(New York, May 5, 2003)
The United Nations Security Council should maintain the arms embargo against the Liberian government and Liberian rebel factions, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to the Security Council today. The Security Council will review existing sanctions on Liberia on May 7, 2003.
"The Liberian government and rebels have not stopped committing abuses in Liberia or in neighboring countries. It stands to reason that the embargo should not be stopped, either."
Peter Takirambudde, executive director of Human Rights Watch's Africa Division
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Human Rights Watch has documented numerous human rights abuses against civilians by Liberian government and rebel groups in the past year, including summary executions, recruitment of children, sexual violence, looting of civilian property, and forced labor. Liberian and Sierra Leonean combatants have also been implicated in serious human rights abuses across the border in western Côte d'Ivoire.
"The Liberian government and rebels have not stopped committing abuses in Liberia or in neighboring countries," said Peter Takirambudde, executive director of Human Rights Watch's Africa Division. "It stands to reason that the embargo should not be stopped, either."
Takirambudde urged the Security Council to address the broader crisis in the sub-region by taking steps to stop the flow of small arms and mercenaries in West Africa.
Human Rights Watch said that the flow of illicit arms to government and rebel groups with serious human rights records represented one of the biggest concerns for stability in the region.
Human Rights Watch also called on the U.N. Security Council to establish a new Panel of Experts with a mandate to document illicit flows and support of host governments to abusive insurgency groups such as the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD).
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