Fighters want to disarm, rebel official demands incentives

Hundreds of fighters from Liberia's main rebel group, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) want to drop their arms without preconditions, but a top rebel official insisted that the fighters cannot hand in their guns unconditionally. Mohammed Sheriff, head of the LURD office in the capital, Monrovia, told reporters on Wednesday that LURD forces would not disarm until a complete disarmament package is given to them. The package, he added, should include an on-the-spot incentive. "We would like to state that LURD will not disarm until there is proper education on disarmament and those things we were told about by the disarmament program committee are made readily available to our fighters before we give in our arms," Sheriff said. But 700 fighters stationed at the strategic Po-River Bridge and Kley Junction, 17 and 35 km west of the capital, Monrovia respectively, told IRIN on Thursday through their commanders that they were ready to turn over their weapons unconditionally to the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). "Some us we do not want to continue guarding checkpoints while our big people are in Monrovia enjoying themselves," Musa Kromah, deputy operations commander of LURD's "Iron Jacket Unit" at the Po-River Bridge said. "They told us that the war is over, so there is no need for us to be holding guns. We are ready to disarm," he added. The "Iron Jacket" is said to be LURD's largest fighting unit. "Let me tell you one thing. If our chief cannot find ways for us to go school to learn something for the future, we will tell UN to come collect our arms," Kromah added amidst cheers from his men. UNMIL began the disarmament of fighters loyal to the former government of Charles Taylor on Sunday, but the fighters went on rampage, looting shops and terrorising civilians after they were told they would get the first installment of their resettlement package in a few weeks. UNMIL, which is planning to disarm about 40,000 combatants from the former government along with the two rebel groups, LURD and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), had said the fighters would be "clothed and fed" once they handed in their guns. They are also expected to receive health care, counseling, vocational training, schooling, apprenticeships, and a modest stipend to help them on their way to resettlement and reintegration into civil society. According to UNMIL, each disarmed fighter would receive US $300, but in two parts. The first $150 at the end of a three-week demobilisation program and another $150 once the combatants were integrated back into their community. But hundreds of the fighters took to the streets demanding to be paid the money immediately. The fighters rampaged into the night in the capital on Tuesday, smashing and hijacking cars, and firing their weapons. At least nine people, including one women motorist, were killed in ensuing clashes. Monrovia was calm on Thursday and a large number of fighters turned up at the disarmament site in Scheifflein after agreement was reached for each fighter to receive $75 out of the $300, immediately after handing in his gun.