Liberia - UNOMIL

The Secretary-General's report on the situation in Liberia was available today, [the Spokesman,] Mr. [Frederic] Eckhard[,] said. In it, [the Secretary-General] indicates that in order to capitalize on the momentum generated by the successful completion of the Abuja peace process and to strengthen peace-building efforts in Liberia, he has decided to reconvene the Special Conference on Liberia, at the ministerial level, on 3 October in New York. He informs the Council that the President of Liberia, Charles Taylor, has welcomed his proposal on arrangements for a continued United Nations presence in the country following the withdrawal of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL). The head of a small United Nations office in Liberia will serve as the focal point for the Organization's post-conflict, peace-building activities in Liberia, and will have overall authority for coordination of the United Nations system in that country.

The twenty-fourth report of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) (document S/1997/643) had been issued today, [Associate Spokesman] Mr. [Juan Carlos] Brandt [,] said. In it, the Secretary-General stated that the Liberian peace process had come to a successful conclusion during the reporting period, with the holding of presidential and legislative elections on 19 July, as scheduled, and the installation of the new Government on 2 August. With the establishment of a democratically elected Government in Liberia, UNOMIL's principal objective had now been achieved.

The report stated, further, that UNOMIL's mandate would expire on 30 September, Mr. Brandt said. The withdrawal of the Mission's personnel was already under way and should be substantially completed by that date, leaving a small team to complete the usual liquidation and closing processes. Pending further consultations with the Liberian Government, the Secretary-General intended to recommend the establishment of a peace-building support office to succeed UNOMIL after 30 September. The Secretary-General intended to submit a further report shortly, before the end of the UNOMIL mandate, which would contain proposals for the structure, staffing and functions of a United Nations presence in Liberia after UNOMIL.

Congratulating the people of Liberia on the peaceful elections recently held in the country, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a statement on the occasion of the inauguration of the new Government that the country had embarked on a new struggle for national unity and reconciliation, democracy, human rights, and for reconstruction and development. Mr. Annan said the international community was ready to assist the country, but that success could only be achieved if Liberians were determined to advance as one nation.

Meanwhile, the new Liberian President in his inaugural statement on Monday assured the nation that there would be no witch-hunting under his administration. According to a UN Radio report from Monrovia, President Taylor announced that he would soon set up public commissions on national reconciliation and on human rights. "The domestic policy of our government will be to pursue objectives to restore the full national confidence of the Liberian public and the international community. We shall also seek to decentralize the national economy, to intensify rural development, stratify resources allocation and to eliminate corruption in the public sector", President Taylor stated.

Today Liberia and the international community mark the end of a long and destructive civil war. In free and fair elections, observed and supported by the international community, the people of Liberia exercised their fundamental right to choose their own leaders. I congratulate the people of Liberia on the proud and peaceful manner in which they exercised this right two weeks ago. I congratulate President Charles Taylor and Vice-President Enoch Dogolea, Jr., on their election and on the responsibilities with which they have now been entrusted by the Liberian people.

Today is a day of celebration, not just for Liberians, but also for the international community. Led by ECOWAS, and with the support of the United Nations, the Organization of African Unity, the European Union, the United States and others, the Abuja peace process has at last reached a successful conclusion. Through this effort, the international community has demonstrated its solidarity with the people of Liberia. At this decisive moment in Liberia's history, we share your joy at what has been achieved, and we share your hopes for what the future may bring.

From this day, Liberia begins a new struggle. It will be a struggle for national unity and reconciliation, for democracy and human rights, and for reconstruction and development. All Liberians have a stake in this undertaking, and the contribution of all Liberians will be needed if Liberia is to achieve its true potential. The international community is ready to assist you, but you can succeed only if you are united and if you are determined to advance as one nation.

One hundred and fifty years ago, Liberia was established as Africa's first independent Republic. Fifty years ago, Liberia took its place as a founding Member of the United Nations. Today, it is therefore with special pride that we welcome Liberia back as a full partner in the community of nations. I congratulate all Liberians on this day. You have my best wishes for the future, and in the challenges that lie ahead you will continue to have my full support. Thank you.

