TITLE=U-S/LIBERIA (S-ONLY)

BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

INTRO: U-S WARSHIPS HAVE BROUGHT MORE AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND MILITARY EQUIPMENT TO THE WEST AFRICAN NATION OF LIBERIA WHERE THEY WILL PROTECT THE U-S EMBASSY AND EVACUATE MORE FOREIGN RESIDENTS IF NECESSARY. BUT AS V-O-A’S NICK SIMEONE REPORTS, THE TROOPS ARE NOT PLANNING TO INTERVENE IN WHAT HAS BECOME THE WORST VIOLENCE IN THE LIBERIAN CAPITAL SINCE THE START OF LIBERIA’S CIVIL WAR.

TEXT: FOUR U-S NAVY SHIPS ARRIVED OFF THE COAST OF THE LIBERIAN CAPITAL MONROVIA SATURDAY, BRINGING WITH THEM SOME 15-HUNDRED AMERICAN MARINES. FOR NOW, ALL BUT ABOUT TWO-HUNDRED WILL REMAIN ON SHIPS OFF SHORE, BUT WILL BE READY TO MOVE IN AND EVACUATE MORE AMERICANS AND OTHERS IF NECESSARY.

THOSE WHO ARE GOING ON SHORE WILL REPLACE ELITE SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES WHO HAVE BEEN GUARDING THE U-S EMBASSY SINCE GANGS THAT HAVE BEEN FIGHTING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE BROUGHT THEIR WAR TO THE SEASIDE CAPITAL EARLIER THIS MONTH.

U-S NAVY COMMANDER BOB ANDERSON, IN NEIGHBORING SIERRA LEONE, SAYS THE ARRIVING TROOPS ARE THERE ONLY TO GUARD U-S DIPLOMATS WHO HAVE BEEN TRYING TO NEGOTIATE A CEASEFIRE.

// ANDERSON ACT //

WE ARE STRICTLY SECURING AND PRESERVING THE U-S EMBASSY GROUNDS. WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY INTERVENING IN ANY WAY IN THE AFFAIRS OF LIBERIA AT THIS POINT.

// END ACT //

THERE’S BEEN NO RELIABLE CASUALTY COUNT BUT AFTER TWO WEEKS OF FIGHTING, MANY OF THE NEARLY TWO-THOUSAND PEOPLE EVACUATED SPEAK OF MONROVIA’S STREETS BEING LITTERED WITH BODIES MANY OF THEM GUNMEN WHO HAD REFUSED TO ABIDE BY A PEACE AGREEMENT WORKED OUT LAST YEAR. (SIGNED)

NEB/NJS/SD

20-Apr-96 6:10 PM EDT (2210 UTC) NNNN

Source: Voice of America .