12/18/2003

Refugees International is urging the Bush administration to use its influence and money to speed deployment of UN peacekeepers to Liberia.  On its recent mission to Liberia, Refugees International concluded that the slow dispatch of UN peacekeepers--only 5,000 of a planned force of 15,000 have been deployed--is hindering the stabilization and reconstruction of Liberia.  Repeating conclusions in a recent bulletin (Liberia: shaky steps towards peace must be supported by international community), Refugees International signed on to an InterAction letter to Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage urging his support of a more rapid deployment of UN forces to Liberia and the release of money appropriated by Congress to support urgent humanitarian needs in that war-torn nation.  A link to the PDF version of the letter is provided below: