ECOWAS prepares to deploy peacekeeping force

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has begun initial moves to deploy a vanguard force of peacekeepers into Liberia amid reports that rebels fighting to topple President Charles Taylor had advanced to the Po River, 17 km west of the capital, Monrovia. The renewed fighting sent thousands of Liberians who were recently displaced from the western outskirts of Monrovia, streaming into the city centre. Throughout Thursday, civilians from the Brewersville suburbs headed into the city, carrying their meager belongings on their heads. Some told IRIN the sound of heavy gunfire could be heard from the Po River area. They said the rebels had taken control of Mango Town near the frontline, after advancing on Wednesday from Kley Junction, 37 km west of Monrovia, through Sastown. ECOWAS sources told IRIN in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, on Friday: "Over the weekend, we will send in a Technical Survey Team (TST) into Monrovia to prepare the grounds for the deployment of a vanguard force of about 1,500 troops to secure the capital." The TST will consist of eight ECOWAS members, and one representative each from the United Nations and the United States of America. It will temporarily take over the role of a Joint Verification Team (JVT) which, according to a June 17 ceasefire agreement, was to determine the locations of the warring factions prior to the deployment of an International Intervention Force. Due to logistical problems, the JVT is grounded in Sierra Leone. Sources said the ECOWAS vanguard force could be deployed in a week or two. It is expected to resurrect a fragile cease-fire signed last month between Taylor's government and two rebel groups, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), in the Ghanaian capital, Accra. ECOWAS sources said to prevent a further escalation in ceasefire infringements, it had become necessary to expedite the deployment of a vanguard intervention force to, first of all, secure Monrovia. The TST will do reconnaissance to facilitate the immediate deployment of the peacekeepers. However, unlike the JVT, the Survey team would not consist of representatives of the various warring factions. The ECOWAS force Commander, Nigerian Brigadier General Festus Okonkwo, was expected in Ghana on Friday. The vanguard troops, ECOWAS sources told IRIN, would consist of peacekeepers from Nigeria, Ghana, Mali and Senegal. The immediacy of deploying West African troops into Liberia arose as it became clear that the United States would not commit troops to Liberia, unless ECOWAS forces went in first. US President George Bush also insists that Taylor must leave Liberia first. But Taylor insists he will not leave until peacekeepers arrive in the country. He also wants an indictment against him on charges of war crimes, issued by a UN-backed Special Court in neighbouring Sierra Leone, to be rescinded. On Thursday, the President of the Special Court, Justice Geoffrey Robertson, asked for cooperation to bring indicted war criminals to justice, including Taylor, who was indicted in March on seventeen counts relating to his role in supporting rebels in Sierra Leone during that country's civil war of 1991-2001. The rebels committed atrocities against civilians, including murder, rape and amputations of limbs.