The United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have declared that the electoral process in Liberia was free, fair and credible.

In a joint certification statement issued on Thursday, the leaders of the two organizations said that they had received reports from their representatives in Monrovia indicating that the entire electoral process had been conducted in an impartial and transparent manner. There were no reports of irregularities or incidents of a nature that could have affected the credibility of the elections, according to the two leaders.

The Chairman of ECOWAS and the UN Secretary-General congratulated the Liberian people for demonstrating, through the electoral process, their commitment to peace and their desire for the establishment of a democratically elected government.

They also commended the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the international community who provided generous contributions and technical assistance to the electoral process. They said that ECOWAS and the United Nations intended to continue to be actively engaged in the reconstruction of Liberia and to assist in mobilizing international support for this purpose.

1. The results of the 19 July 1997 Liberian elections have now been announced by the Chairman of the Independent Elections Commission (IECOM). With this act, IECOM has formally completed the electoral process, the last item on the revised schedule of implementation of the Abuja Agreement under the ECOWAS Peace Plan for Liberia. We have received the reports of our representatives in Monrovia which indicated that IECOM succeeded in according Liberian voters the opportunity to freely elect their leaders. This was done within the framework of the Special Elections Law, a one-time only legal instrument which conformed to international standards for democratic elections. The Law was endorsed by the Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS leaders held in Abuja on 21 May 1997.

2. We were informed that more than 750,000 voters were registered nationwide to participate in the Special Elections and they turned out in large numbers to avail themselves of the opportunity to freely express their will through the ballot. Polling took place without violence or intimidation. The entire electoral process was conducted in an impartial and transparent manner. There were no reports of irregularities or incidents of a nature that could have affected the credibility of the elections which were verified by over 500 international observers. The outcome of the presidential and legislative elections therefore reflects the will of the Liberian voters.

3. On behalf of the Economic Community of West African States and the United Nations, we declare that the electoral process which culminated in the final announcement of the results on 24 July 1997 was free, fair and credible.

4. We congratulate the Liberian people for demonstrating through this process their commitment to peace and their desire for the establishment of a democratically elected government. As the newly elected Government embarks on the daunting task of reconstructing the country and reconciling the nation, we call upon all Liberians to give it their fullest support. We commend the Organization of African Unity and the international donor community who provided generous contributions and technical assistance towards the process which has facilitated conductive arrangements for the elections. ECOWAS and the United Nations intend to continue to be actively engaged in the reconstruction of Liberia and to assist in mobilizing international support for this purpose.

Abuja and New York
24 July 1997

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has been "extremely pleased with the manner in which the elections in Liberia had been conducted", a UN spokesman said on Monday. Spokesman Fred Eckhard said the elections had been peaceful, with only some complaints about irregularities. "By and large, their outcome seemed clear. The Secretary-General had also been pleased with the work done by the United Nations electoral observers", the Spokesman said

. Meanwhile, with about one-third of the votes counted, two front runners have emerged out of the thirteen candidates running for the Presidency in the 1997 special elections in Liberia, according to a UN Radio report from Monrovia. Charles Taylor, candidate of the National Patriotic Party has received approximately 65 per cent of the 220,000 votes counted so far. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Presidential candidate of the Unity Party has received some 15 per cent. Over 750,000 people were registered to vote over the 10-day registration period in late June and early July.

On 19 July 1997, Liberian citizens in their hundreds of thousands went to the polls, each to vote for a political party of their choice. In order to observe and verify the polling exercise, 317 electoral observers from the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) were deployed across the 13 counties of Liberia. Additional national and international observers were also deployed. Throughout the day, UNOMIL observers visited 1,500 polling stations around the country, and were also present during the counting of the votes as were observers from other national and international organizations.

