UN Radio: Liberians Face Shortages of Supplies

UN Radio: Liberians Face Shortages of Supplies -US Submits Draft Resolution On Liberia

Liberians Face Shortages of Supplies -US Submits Draft Resolution On Liberia

Aid agencies in Liberia say that food commodities in Monrovia are in desperately short supply. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that shortages of fuel and food continue to drive up the prices of basic commodities. Monrovia is reported to be relatively calm today but thousands of people have been displaced by the recent fighting in the second largest city of Buchanan. The Nigerian-led military fact finding mission of ten officers started its work today. Meanwhile at the United Nations in New York, the United States has submitted a draft resolution to the Security Council that would mandate a multinational force to go to Liberia. Ambassador John Negroponte of United States:

"We are talking about two Nigerian battalions, plus a about an additional composite battalion which would be formed somewhat later consisting of troops from Senegal, Mali and Ghana, and then troops from selected other nations."

Ambassador Negroponte says the resolution would also pave the way for the creation of a United Nations peacekeeping force.

Secretary-General Sends Two Reports on Human Rights Violations in Congo-Kinshasa

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has sent two reports to the Security Council on human rights violations that took place late last year and earlier this year in the Democratic Republic of Congo. One report is by a team that that went to the eastern part of the country and received testimony indicating a pattern of looting, killing and violence against women used by the armed factions during fighting last October and December. UN spokesman Fred Eckhard:

"The team also noted acts of cannibalism and tactics to force family members to eat parts of their loved ones that could be considered part of a policy of psychological torture, mainly conducted against Nande and Pygmy populations."

A separate report concludes that the proliferation of rival factions that are manipulated by warlords and some neighbouring countries has caused the unprecedented violence that has swept Ituri for a number of months.

Bosnian Serb Is Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For 1992 Crimes

The United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague has sentenced a former Bosnian Serb doctor, Milomir Stakic, to life imprisonment for crimes committed against Muslims and Croats in northern Bosnia. Mr. Stakic has been accused of helping create three notorious prison camps in Prijedor where thousands of Muslims and Croats were imprisoned, tortured, raped and killed in 1992. The spokeswoman for the Prosecutor, Florence Hartmann, says the sentence properly reflects the role Mr. Stakic played:

"We have described during the trial the campaign of persecution, extermination, of inhuman acts in the detention facilities. And we didn't succeed to convince the chamber that it was a case of genocide. They said we had not sufficient evidence of the specific intent."

Ms. Hartmann says the tribunal's decision will not affect other cases in the region.

Security Council Extends Mission in Western Sahara

The Security Council today unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Western Sahara until the end of October. The Council called on the parties to the dispute -- Morocco and the POLISARIO Front -- to work with the United Nations to implement the Peace Plan for the disputed territory. Council President, Ambassador Inocencio Arias of Spain, says the resolution reaffirms strong support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, James Baker:

"And we are telling the parties that this is a historical occasion to try to solve the problem based on the Baker plan. The Baker plan is a balanced and fair plan, and that's what the Council has said."

Ambassador Arias says the Council does not want to impose a solution on the parties.

FAO Warns Of Worsening Food Crisis in Haiti

The Food and Agriculture Organization warned today that a silent food crisis is looming in Haiti where close to four million people are suffering from hunger. The agency says that living conditions of the poor have deteriorated markedly.

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