U.S. Voices Concern on Reports of Liberia Executions

The United States expressed its deep concern to Liberia on Saturday about reports of summary executions during suppression of an attempted coup against the government of Samuel K. Doe and hinted that continued U.S. aid to the West African nation will depend on its government’s observance of human rights.

“We are deeply concerned by the bloodshed which has occurred in Liberia this week,” State Department spokesman Bruce Ammerman said in a statement.

“There appears to have been substantial loss of life in the unsuccessful coup. There are widespread but unconfirmed reports of summary executions of soldiers involved in the coup. Opposition politicians have been taken into custody and there are unconfirmed reports that some of these politicians have been executed.

“The U.S. government has conveyed to all levels of the Liberian government the importance we attach to ensuring that due process is afforded to all those taken into custody. We have not yet received a satisfactory reply.”

Reports reaching Washington Friday said Jackson Doe, who is not related to the military leader, and who was one of his chief challengers in last month’s presidential elections, had been executed. But on Saturday, his name topped a long list of politicians being urged by radio broadcasts in the Liberian capital of Monrovia to report to the government for questioning.

Jackson Doe, the candidate of the Liberian Action Party, and other opposition leaders had accused the head of state of rigging the Oct. 15 presidential elections. Official returns gave the leader Doe 51% of the vote.

At the State Department, Ammerman was asked whether the strong measures which the Liberian regime is reported to have used to put down the coup are likely to affect the flow of U.S. aid, which totaled an estimated $83.2 million last year. Ammerman implied that they could.

“A government’s observance of human rights is by law and Administration policy among the most important factors in influencing all aspects of bilateral relationships,” Ammerman said. “We will reserve more specific comments until we have more information.”