Handover to US forces, rebels cede control of port

(14 Aug 2003)

Roberts International Airport
1. Various, US troops walking across tarmac
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Voxpop, US Marine
"We're going to do some efforts at the port, primarily engineering efforts to help the humanitarian relief effort get the port open as soon as possible so we can relive the suffering of the Liberian people

Gabriel Tucker Bridge, also known as New Bridge, which marked front-line between government and rebel forces
3. Various, people gathered behind US humvees on government side of bridge
4. Pull out from US flag
5. Helicopter hovering over bridge
6. US troops
7. LURD leader walking onto bridge to greet head of West African peacekeeping force
8. LURD leader formally ceding power to head of West African peacekeeping force
9. People running across bridge cheering
10. Various, people celebrating
11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Voxpop, Liberian Citizen
"I am very very happy."
(Q: "Why are you happy?)
"I am happy for the peacekeeping force, for ECOMIL. I want to be one with freedom. My country has been suffering for long. So I am happy for freedom for our country."
(Q: "What your name?")
"I'm Trinigad Green." (*PHONETIC SPELLING*)
12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Voxpop, Liberian Citizen
(Q: "Whats your name?")
"I'm Ravi Mark..I live in Claren Town." (*PHONETIC SPELLINGS*)
(Q: "How do you feel about the bridge re-opening today?")
"Well I want to first of all thank almighty god, we want to say thank you to George Bush, thank you to the air force, thank you for all of you who have come out today to set us free."
(Q: "What do you mean, we set you free?")
""Well you know the opposing forces, the government forces and LURD forces have been fighting but we are the citizens who are not involved in the conflict , we suffer a lot. Our homes were looted, we were raped, people broke into our homes and they did a lot of things to us."
13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Voxpop, Liberian Citizen
(Q: "So, a genuine peace?")
"Oh, my brother, this is finally peace now, I am sure of that, the final peace coming to Liberia. There'll be no war."
(Q: "Why do you say that?")
"I am saying that because since from the beginning of the war, Americans have never been involved in the war, in the peace process in Liberia. But this is the first time America has been involved."

Monrovia Port
14. Various, West African peace keepers guarding entrance to port
15. Helicopter overhead
16. Various, US troops securing port area
17. Liberian people looking on
18. Various, US troops around port area
19. Various, helicopter
20. US troops
21. SOUNDBITE: (English) Captain Michael Charney, 2-6 Marine Unit (*PHONETIC SPELLING*)
"I'm Captain Michael Charney, with the 2-6 MU (Marine Unit). Currently forces here have landed to help secure this area of the port in order to allow the ECOMIL forces and international aid to flow into the country."
22. Various, West African and US troops at port

STORYLINE:

Rebels lifted two months of sieges of Liberia's starving capital on Thursday, ceding control of the vital port and other
territory and retreating from the city as scores of US Marines landed in support of a growing West African peace mission.

With a handshake between US Ambassador John Blaney and rebel leaders on the middle of a front-line bridge, insurgents ended an offensive that had brought down President Charles Taylor, killed well over 1-thousand civilians, and left hundreds of thousands more trapped and starving.

Earlier in the day nine US military helicopters had landed scores of American troops at Liberia's main airport as two more hovered overhead.












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