Churches reject UN sanctions

The Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) has rejected the sanctions imposed on the West African country by the UN Security Council, the Inquirer newspaper reports. The ICC said in a recent statement that the sanctions would exacerbate the sufferings of the Liberian people and affect the nation socially, psychologically, economically and spiritually. The sanctions, which include a ban on the travel of government officials and their spouses and on the import of diamonds from Liberia, were imposed on 7 May after Monrovia failed to convince the Security Council that it had severed all links with the RUF. The LCC also called on the government to do everything possible, in the interest of the people, to comply with the UN request that it stop supporting the Sierra Leone rebels. It said dissidents in the northern county of Lofa should lay down their guns and talk with the government on their grievances. It also urged the UN to send observers to monitor Liberia’s compliance with its request. The LCC said the imposition of sanctions had already caused hardship, suffering and trauma among Liberia’s people, and appealed to the government to do whatever was necessary to end their suffering. It called upon the international community to help IDPs from Lofa County, where government forces have been fighting dissidents.