Over a dozen Liberian workers rampaged against a U.N. mission after almost 100 jobs were eliminated by a new contract.
The United Nations Mission in Liberia condemned the early morning attack by the workers on its personnel and vehicles close to its logistics headquarters in the capital, Monrovia. Two jeeps were burned, one vehicle was damaged and three staff members had to seek medical attention.
Under the new contract between the U.N. mission and a private Liberian company, 88 maintenance workers received pink slips, sparking the protest. Unemployment in this West African country is estimated at 85 percent.
Although it is ranked as the ninth most fragile country in the world in a 2008 survey, many of the international aid agencies which were providing basic services have closed operations or are scaling back because of reduced funding.
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