All eligible Liberians were accorded the opportunity to express their will through the secret ballot. Polling and counting at the stations were conducted without violence or intimidation. According to reports from the observers, the polling and counting took place in a secure atmosphere, and the electoral exercise was conducted throughout Liberia in an orderly manner. There were no reports of major irregularities nor of serious incidents that could have affected the credibility of the process. We commend the Independent Elections Commission (IECOM) for the effective management of the polling process and ECOMOG for ensuring a secure environment for this exercise.

Voter turn-out was high. From early hours of the morning, queues formed at most polling stations, both in Monrovia and in the hinterland. This is a demonstration of the commitment of the people of Liberia to the peace process and their desire for the establishment of a democratically elected government. We congratulate them.

Polling and counting at each particular site constituted a critical part of the electoral process. However, there is still an important step before the process can be considered complete: the tabulation and final announcement of the results. We call upon all political parties to exercise restraint and patience during the wait for the official results. Today, as we wait for the final declaration of the results, we consider the electoral process to have been satisfactory and in conformity with international standards.

Urging all parties in Liberia to respect the outcome of the elections scheduled for Saturday, the members of the Security Council said they were satisfied that, on the whole, preparations for the upcoming elections were satisfactory. During the elections, Liberians will go to polls to elect a president, a vice president, and 90 members of a bicameral legislature. In a statement to the press on Thursday, Council President Ambassador Peter Osvald of Sweden said that Council members also expressed the expectation that all Liberians would continue to participate peacefully in the electoral process and that the elections would be carried out in a peaceful, fair, and free manner. He said that Members of the Council supported the coordination efforts of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL), the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), a regional group spearheading the peace process in Liberia, and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Ambassador Osvald said members of the Council also called on the international community to assist Liberia in the post-election phase. In a related development, UNOMIL reported that according to preliminary estimates there were some 730,000 registered potential voters in the country. According to a UN spokesman, the Observer Mission was satisfied that it had facilitated the registration of the vast majority of the estimated number of Liberians eligible to vote.

On 19 July, Liberians will go to the polls for much-delayed elections marking the culmination of repeated efforts to bring to an end the bitter civil war that has plagued this land and its people for seven long years. UNOMIL commends all those whose efforts for registration overcame logistical and other difficulties to make the voter turn-out possible.

By the very act of registering to vote, thousands and thousands of Liberians sent a clear and unambiguous indication of the nation's faith in the democratic process. Those who registered represent a credible and substantial proportion of Liberia's estimated population of voting age. Their decision to resister is a gratifying milestone in the long road to peace.

Now, as the political campaign enters its final days, UNOMIL joins its international partners, especially ECOWAS and ECOMOG, in urging all Liberians and the political parties to avoid acts of harassment and/or intimidation. Let the campaign conclude in a spirit of tolerance and respect for opposing points of view that will serve as a bridge to the new Liberia and an example for the government it elects. Let all who registered show their continuing commitment to participatory government by returning to the place they registered and casting their ballot in this most fundamental of democratic processes. Those who have registered can best pay tribute to the preparation and sacrifice that has made this election possible by ensuring that they turn out to vote.

Too much suffering has been endured to jeopardize the entire peace process by letting acrimony and division rule the day. UNOMIL and the international community urge all those who registered to go forward and complete the democratic process by exercising their right to vote in the secrecy of the polling booth. Let Liberia live again.

Pursuant to recent exchanges of correspondence between the Chairman of ECOWAS and the Secretary-General of the United Nations concerning the concept of a joint United Nations/ECOWAS coordination mechanism for the purpose of addressing the many technical questions arising during the electoral process in Liberia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and Special Envoy of the Chairman of ECOWAS, Chief Tom Ikimi, held consultations with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. Ambassador Tuliameni Kalomoh, in Monrovia on 17 June 1997 to set into motion the establishment of the Joint Coordination Mechanism.

