Liberians killed in farm massacre

Liberian police are investigating the killing of at least 12 farm workers in a land dispute over the weekend in a remote part of the country.

They had been thrown into a river after being shot and hacked to death, Police Director Beatrice Munah Sieh said.

The BBC's Jonathan Paye-Layleh in Liberia says nearly 50 people are feared to have been killed.

He said the farmland on which the attack took place is claimed by a prominent ex-rebel and a senator.

Liberia is recovering from a 14-year civil war which ended in 2003.

Our correspondent says many areas were abandoned during the war and since the end of the conflict land disputes have become common.

Machetes

Ms Sieh said that divers had so far recovered 12 bodies from Farmington River near the farm about 55km (35 miles) south-east of the capital, Monrovia.

Our reporter says the victims had been working for former rebel spokesman Charles Bennie - preparing the land for planting.

Liberia is recovering from a 14-year civil war

One of those who escaped, Tidoe Monden, said the shooting started on Saturday morning after they had been working for three hours.

"We just saw suppressive gunfire from all directions," he told the BBC.

Mr Monden said that he escaped injury because he had just left the group to get food for his colleagues.

"I saw the men shooting with three AK-47 rifles and three single-barrel shotguns."

The attackers then used workers' machetes to "finish some of the wounded", he said.

Senator Roland Kaine has denied any knowledge of the attack.

Ms Sieh told reporters in Monrovia that no arrests had been made and the police's focus at the moment was on the rescue effort.

Some of the bodies had been taken to the provincial capital of Kakata, she said.

Land disputes

BBC West Africa correspondent Will Ross says the Liberian government is clearly concerned by an escalation of violent land disputes.

This week President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said they signalled to the international community that Liberians were not ready for peace and development.

She attributed the land attacks to the effects of Liberia's civil conflict.

Our correspondent says one trigger is the return of more than 100,000 former refugees, some have found their land or homes taken illegally.

He says corruption and a lack of law enforcement are also playing a role.

Liberia's deputy Minister of Information Gabriel Williams says land records have been looted or doctored whilst unscrupulous surveyors have been selling land with false documents.

A land commission is being set up to handle the rows.

Our correspondent says this comes not a minute too soon for a country which is desperate to attract investors.