VOICER Looting at port ahead of handover to peacekeepers

(13 Aug 2003) VOICED BY VERA FRANKL

SHOTLIST

LURD-controlled area of Monrovia
0000 Various shots of looters carrying food-aid
0012 Rebels chasing away looters
0020 Rebels destroying looted food aid
0026 SOUNDBITE (English) Sekou Fofana, LURD Spokesman
0034 Rebel firing warning shots: UPSOUND (Gunfire)
0045 More looting while rebel gunman walks across frame
0049 Rebels beating looters

Monrovia
0055 SOUNDBITE (English) Carolyn McAskie, Coordinator UN Department of Emergency Relief
0122 US Sikorsky S-80 Super Stallion helicopter over beach
0129 US Bell AH1 Huey Cobra Helicopter gunship overhead
0135 US Helicopter over beach
0141 VISION ENDS

STORYLINE

Insurgents from Liberia's main rebel movement, LURD, have pledged to pull back from Monrovia's capital on
Thursday, handing the vital port over to a Nigerian-led peacekeeping force meant to bring calm to country.

Looters have pillaged warehouses at the port, including at least three depots of the UN World Food Programme where nearly 10 thousand tons of food and other aid was stored.

LURD has held Monrovia's port and surrounding districts since around July 19, cutting off aid and food to refugees and civilians on the government-held side of the city.

0002
Looters emerged from the port area in Monrovia carrying bags of UN food aid.

0007
In government-held areas of the capital, starvation has plagued many residents since insurgents from Liberia's main rebel movement, LURD, took Monrovia's port and surrounding districts nearly four weeks ago.

0019
LURD fighters chased them away and attempted to regain control of the situation - they don't want to be blamed for the looting

0026
SOUNDBITE
"We are totally in control of the situation, that's why you see the men are putting the civilians out of the place because we don't want to be blamed for the looting of the port."

0035 UPSOUND (Gunfire)

0037
The UN said on Wednesday that a ship moored off Liberia could start unloading desperately-needed food aid within days if rebels withdrew from the port area as promised.

0047
But they say more needs to be done to facilitate the delivery of food aid.

0055
SOUNDBITE (English) Carolyn McAskie, Coordinator UN Department of Emergency Relief:
"Well, there are definitely not enough peacekeepers on the ground yet and the first batallion of Nigerian ECOWAS troops are almost up to strength and they've done a wonderful job and their mere presence has been symbolic and has helped to calm things. It's been wonderful. And the fact that the Americans are sitting over the horizon has also had a symbolic effect but we need more actual troops on the ground."

0123
US helicopters could be seen over Monrovia's coast on Wednesday.

0127
Embassy officials refused comment on their mission.

0131
Despite international pressure to intervene, the United States has only sent about 100 marines, to Monrovia, including those protecting the US embassy.

0141 VISION ENDS

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