During these consultations, it was agreed that the Joint Coordination Mechanism would perform the following tasks:

The Joint Coordination Mechanism will be jointly chaired by ECOWAS and the United Nations. In practice, this responsibility will be delegated to the Ambassador of Nigeria in Monrovia representing the Chairman of ECOWAS and to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. The mechanism will also include representatives of the ECOMOG Force Commander, the UNOMIL Chief Military Observer, as well as heads of the electoral components of UNOMIL and ECOWAS. The Organization of African Unity will be invited to participate at the meetings. The mechanism will maintain close and regular contact with all the key operational actors, as well as relevant United Nations agencies. The mechanism will meet twice a week, or as appropriate, with effect from 17 June 1997.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has recommended to the Security Council that the mandate of the UN Observer Mission in Liberia be extended for a final three month period until 30 September 1997. In a report to the Security Council, the Secretary-General said the calm that had prevailed in Liberia for the past few months could not be taken for granted. In particular, he said, the possibility of unrest during or after the elections, especially if the results were hotly contested could not be ruled out. The Secretary-General noted that it was a credit to all that Liberia is proceeding towards the elections in a calm and peaceful atmosphere that had prevailed since the conclusion of the disarmament exercise in February.

The United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) and the Atlanta, Georgia-based Carter Center are sponsoring a one-week training programme for some 60 representatives of 12 local human rights organizations. The Carter Center, as the implementing partner of the International Federation for Electoral Systems (IFES), will pick up the entire cost of the training programme.

The training programme will be divided into three phases: "Human Rights and Democracy, "Fact-finding: Documenting, Reporting and Disseminating" and "Post-elections Institution Building". The session is designed as a follow up to the UNOMIL/USIS-sponsored skill sharpening workshop which was held on 1 and 2 May in Monrovia.

The programme, which begins on Wednesday 18 June and ends on Wednesday 25 June, will be held at St. Theresa' Convent in downtown Monrovia. UNOMIL electoral and human rights personnel will take part in the training programme.

On the occasion of the opening of the electoral campaign on 16 June 1997, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in Libieria, Mr. Tuliameni Kalomoh, issued the following statement:

"June 16 marked the official opening of the electoral campaign here in Liberia. After seven long years of civil war, the Liberian people now have a chance to elect the nation's first democratic government in more than a decade. Old rivals now face each other not on the field of battle but in the arena of politics. Not with guns, but with words and ideas. Let the debate be vigorous, strident and open, but let all political parties and candidates strictly adhere to the Code of Conduct laid down by IECOM and enforced by ECOMOG. All parties should be free to move throughout the country without fear of harassment or intimidation. During this season, you are not Muslims or Christians, you are not Gola, or Mandingo, or Kpelle or Vai -- you are all Liberians, and this is your election. I call on all actors in the political process to live up to their responsibility to the Liberian people. UNOMIL and the entire international community stand ready to assist the process however possible."

"UNOMIL Magazine" to debut this week
The United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) is launching "UNOMIL Magazine", a weekly 15 minute programme to air on DC-101, a local FM radio station in Monrovia. Each edition of "UNOMIL Magazine" will provide the Liberian listening audience with news of UNOMIL's activities in Liberia, as well as offering a forum for the dissemination of neutral and impartial information as Liberia prepares for the upcoming elections. Contributing weekly to the radio programme will be Steve Makundu, a veteran Liberian journalist and radio personality.

"UNOMIL Magazine" will broadcast interviews with and features about Liberian people and groups working within their communities to facilitate the reintegration and rehabilitation process so vital to long-term peace and stability in Liberia. The initial broadcasts will profile the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), WFP's "implementing arm" in schools across Liberia, and AWAG, the Abused Women and Girls organization.

The programme will also highlight the work being done by the entire United Nations family in Liberia. Among the agencies and programmes whose work in Liberia will be discussed are the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

"UNOMIL Magazine" will feature New Breed Productions, a group of local actors, to perform short "playlets" based on the popular "Peace Man" cartoon series created and published by the United Nations family and drawn by renowned Liberian artist Wantue Major. Each week, the players will focus on issues of importance to the Liberian audience such as human rights, voter registration and education, and proportional representation.

Programmes will air from 0745 to 0800 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with rebroadcasts scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays. UNOMIL hopes that "UNOMIL Magazine" will soon be airing on other radio stations, both FM and shortwave, in Liberia.