The Inquirer (Monrovia)
13 March 2008
Violence erupted early Tuesday morning around the logistic headquarters of UNMIL Star Base on the Bushrod Island when a group of individuals claiming to be former contractors of the UN Mission in Liberia staged a violent protest action in demand of 'benefits,' which they claimed is owed them by the mission.
It all started when the former contractors numbering over 30 made their way into the Star Base as early as 6:00 a.m. and protested the decision of the mission to lay them off without their 'just benefits and entitlements.'
In the process the former UNMIL contractors allegedly attacked two of the mission's staff members and reportedly set ablaze two vehicles belonging to UNMIL which were parked at the Star Base. The former contractors reportedly damaged another vehicle in the process, while three personnel of the mission sustained injuries are currently undergoing medication.
In the process officers of the Liberian National Police, backed by soldiers from the Nigerian contingent of UNMIL, immediately responded to the former UNMIL contractors' protest action by moving to the troubled area.
According to our reporter who rushed on the scene, some of the contractors who were involved in the protest were arrested.
A statement issued later by UNMIL following the incident concerning the number of those arrested placed the figure at 17.
Meanwhile, UNMIL says it condemned in the strongest terms these acts of violence perpetrated against personnel of the mission and the destruction of its properties; stressing that the unwholesome behavior of the perpetrators constrained the ability of the mission to carry out its mandate to apprehend the violators.
In a statement read at a hasty news conference, which was called to give the mission's position on the Tuesday's violence by it former contractors, the Chief of UNMIL Police Information, George Somerwill said the mission is taking all necessary security measures at all its locations within and outside Monrovia to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
The mission added that on February 25 of this year it assured affected individual contractors that it has taken steps to ensure that all qualified, high performing individuals contractors are given the chance to be interviewed and considered for employment with a private Liberian company which have taken over the responsibility of the mission on the let basis.
The mission said the company has reported to it that out of 98 Monrovia based individual contractors, only 24 have been hired and out of 128 former individual contractors from outside Monrovia, 114 had been hired by the company
UNMIL further said in a statement that those affected individual contractors with the necessary qualifications and experience would be considered favorably for available future jobs with the mission; stressing that of the 226 individual contractors affected by the new maintenance contract and as of last Tuesday, only 9 Monrovia based former individual contractors have not picked up their final pay.
UNMIL said recruitment and employment procedures with the mission are guided by strict adherence to all the relevant General Assembly resolutions and policies, the Secretary General's directive, UN rules, regulations, standards and code of conduct.
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