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Liberia in Crisis
Aired August 14, 2003 - 13:03 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: So far, so good in Liberia. More than 100 Marines touched down today in Monrovia to the cheers of people desperate for help, especially from America.
A live report now and CNN exclusive.
Our Gaven Morris is there -- Gaven.
GAVEN MORRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, an extraordinary day in what has been a momentous week in Liberian history. It all started very early this morning out at the international airport where we saw five sea knights and four sea stallion marine helicopters that have come in off the Marine ships stationed off the coast at the moment, and they came in in the blink of an eye, very efficiently, and disgorged up to about 200 Marines on the ground in quick time. They had all their belongings together, and the helicopters took off back to the ships.
Now, this was an unexpected move. Nobody really knew this was going to happen, even until last night. The Liberian people didn't know it was going to happen, but it was a spectacular performance. They came in, really did cheer, the Liberian people, who have been calling for American help here for so long. Now if that wasn't enough, within a few hours, there was a ceremony in the center of town, cheered on by I really think were hundreds of thousands of Liberian people that turned out to see this. And what it was, the handing over of the port to West African peacekeepers. Lurd rebels have held that port for the last few weeks and there's been bitter fighting, fierce fighting, over that part of town.
Today, the central bridge that takes the port over to the -- over to central Monrovia, the commander of the west African peacekeepers shook hands with the commander of the Lurd rebels, and that was it. Cheered on by all those people, the Lurd commander then went back, rounded up his men and took out of town.
So we really think now that that port part of the city is secure. West African peacekeepers are in there. It's a tenuous security, because looting has been going on for the last few days, and we even saw looting after the West African peacekeepers had taken over. But the Lurd rebels definitely were leaving, and that is good news for everybody.
There were Marines on the ground. There were harrier jump jets from the U.S. forces in the air, and helicopter patrols as well. So the U.S. heavily involved in this incredible day, but really, the West African peacekeepers now have to take on the role of policing a city and bringing peace again.
Their main aim, to open the ports so that much-needed food, medicine, food, and humanitarian assistance can come in in the next few days -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Gaven Morris, live from Monrovia, thank you.
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 August 14, 2003 - 13:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: So far, so good in Liberia. More than 100 Marines touched down today in Monrovia to the cheers of people desperate for help, especially from America.
A live report now and CNN exclusive.
Our Gaven Morris is there -- Gaven.
GAVEN MORRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, an extraordinary day in what has been a momentous week in Liberian history. It all started very early this morning out at the international airport where we saw five sea knights and four sea stallion marine helicopters that have come in off the Marine ships stationed off the coast at the moment, and they came in in the blink of an eye, very efficiently, and disgorged up to about 200 Marines on the ground in quick time. They had all their belongings together, and the helicopters took off back to the ships.
Now, this was an unexpected move. Nobody really knew this was going to happen, even until last night. The Liberian people didn't know it was going to happen, but it was a spectacular performance. They came in, really did cheer, the Liberian people, who have been calling for American help here for so long. Now if that wasn't enough, within a few hours, there was a ceremony in the center of town, cheered on by I really think were hundreds of thousands of Liberian people that turned out to see this. And what it was, the handing over of the port to West African peacekeepers. Lurd rebels have held that port for the last few weeks and there's been bitter fighting, fierce fighting, over that part of town.
Today, the central bridge that takes the port over to the -- over to central Monrovia, the commander of the west African peacekeepers shook hands with the commander of the Lurd rebels, and that was it. Cheered on by all those people, the Lurd commander then went back, rounded up his men and took out of town.
So we really think now that that port part of the city is secure. West African peacekeepers are in there. It's a tenuous security, because looting has been going on for the last few days, and we even saw looting after the West African peacekeepers had taken over. But the Lurd rebels definitely were leaving, and that is good news for everybody.
There were Marines on the ground. There were harrier jump jets from the U.S. forces in the air, and helicopter patrols as well. So the U.S. heavily involved in this incredible day, but really, the West African peacekeepers now have to take on the role of policing a city and bringing peace again.
Their main aim, to open the ports so that much-needed food, medicine, food, and humanitarian assistance can come in in the next few days -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Gaven Morris, live from Monrovia, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
