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CNN Live At Daybreak

Struggle for Liberia

Aired June 11, 2003 - 06:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Liberia, the U.S. is playing a role in trying to end the fighting between government and rebel troops. The war in that West African country has brought suffering to thousands of innocent civilians.
CNN's Jeff Koinange has the story from Liberia's capital city of Monrovia.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An unfolding tragedy in Africa's oldest nation state. This is what's become of Liberia's newest victims of war, the young and the not so young, fleeing conflict in a country they call their own.

This is where they've been temporarily housed, at the country's football stadium, where so far close to 15,000 have gathered. They'll be joined by many thousands more before the end of the week.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are suffering. We are suffering.

KOINANGE: But no matter how much they are suffering, some even manage a smile. Many haven't eaten since they arrived here over three days ago. Clean drinking water is non-existent, and sanitation is fast becoming a problem.

DR. PETER COLEMAN, LIBERIAN MINISTER OF HEALTH: We are running out of vaccines. We are running out of basic things to keep (UNINTELLIGIBLE) going. So, I mean, we can hold on for a few more days. I'm not too sure after three or four more days whether I would be telling you the same thing.

KOINANGE: And most aid agencies, the first to respond to crises like these, have departed the country for fear of losing their lives.

JORDI RAICH, NCRC: The job is getting difficult. The less we are, the more difficult it gets.

KOINANGE: Finally, help arrives in a trailer-truck, food, courtesy the beleaguered Liberian government.

(on camera): Not a moment too soon, rice, the country's staple food arrives, a welcome relief but only for the lucky few.

(voice-over): Under heavy guard, the food is unloaded before the much-needed distribution begins. One of these sacks of rice will feed seven families, hardly enough for a starving population. But they take all the relief they can get, food for a few days before the hunger sets in again.

ADAMA JEMMI, VOLUNTEER: We want the international community to help us. We are dying! You see how people feed the babies. We don't have food. We don't have medication. We are dying. Please stop the war!

KOINANGE: Sentiments echoed by the U.S. ambassador to Liberia after a three-hour meeting with the country's embattled president, who faces a Wednesday deadline to turn the government over to rebel forces.

JOHN BLANEY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO LIBERIA: We can't get further on orderly transition if we don't stop the fighting. Plus, I would add that we have a humanitarian emergency here. It is extremely important, and you can't address that without stopping the fighting either.

KOINANGE: Scenes like this will no doubt be repeated in the coming days. What many here are hoping is that sanity will prevail at the peace talks and spare one of the continent's most troubled countries from going up in flames.

Jeff Koinange, CNN, Monrovia, Liberia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired June 11, 2003 - 06:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Liberia, the U.S. is playing a role in trying to end the fighting between government and rebel troops. The war in that West African country has brought suffering to thousands of innocent civilians.
CNN's Jeff Koinange has the story from Liberia's capital city of Monrovia.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An unfolding tragedy in Africa's oldest nation state. This is what's become of Liberia's newest victims of war, the young and the not so young, fleeing conflict in a country they call their own.

This is where they've been temporarily housed, at the country's football stadium, where so far close to 15,000 have gathered. They'll be joined by many thousands more before the end of the week.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are suffering. We are suffering.

KOINANGE: But no matter how much they are suffering, some even manage a smile. Many haven't eaten since they arrived here over three days ago. Clean drinking water is non-existent, and sanitation is fast becoming a problem.

DR. PETER COLEMAN, LIBERIAN MINISTER OF HEALTH: We are running out of vaccines. We are running out of basic things to keep (UNINTELLIGIBLE) going. So, I mean, we can hold on for a few more days. I'm not too sure after three or four more days whether I would be telling you the same thing.

KOINANGE: And most aid agencies, the first to respond to crises like these, have departed the country for fear of losing their lives.

JORDI RAICH, NCRC: The job is getting difficult. The less we are, the more difficult it gets.

KOINANGE: Finally, help arrives in a trailer-truck, food, courtesy the beleaguered Liberian government.

(on camera): Not a moment too soon, rice, the country's staple food arrives, a welcome relief but only for the lucky few.

(voice-over): Under heavy guard, the food is unloaded before the much-needed distribution begins. One of these sacks of rice will feed seven families, hardly enough for a starving population. But they take all the relief they can get, food for a few days before the hunger sets in again.

ADAMA JEMMI, VOLUNTEER: We want the international community to help us. We are dying! You see how people feed the babies. We don't have food. We don't have medication. We are dying. Please stop the war!

KOINANGE: Sentiments echoed by the U.S. ambassador to Liberia after a three-hour meeting with the country's embattled president, who faces a Wednesday deadline to turn the government over to rebel forces.

JOHN BLANEY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO LIBERIA: We can't get further on orderly transition if we don't stop the fighting. Plus, I would add that we have a humanitarian emergency here. It is extremely important, and you can't address that without stopping the fighting either.

KOINANGE: Scenes like this will no doubt be repeated in the coming days. What many here are hoping is that sanity will prevail at the peace talks and spare one of the continent's most troubled countries from going up in flames.

Jeff Koinange, CNN, Monrovia, Liberia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.