[House Document 105-318]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




105th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - -- - - - House Document 105-318


 
   THE SECURITY AND SITUATION OF THE U.S. EMBASSY IN MONROVIA, LIBERIA

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

   A REPORT ON THE SITUATION IN MONROVIA, LIBERIA AND THE INCREASED 
                   SECURITY AT THE U.S. EMBASSY THERE




October 5, 1998.--Referred to the Committee on International Relations 
                       and ordered to be printed

                           ---------------------

                     U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
69-011                       WASHINGTON : 1998




                                           The White House,
                                    Washington, September 29, 1998.
Hon. Newt Gingrich,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: Liberia is just emerging from a 7-year 
civil war. Since democratic elections were held in July 1997 
there have been moments of instability in that country. In the 
past 10 days, conflict erupted between Liberian security forces 
and supporters of another former faction leader, Roosevelt 
Johnson.
    On the morning of September 19, Liberian government 
security forces fired on a small group of Liberians led by 
former Ulimo Krahn faction leader Roosevelt Johnson, who was 
speaking with U.S. Embassy officials outside the Embassy 
compound, after Johnson and his group were initially refused 
refuge. When Liberian government security forces opened fire on 
the group, the Embassy officials fled into the U.S. Embassy, 
and in the chaos were joined by the Johnson party. Two 
Americans were wounded in the melee and four members of the 
Johnson party were killed. The U.S. personnel injured in the 
gunfire were a government contractor and an Embassy staff 
member.
    Responding to a U.S. request for enhanced security, forces 
of the Economic Community of West Africa Observer Group 
(ECOMOG) subsequently positioned themselves in a defensive 
perimeter around the Embassy. Later, a group of 23 supporters 
of Mr. Johnson was discovered hiding on the Embassy grounds. 
After extensive negotiations between President Taylor and 
representatives of the U.S. Government and western African 
states, permission was obtained to airlift Mr. Johnson and his 
party to Freetown, Sierra Leone. This was accomplished without 
incident on September 25, 1998.
    The situation in Monrovia continues to be uncertain and 
could deteriorate. Although ECOMOG forces remain in the 
vicinity of the Embassy compound, their numbers have been 
reduced. Our Embassy believes that security could deteriorate 
rapidly during President Taylor's absence for an official visit 
to France. The Embassy does, however, project that, barring 
further incidents, security should significantly improve over 
the course of the next several weeks as factional tensions ease 
in the wake of Mr. Johnson's departure. There are approximately 
230 nonofficial American citizens in Liberia and 29 official 
Americans at the Embassy.
    On September 27, 1998, due to the tenuous security 
situation and the potential threat to American citizens and the 
Embassy in Monrovia, a stand-by response and evacuation force 
of approximately 30 U.S. military personnel from the U.S. 
European Command deployed to Freetown, Sierra Leone. About half 
of this unit has moved onto the Navy's coastal patrol craft, 
USS CHINOOK (PC-9), which is operating in the waters off 
Monrovia. The U.S. military personnel are prepared, if needed, 
to augment the Embassy's security unit in Monrovia and to 
conduct an evacuation of American citizens, if required. 
Although the U.S. military personnel are equipped for combat, 
this action is being undertaken solely for the purpose of 
preparing to protect American citizens and property. The U.S. 
forces will redeploy as soon as it is determined that the 
threat to the Embassy compound has ended or, if an evacuation 
is necessary, it is completed.
    I have taken this action pursuant to my constitutional 
authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in 
Chief and Chief Executive.
    I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep 
the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers 
Resolution. I appreciate the support of the Congress in this 
action to assist in Embassy security and the security of 
American citizens overseas.
            Sincerely,
                                                William J. Clinton.

                                
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