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Liberia in Crisis

Aired July 08, 2003 - 13:00   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.


JEFF KOINANGE, CNN ANCHOR: Now a first hint of the perils that lurk in Liberia. An American convoy confronted by heavily armed government troops. The U.S. advance team hit the streets as President Bush mulls deployment of a peacekeeping force. It was a hero's welcome at first, but things changed when a team pulled up to a refugee camp.
CNN's Jeff Koinange is standing by in Monrovia to tell us what happened -- Jeff.

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kyra.

There was a lot of diplomatic bunking on either side, and it was admitted later on. Here are the events as they unfolded. First when humanitarian assistance survey team hit the ground, they went to the first site to survey the situation, to assess the situation, they were mobbed literally by tens of thousands of Liberians here to welcome them, waving U.S. flags, saying, "We love you, George Bush." Also chanting, "No more war. We want peace. I don't think the Americans expected this. It was an amazing welcome. Tens of thousands of Liberians in the street, almost virtually grounding the convoy to a standstill.

Once they left that first position, they went toward out of town. About five miles out, they came to a checkpoint. The whole convoy stopped. U.S. embassy officials got out, engaged in conversation with the government troops, and then all of a sudden the entire convoy turned around and headed back towards Monrovia. Again on the way back, tens of thousands of people welcoming them back, touching the wind-screens of the vehicles, wanting to see who the new so-called liberators were. All of a sudden, Kyra, gunshots in the air, right after the other. The convoy stopped. Marines got out, and they engaged to see waiting to see what was going to happen.

Once they saw government troops were firing in the air, they got back in the vehicles and headed right back toward the U.S. embassy. Government officials continued to fire in the air, telling the crowd to disperse. I guess this is their form of crowd control. The crowd dispersed, and just like that, it's over.

But at the same time, it seemed like Liberian President Charles Taylor was watching the events unfolding. My colleague, Brent Sadler, was about to sit down for an exclusive interview with him, and President Taylor had this to respond to that incident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRES. CHARLES TAYLOR, LIBERIA: You know, sometimes we have these diplomatic boo-boos. We welcome the troops here, and we will take them wherever they want to go. Since their arrival, the embassy accredited near this capital has not organized any movement or liaison activities with any agency of this Liberian government. The area they were going into, there were troops in the field that do not know what's going on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOINANGE: Kyra, again, Liberian President Charles Taylor saying he felt out of the loop.

In other words, the whole embassy issue is bypassing him. He is still president. He is the one that insisted that U.S. forces come to the ground. He said, as soon as peacekeepers are on the ground, he would leave. He just wants to show that he's in charge, and that these folk have to go through the various formalities. He says he has no problem. They're in government hands, they're in good hands, but if they're going into any kind of rebel territory, he wants to make sure that they are safe and secure -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Jeff Koinange, live from Monrovia, thank you -- Miles.

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 July 8, 2003 - 13:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN ANCHOR: Now a first hint of the perils that lurk in Liberia. An American convoy confronted by heavily armed government troops. The U.S. advance team hit the streets as President Bush mulls deployment of a peacekeeping force. It was a hero's welcome at first, but things changed when a team pulled up to a refugee camp.
CNN's Jeff Koinange is standing by in Monrovia to tell us what happened -- Jeff.

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kyra.

There was a lot of diplomatic bunking on either side, and it was admitted later on. Here are the events as they unfolded. First when humanitarian assistance survey team hit the ground, they went to the first site to survey the situation, to assess the situation, they were mobbed literally by tens of thousands of Liberians here to welcome them, waving U.S. flags, saying, "We love you, George Bush." Also chanting, "No more war. We want peace. I don't think the Americans expected this. It was an amazing welcome. Tens of thousands of Liberians in the street, almost virtually grounding the convoy to a standstill.

Once they left that first position, they went toward out of town. About five miles out, they came to a checkpoint. The whole convoy stopped. U.S. embassy officials got out, engaged in conversation with the government troops, and then all of a sudden the entire convoy turned around and headed back towards Monrovia. Again on the way back, tens of thousands of people welcoming them back, touching the wind-screens of the vehicles, wanting to see who the new so-called liberators were. All of a sudden, Kyra, gunshots in the air, right after the other. The convoy stopped. Marines got out, and they engaged to see waiting to see what was going to happen.

Once they saw government troops were firing in the air, they got back in the vehicles and headed right back toward the U.S. embassy. Government officials continued to fire in the air, telling the crowd to disperse. I guess this is their form of crowd control. The crowd dispersed, and just like that, it's over.

But at the same time, it seemed like Liberian President Charles Taylor was watching the events unfolding. My colleague, Brent Sadler, was about to sit down for an exclusive interview with him, and President Taylor had this to respond to that incident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRES. CHARLES TAYLOR, LIBERIA: You know, sometimes we have these diplomatic boo-boos. We welcome the troops here, and we will take them wherever they want to go. Since their arrival, the embassy accredited near this capital has not organized any movement or liaison activities with any agency of this Liberian government. The area they were going into, there were troops in the field that do not know what's going on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOINANGE: Kyra, again, Liberian President Charles Taylor saying he felt out of the loop.

In other words, the whole embassy issue is bypassing him. He is still president. He is the one that insisted that U.S. forces come to the ground. He said, as soon as peacekeepers are on the ground, he would leave. He just wants to show that he's in charge, and that these folk have to go through the various formalities. He says he has no problem. They're in government hands, they're in good hands, but if they're going into any kind of rebel territory, he wants to make sure that they are safe and secure -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Jeff Koinange, live from Monrovia, thank you -- Miles.

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