TITLE=LIBERIA/SITREP (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=PURNELL MURDOCK

DATELINE=ABIDJAN

INTRO: DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS ARE CONTINUING IN THE LIBERIAN CAPITAL, MONROVIA TO END NEARLY TWO WEEKS OF FACTIONAL FIGHTING THAT HAS DEVASTATED THE CITY AND THREATENS A FRAGILE PEACE ACCORD SIGNED LAST YEAR. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS FROM OUR WEST AFRICA BUREAU.

TEXT: TALKS BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES AND THE VARIOUS WARRING FACTIONS ARE BEING HELD AT THE U-S EMBASSY IN MONROVIA. UNITED NATIONS’ SPECIAL ENVOY JAMES JONAH, WHO ORGANIZED LAST MONTH’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN NEIGHBORING SIERRA LEONE, IS ALSO IN THE LIBERIAN CAPITAL TO HELP FIND A SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS IN THE CITY.

AMONG THE OPTIONS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE NEGOTIATING TEAMS IS THE EVACUATION OF FORMER FACTION LEADER ROOSEVELT JOHNSON, WHO HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THE FIGHTING.

THE FIGHTING ERUPTED WHEN LIBERIAN SECURITY FORCES TRIED TO ARREST MR. JOHNSON EARLIER THIS MONTH ON MURDER CHARGES. SOURCES CLOSE TO THE TALKS SAY NIGERIA AND GHANA HAVE OFFERED TO ALLOW MR. JOHNSON TO STAY IN THEIR COUNTRY UNTIL THE SITUATION IN LIBERIA IS RESOLVED. MR. JOHNSON, WHO HAS KEPT HIS WHEREABOUTS A SECRET, TURNED DOWN AN EARLIER OFFER, SAYING HE WANTED TO STAY IN LIBERIA.

MOST OF THE FIGHTING OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS HAS CENTERED ON THE BARCLAY TRAINING CENTER BARRACKS CONTROLLED BY THE ARMED FORCES OF LIBERIA FACTION. RIVAL GROUPS BELIEVED MR. JOHNSON WAS HIDING IN THE BARRACKS AND FORMING AN ALLIANCE WITH THE FACTION.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRAPPED IN THE BARRACKS. WITNESSES SAY CONDITIONS IN THE BARRACKS ARE DEPLORABLE. THEY SAY FOOD AND WATER SUPPLIES ARE DWINDLING AND DISEASE IS SPREADING IN THE UNSANITARY CONDITIONS.

JOURNALISTS IN MONROVIA SAY THEY COULD HEAR SPORADIC GUNFIRE COMING FROM THE BARRACKS AREA EARLY FRIDAY. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF AN ESCALATION IN THE FIGHTING.

LIBERIA’S COUNCIL OF STATE SAYS WEST AFRICAN PEACEKEEPERS WILL DEPLOY THROUGHOUT MONROVIA AND PUT A CORDON AROUND THE BARRACKS.

THE LATEST FIGHTING IN LIBERIA THREATENS A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO FIND FOOD AND PROPER MEDICAL CARE. IT ALSO THREATENS TO DERAIL A PEACE ACCORD SIGNED LAST YEAR BY LIBERIA’S WARRING FACTION LEADERS AIMED AT ENDING SIX YEARS OF CIVIL WAR.

EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE UNITED STATES COMPLETED THE FIRST PHASE OF ITS EVACUATION OF FOREIGN NATIONALS FROM LIBERIA. A CONTINGENT OF U-S MARINES WILL REPLACE THE SPECIAL FORCES TROOPS DEPLOYED TO PROTECT THE EMBASSY. (SIGNED)

NEB/WPM/MH/JM

19-Apr-96 11:30 AM EDT (1530 UTC) NNNN

Source: Voice of America .