted by Ted Striker UN is a joke

It needs TEETH

quote: You actually expect results out of them?

No

	05-08-2003 11:34									#28
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Thank the gods for the UN. Without UN, the fighting in Liberia would continue without hope of stopping.

The UN peacekeepers are creating peace in Liberia. People's lives will be saved. Liberia now has a chance for lasting peace.

This is a prime example of the value of the UN.

	05-08-2003 11:37									#29
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quote: Originally posted by Tingkai This is a prime example of the value of the UN.

But we'd better judge with the results (even with short-term results). If the UN can't use force, it'll become absolutely useless if both parties refuse to live up their part of the deal.

	05-08-2003 12:13									#30
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The fact that the UN and has stopped fighting in the city is a victory in itself. Whether the UN wins a long-term peace remains to be seen, but given the peacekeepers past history, the odds are in favour of peace returning for good.

As for the use of force, the Peacekeepers can protect themselves.

We are ready. I can assure you of that," said Captain Aliyu Jibril, commander of the first units to arrive. Capt. Jibril said the troops had a mandate that allows them to fire to protect themselves and civilians.

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet.../International/