More refugees flee Liberian capital as fighting escalates
Faction leader Taylor says cease-fire will begin Monday
May 5, 1996
Web posted at: 10:15 p.m. EDT (0215 GMT)MONROVIA, Liberia (CNN) -- Thousands of Liberians fled Monrovia Sunday, while hundreds more tried to escape the escalating violence that has left the streets of the capital in chaos. (1.1MB QuickTime movie)
Faction leader Charles Taylor, of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, offered hope for an end to the violence late Sunday when he announced that his troops would observe a cease-fire beginning at noon on Monday. On Saturday, Taylor denied reports that he had agreed to a truce.
In the absence of any cease-fire agreement on Sunday, however, U.S. Marine Col. Wayne Forbush described the situation in Monrovia as "utter chaos."
"There's been fighting this morning, earlier today, between the different factions, and also many fires in the town," said Forbush, commander of the task force in Liberia. "We can see from the rooftops here large billowing smoke coming up in several different areas of the city." (220K AIFF sound or 220K WAV sound)
The smoke came from dozens of homes and buildings set ablaze by roving street fighters from the various factions battling for control of Liberia.
Troops backing Taylor pounded the Barclay military barracks, held by Ulimo-J supporters of rival leader Roosevelt Johnson.
Johnson was shuttled out of Liberia Friday to Accra, Ghana, for a summit on the six-year-old Liberian civil war, leading to hopes that a cease-fire could be reached. But on Saturday, after denying reports of a truce agreement, Taylor launched a fierce offensive to retake the barracks.
Ulimo-J troops caught and executed five of Taylor's men, in full view of many of the 10,000 Liberian refugees sheltered in the U.S. Embassy residential compound.
And fighters continue to pour into the city, according to Forbush. West African peacekeepers kept the warring factions away from the embassy, but were powerless to stop the fighting altogether.
"I see little hope of improvement here," he said. "That's just my personal opinion."
It is also apparently the opinion of many Liberians. On Sunday, 2,500 refugees crowded onto a Nigerian freighter on its way to Ghana. Hundreds more were unable to get aboard the ship, even though they had paid $75 for passage.
"It was unbelievable -- an exodus," said Peter Sebok, the Dutch owner of West Coast Fisheries. "It was pathetic."
Tens of thousands of Liberians left the city by land over the weekend, evacuating into rural areas already overcrowded by refugees. The fleeing Monrovians left the bloodshed of the capital, but face an uncertain future riddled by disease and shortages of food and medicine. (715K QuickTime movie of Americans aiding evacuation)
On Wednesday, West African leaders are scheduled to gather in Accra to try to forge a solution to Liberia's ongoing civil conflict, but Taylor -- a member of the ruling Council of State -- will be absent. Council chairman Wilton Sankawulo, a civilian, will represent Liberia at the talks, Taylor said.
But Johnson, speaking to CNN by phone from Accra, blasted Taylor's refusal to attend the summit.
"Mr. Taylor is refusing to come to this conference because he knows that all of the Liberians are tired of the present destruction of lives," Johnson said. "So he doesn't come to face the Liberian people. He wants to come to power by the power of the gun." (176K AIFF sound or 176K WAV sound)
"I am not interested in power. I am not interested in coming to power. I'm not interested in the presidential job," Johnson continued. "But what I want to see is a gun free society and a return to democratic rule. And all of the Liberian people are supportive of this decision." (363K AIFF sound or 363K WAV sound)
Evidence of the Liberian people's support for peace did exist in Monrovia over the weekend.
"(Saturday), surprisingly, we had some peace demonstrations out in front of the embassy here," Col. Forbush said. "About 150 of the locals out there protesting not against us, but really they are extremely weary of the war, they are tired of it, and they would certainly like to have this thing resolved." (215K AIFF sound or 215K WAV sound)
Liberia, founded in 1847 by freed American slaves, has been embroiled in civil war since Taylor and his supporters launched an incursion from Ivory Coast in 1989 to topple the government of President Samuel K. Doe. Doe had been in power since 1980, when ethnic tribal leaders overthrew the American-descended president.
The latest round of fighting began last month when Taylor's troops tried to arrest Johnson on murder charges, charges that Johnson denies. The fighting unraveled a cease-fire signed in August 1995 -- the 13th truce signed in the six years since Taylor's incursion.
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Related stories:
- Factional leader denies report of truce in Liberia - May 4, 1996
- Liberia torn by long civil war - April 30, 1996
- Peacemakers hope truce will take hold in Liberia - April 22, 1996
- Calm returns to Liberia - April 21, 1996
- Cease-fire in effect in Monrovia - April 20, 1996
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The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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