Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Bodies of Dead Liberians Being Stacked Outside U.S. Embassy in Monrovia

Aired July 21, 2003 - 14:01   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Mortars are flying, civilians are dying and bodies, by some accounts, are stacked like fire wood today in Liberia's capital city. And caught this hour in the crossfire, or maybe the cross hairs, the U.S. diplomatic compound, hit at least twice today by mortars. Marines have reinforced security and a number of Americans left there, but there's still no official evacuation. CNN's Jeff Koinange is among hundreds pinned down in the embassy compound and he is hopefully still with us live on the line -- Jeff.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Miles. And I can tell you, we've been here for several hours in what the U.S. embassy is calling a "safe part of the embassy compound" because like you mentioned, they did take a pounding earlier on.

In fact, myself and my CNN colleagues, we did see at least three mortars shells falling into the Atlantic Ocean right beyond the compound here. We were getting ready to do a live shot and we had duck indoors and that's when about three dozen journalists and aid works were brought into this safe haven.

Now I can tell you the death toll in this was rising by -- literally by the hour. It's over 50 right now. Scores injured at the local hospital.

And all this happened, Miles, just as a fleet of what they call the Anti-Terrorist Security Team or the fast-track team that's usually based in Rota, Spain. They flew out of Spain into Sierra Leone and then got into these Black Hawk helicopters and flew in. And this was the first arrival of these Marines this morning, 21 of them. There was supposed to be 40 (ph), but once the mortar started falling, they canceled the rest of the arrival. Maybe that will happen in the coming hours.

But for now, Miles, lots of mayhem and pandemonium in the streets of Monrovia.

O'BRIEN: Jeff, a word on that if you could. I know you're pinned down there and you probably have limited access. Are you getting any sort of word back as to what's going on in the streets outside that compound?

KOINANGE: I hear there's a lot chaos a little earlier on when mortars were falling on buildings. In fact, one building report 18 people killed. That's part of those the bodies that they're laying like -- stacking like fire wood, like you said, outside the U.S. embassy.

We hear also another building was hit, five people dead. That's still to be confirmed. Lot of firing, lots of shooting. Rebel forces engaging government forces. We hear that it's intense in certain parts of town.

People are fleeing in tens of thousands because, remember, Miles, they had thought that the capital itself was the safest part of the city to be in of the country. But that's no longer the case. Monrovia is now a battle ground. And any chance of peacekeepers coming, Miles, it has to be seriously undermined now because nobody wants to come and start enforce peace when there is no peace, when there's a battle raging in the streets -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: One quick point here. The fact that the embassy has become a target, is there a sense that the embassy truly has been singled out or is it caught in the crossfire? I mean the fact is that the U.S. is very well-respected there and was seen as a potential savior of the problem really from all parties.

KOINANGE: Absolutely, Miles. And the U.S. embassy's refusing to comment whether they were a target. But it's obvious, Miles, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) mortars were falling with the exact flight plan of these Black Hawk helicopters. And that's why the rest of the flights were canceled today. And this stacking of the bodies outside the U.S. embassy is Liberians giving a message to the U.S. saying you're responsible for this. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) chanting out there, Why don't you send the peacekeepers? If you had sent the peacekeepers, this would not be happening. (UNINTELLIGIBLE), Miles, even as The fighting rages in the streets.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Jeff Koinange in the embassy in Monrovia. Stay safe there.

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




Embassy in Monrovia>


Aired July 21, 2003 - 14:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Mortars are flying, civilians are dying and bodies, by some accounts, are stacked like fire wood today in Liberia's capital city. And caught this hour in the crossfire, or maybe the cross hairs, the U.S. diplomatic compound, hit at least twice today by mortars. Marines have reinforced security and a number of Americans left there, but there's still no official evacuation. CNN's Jeff Koinange is among hundreds pinned down in the embassy compound and he is hopefully still with us live on the line -- Jeff.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Miles. And I can tell you, we've been here for several hours in what the U.S. embassy is calling a "safe part of the embassy compound" because like you mentioned, they did take a pounding earlier on.

In fact, myself and my CNN colleagues, we did see at least three mortars shells falling into the Atlantic Ocean right beyond the compound here. We were getting ready to do a live shot and we had duck indoors and that's when about three dozen journalists and aid works were brought into this safe haven.

Now I can tell you the death toll in this was rising by -- literally by the hour. It's over 50 right now. Scores injured at the local hospital.

And all this happened, Miles, just as a fleet of what they call the Anti-Terrorist Security Team or the fast-track team that's usually based in Rota, Spain. They flew out of Spain into Sierra Leone and then got into these Black Hawk helicopters and flew in. And this was the first arrival of these Marines this morning, 21 of them. There was supposed to be 40 (ph), but once the mortar started falling, they canceled the rest of the arrival. Maybe that will happen in the coming hours.

But for now, Miles, lots of mayhem and pandemonium in the streets of Monrovia.

O'BRIEN: Jeff, a word on that if you could. I know you're pinned down there and you probably have limited access. Are you getting any sort of word back as to what's going on in the streets outside that compound?

KOINANGE: I hear there's a lot chaos a little earlier on when mortars were falling on buildings. In fact, one building report 18 people killed. That's part of those the bodies that they're laying like -- stacking like fire wood, like you said, outside the U.S. embassy.

We hear also another building was hit, five people dead. That's still to be confirmed. Lot of firing, lots of shooting. Rebel forces engaging government forces. We hear that it's intense in certain parts of town.

People are fleeing in tens of thousands because, remember, Miles, they had thought that the capital itself was the safest part of the city to be in of the country. But that's no longer the case. Monrovia is now a battle ground. And any chance of peacekeepers coming, Miles, it has to be seriously undermined now because nobody wants to come and start enforce peace when there is no peace, when there's a battle raging in the streets -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: One quick point here. The fact that the embassy has become a target, is there a sense that the embassy truly has been singled out or is it caught in the crossfire? I mean the fact is that the U.S. is very well-respected there and was seen as a potential savior of the problem really from all parties.

KOINANGE: Absolutely, Miles. And the U.S. embassy's refusing to comment whether they were a target. But it's obvious, Miles, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) mortars were falling with the exact flight plan of these Black Hawk helicopters. And that's why the rest of the flights were canceled today. And this stacking of the bodies outside the U.S. embassy is Liberians giving a message to the U.S. saying you're responsible for this. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) chanting out there, Why don't you send the peacekeepers? If you had sent the peacekeepers, this would not be happening. (UNINTELLIGIBLE), Miles, even as The fighting rages in the streets.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Jeff Koinange in the embassy in Monrovia. Stay safe there.

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




Embassy in Monrovia>