HUMAN RIGHTS MUST BE PARAMOUNT IN POLICING, UN ENVOY SAYS IN LIBERIA

Respect for human rights must be central to police work, a senior United Nations official in Liberia has told the new members of an elite unit within the West African country's police force as she warned them never to misuse their strength and power.

Eighty officers from the Liberia National Police (LNP) have completed a three-month intensive training programme to join the force's Emergency Response Unit (ERU), joining just over 200 others who have finished their training since courses began in mid-2008. They are tasked with responding to crisis and high-risk situations.

Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for the Rule of Law in Liberia, told a graduation ceremony in Monrovia, the capital, for the 80 officers that they have "inherited the hopes and dreams of all Liberians who seek to live" in safety and security.

"The measure of your strength
and power is not how frequently you remind people of them, but how well you control your use of that power," Ms. Mensa-Bonsu said, according to a press release issued today by the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

"Even when tested under the most trying of circumstances, you must adhere to the principle of proportionality in the use of force; sound judgement, restraint and respect are characteristics of a professional police officer," she stressed.

In her remarks Ms. Mensa-Bonsu promised that UNMIL would continue to assist the Liberian Government in training, reforming and restructuring the LNP. She also welcomed the support for the United States and Irish Governments for the ERU training programme.

UN ENVOY TO LIBERIA HONOURS MONGOLIAN PEACEKEEPERS IN SIERRA LEONE

UN ENVOY TO LIBERIA HONOURS MONGOLIAN PEACEKEEPERS IN SIERRA LEONE
New York, Jun 8 2009 12:00PM
The top United Nations envoy to Liberia today paid tribute to the Mongolian blue helmets, tasked with protecting the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), for their efforts to promote peacebuilding in West Africa.

"Mongolian peacekeepers have acquired a reputation for bringing exceptional discipline to peacekeeping operations, an international outlook and an ever-ready approach to their tasks, regardless of the environment they find themselves in," said Ellen Margrethe Løj, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Mission in Liberia (<"http://unmil.org/">UNMIL).

Speaking at a medal ceremony last week in honour of the 250 members of the Mongolian Guard Force under UNMIL's command, she also expressed gratitude to the 10 women peacekeepers assigned to the Force for their dedication in providing vital services in communications and as doctors and nurses.

The event came on the heels of the International Day of Peacekeepers on 29 May, which this year stressed the unique role played by women in peacekeeping.

The Mongolian Force provides security for the premises of the Special Court, protects the detainees when they are moved outside the Court's compound, and is responsible for evacuating officials and detainees in cooperation with the UNMIL's Quick Reaction Force (QRF).

The SCSL, established in January 2002 in an agreement between the country's Government and the UN, is mandated to try those bearing the greatest responsibility for crimes against humanity and violations of international humanitarian law in its civil-war since 1996, the 11 year-conflict began in 1991.
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LIBERIA: MULTI-AGENCY UN PROJECT TO BOOST LOCAL GOVERNMENT

LIBERIA: MULTI-AGENCY UN PROJECT TO BOOST LOCAL GOVERNMENT
New York, Mar 23 2009 4:00PM
The signing of a six-agency project in Liberia is a major step toward restoring civil administration in the West African country, which is recovering from a devastating 14-year conflict, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said today.

Local capabilities to be upgraded through the project include statistics gathering and analysis, information management, monitoring and evaluation, rehabilitation and construction of public buildings and service delivery, according to a UNDP release.

UNDP, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) have all signed onto the two-year programme.

Speaking at the signing ceremony held in the country's capital, Monrovia, UN Resident Coordinator Jordan Ryan said that the project "provides a coherent and coordinated platform for UN agencies to join up their efforts and work together with the Government in the development process," according to UNDP.
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LIBERIA LAUNCHES UN-BACKED NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY

LIBERIA LAUNCHES UN-BACKED NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY
New York, Mar 8 2009 10:00AM

The Government of Liberia today launched a United Nations-backed national action plan aimed at furthering gender equality, sustainable peace and security in the only African nation with a democratically elected female head of State.

The plan was launched as part of the International Colloquium on Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security, which is taking place in Monrovia from 7 to 10 March and co-convened by Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the President of Finland, Tarja Halonen.

Nearly 20 current and former heads of government and some 50 UN representatives will be participating in this week's Colloquium, which seeks to empower women to be more effective leaders by linking with their peers from around the world and sharing best practices on a range of issues.

The action plan draws on UN Security Council resolution 1325 whic
h stresses the importance of giving women equal participation and full involvement in peace and security matters and the need to increase their role in decision-making.

It also incorporates components of UN Security Council resolution 1820 on sexual violence against civilians in times of conflict, which addresses previously-neglected areas such as equal protection under the law for survivors of sexual violence and punishment for perpetrators.

The process of drafting the plan -- developed by the Ministry of Gender with the help of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) -- began last August and included representatives of various governmental institutions, UN agencies and civil society organizations.

"A planning process that brings together all relevant stakeholders, and that takes into account the real needs of the local population, will be more sustainable over the long term because people w
ill see themselves reflected in the text of the resulting plan," stated INSTRAW Acting Director Carolina Taborga.

"A plan that is not inclusive will have no ownership, and essential accountability and monitoring components may be left out," she added.

The plan's launch coincides with International Women's Day, observed annually around the world on 8 March.
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‘IDEAL VILLAGE’ LATEST PROJECT BY UN PEACEKEEPERS TO BOOST LIBERIA’S FOOD SECURITY

'IDEAL VILLAGE' LATEST PROJECT BY UN PEACEKEEPERS TO BOOST LIBERIA'S FOOD SECURITY
New York, Feb 26 2009 10:00AM

A new 150-acre agricultural village, complete with poultry, a fish pond and school and community-based farms, is the latest initiative by Bangladeshi peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to boost food security, a crucial component to lasting peace in the West African nation.

Inaugurating the "Bangla-Bong Ideal Village," UNMIL's Force Commander noted that the country has very fertile soil, excellent land-to-people ratio and wonderful weather, and urged Liberians, especially young people, to use their resources to develop their country.

"If you harness all the great opportunities your fertile land offers, I'm certain that you will one day stand on your feet, and march ahead, and you will be one of the examples in West Africa," Lieutenant-General Abu Tayeb Muhammad Zahirul Alam told the community at Maimu Town, near Totota in Liberia's central province of Bong.

The General encouraged the people of Maimu Town to own the project and manage it well. "This is your property, it is you who have to really nurture it, secure it, and develop it further."
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