LIBERIA: STUDENT RIOT DISRUPTS YOUTH ASSEMBLY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MONROVIA 000174 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM ASEC PREL SOCI KCRM UN LI SUBJECT: LIBERIA: STUDENT RIOT DISRUPTS YOUTH ASSEMBLY ¶1. SUMMARY: A student riot on January 16 during a youth assembly resulted in the arrest of seven students. Several students were denied entry to the assembly and protested, attacking the police, who arrested seven. The students were taken to a local police station. A mob of students then attacked two police stations, releasing 18 prisoners unrelated to the riot. Eight more students were arrested because of the attacks on the police stations. The detained students were transferred to LNP Headquarters, received medical treatment and were released on bond January 18. They are still awaiting trial. The students allege that the police beat those arrested, but police claim that the students were injured during the attacks on the two police stations. UN Police commented that proper police procedures were not followed. Student claims of human rights abuses are not substantiated. END SUMMARY. ¶2. The Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY),an umbrella organization of Liberian youth groups, held their bi-annual elections at S.K.D. Sports Complex in Monrovia on January 15-16. Several delegates were denied entry to the meeting because they turned in their registration payments late. Those delegates, from the Liberia National Student Union (LINSU) and University of Liberia Student Union (ULSU),told Poloff it was because they did not support the preferred slate of candidates for FLY. Kwame Ross, President of LINSU, told Poloff that he was denied entry on January 15, but received a phone call from a FLY executive the evening of January 15 saying he would be allowed entry on January 16. However, delegates from LINSU were turned away again on January 16, because of mis-communication between FLY organizers. ¶3. According to both the students' accounts and a United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) report, on January 16, at about 3:00 pm, the students who were denied entry protested and scuffled with seven LNP officers on the scene for security. The police reported that the students attacked them by throwing stones while the police were trying to restore order. Police reinforcements were summoned, but UN Police (UNPOL) were not contacted as they should have been, per LNP standard procedures. The LNP then arrested Ross and Sylvester Diggs, ULSU member. The group of students protested the arrests, leading to the arrest of five others. Ross and Diggs allege that they were both severely beaten during the arrest and while being detained. ¶4. The students were taken to a police substation (Depot 1) in Thinkers Village. A group of students then broke into Police Zone Headquarters, releasing 11 detainees not related to the student riot. The student mob then broke into the substation, releasing another seven unrelated prisoners. Officers from the LNP Police Support Unit (PSU) were called and disbursed the students from around Depot 1. Officers arrested an additional eight students and added them to the seven in custody, who had not escaped during the attack. The police claim that several students were injured during this fighting. The fifteen students were then taken to LNP Headquarters. ¶5. Around 9:30 pm, LNP officers took four injured students to JFK Hospital for medical treatment. Richmond Neufville, General Secretary of LINSU, lost two teeth and told Poloff he would need gum surgery, and Diggs complained of urinating blood. The four students were treated and sent back to LNP HQ. At 2:30 am Minister of Public Works Kofi Woods, a former student leader and activist was called to intervene to have the 11 other students taken to JFK for medical checkups. ¶6. On January 18, the 15 students were arraigned, represented by Counselor Jerome Verdier, former chairman of the now disbanded Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and released on bail. Their trial was scheduled for January 22. On January 22, the case was not heard, but 40 students protested outside the court. ¶7. UNPOL Commissioner Gautam Sawang told PolEconCouns that it was clear that the students provoked a reaction from the police by going to the Thinkers Village depot believing the students were being held there, then escalated the situation by taking over the building and releasing the prisoners. He did note, however, that the UNMIL report was drafted by UNPOL officers, and did not take into account "the broader political aspects" of the situation. The MONROVIA 00000174 002 OF 002 report also criticized local LNP commanders for not contacting UNPOL or LNP Headquarters, and for not having an emergency plan to address a riot situation. For their part, the students refused to admit to PolOff that their "protests" were in any way violent. ¶8. COMMENT: LINSU and ULSU have alleged severe human rights abuses and that the arrests were ordered by the GOL. LNP reports that they acted to restore order and that two police stations were attacked, resulting in the escape of 18 prisoners. Post has not substantiated any alleged human rights abuses. While the LNP could have responded better, and closer coordination with UNPOL could have diffused the riot, there is no concrete evidence that suggests the police committed gross human rights violations or that the arrests were ordered by the GOL. The fact that the Minister of Public Works intervened suggests the opposite. THOMAS-GREENFIELD