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Reacting to President Charles Taylor's accusation this week that the international community had failed to provide funds for post-war reconstruction, agencies said Liberia's government must first set its own house in order before international assistance could be effectively channelled through ministries.
It has been twelve months since Taylor won presidential elections by a landslide and officially ended the seven-year civil war. However, Liberians have seen little improvement in the economy, public services or security, analysts say.
"If anything, things are getting worse," a Liberian businessman commented. "There is no electricity, we pick up our water at distribution points, and you still have to go to a hospital run by aid agencies if you are sick," he said.
One of the main reasons so many Liberians voted for Taylor was they believed the leader of Liberia's largest faction, the National Patriotic Front for Liberia (NPFL), could guarantee security. But the murder last year of leading opposition member, Samuel Dokie, and the continuing unsolved disappearances of other civilians arrested by Liberia's security forces have maintained a climate of fear, diplomats say.
In his accusation reported by independent Star Radio, Taylor told the National Reconciliation Conference his administration had failed Liberia. Taylor said he had wanted to do more for the people, but that a lack of funds had "tied his hands" and that the international community had "failed to deliver". Taylor also called on Liberians to forget their differences and "unite in nation building".
But a senior Western diplomat said: "The government has to implement sustainable macro-economic policies, control the security forces, and pay attention to human rights issues before it is given funds to manage." He added: "What irritates the government is most funding is still going to the UN, aid agencies, or direct to communities."
Another Liberia analyst described Taylor's comments on the international community withholding funds as "irrelevant". He said: "The tough reality for Liberia is they owe US$ 3 billion to the major lending groups. There is no Marshal plan for Liberia. There will be no new money until this debt is serviced."
However, aid agencies worry that former fighters are increasingly frustrated at not seeing a dividend for securing Taylor's victory. "Taylor promised money, power and jobs. So far they have got nothing for supporting him," one aid worker said.
Agencies are also concerned at the gradual withdrawal of the regional peacekeeping force in Liberia, ECOMOG, which has served as both a check on the government's power and some guarantee of civil order. This week ECOMOG moved its headquarters out of the capital, Monrovia, to neighbouring Sierra Leone.
"Liberia's factions have not disappeared. There are still a lot of weapons around Monrovia. No one is happy to see ECOMOG go," one aid worker commented.
Abidjan, 23 July 1998 1745 gmt
[ends]
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Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1998 18:12:42 +0000 (GMT) From: UN IRIN - West Africa <irin-wa@wa.dha.unon.org> Subject: LIBERIA: Government must set its house in order, 98.7.23 Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.3.95.980723181123.742A-100000@wa.dha.unon.org>
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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