Background

Liberia was relatively calm and stable until violence and chaos erupted in 1980 when Sergeant Samuel Doe seized power in a coup that left then-President William Tolbert dead. Charles Taylor worked in Doe's regime running the General Services Agency, which controlled much of Liberia's budget. When Doe accused Taylor of embezzling almost $1m Taylor fled to the U.S. where he was arrested. Escaping custody, Taylor returned to Liberia and led a successful revolt that resulted in the execution of Samuel Doe.

This started a bitter and horrific seven-year civil war between President Taylor's troops and rebel factions. The war was notorious for its abuses, including rape, the use of child soldiers, the deliberate amputation of limbs, and the deaths of more than 200,000 people. Taylor finally "won" elections in 1997. However, life in Liberia became progressively worse as rebels from the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) began attacking government forces in an attempt to expel Taylor. In the process thousands of innocent men, women and children died and even more were left displaced, homeless, and starving. The war in Liberia killed more than 6 percent of the population.

In 2003 the rebels took over two thirds of the country and advanced on the capital - Monrovia. In August 2003 Charles Taylor resigned and was given asylum in Nigeria. On 19 September 2003, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1509 to establish a United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). It was agreed that UNMIL would be 15,000 troops strong with the mandate for the mission lasting for 12 months. In October 2003, Gyude Bryant, an independent with no links to the rebels or the Taylor government, was sworn in as head of state to lead the Transitional Government.

Today

The situation in Liberia has improved significantly since the departure of Taylor and the signing of a peace agreement in August 2003. The rebels have been disarmed and elections are scheduled for next year. However there are still many serious problems that need to be addressed in Liberia; thousands of civilians who are living in displacement camps need to be integrated back into their homes; there is still a lack of basic social services throughout the country; and international donors have not pledged sufficient money to rebuild the country.

One bright spot has been the UN’s success in disarming the rebel factions. In April, 2004, the UN began to disarm rebel groups including Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) as well as pro-Taylor combatants in the region. By November 3, 2004 these groups had surrendered all weapons to UNMIL and agreed “not to engage in any use of force, either individually or in concert, for whatever reason.” In addition, 85% of demobilized child soldiers have been reunited with their families.

There have been other positive steps as well. A new police force is being trained by the UN and a UN-sponsored Truth and Reconciliation Commission was recently established as part of the process of “national healing and reconciliation.” Elections for a new President and Parliament are on schedule and expected to take place in October 2005. On November 9, 2004, five hundred internally displaced persons began their journey home, beginning a six month drive by the UN to bring over 260,000 displaced persons home.

In addition, reports from Liberia indicate that, with the cessation of violence, economic activity is returning. Stores and markets are open again, and houses and commercial buildings are being rebuilt. However, this is threatened by the latest violence in Cote d’Ivoire. In recent weeks, more than 10,000 Ivorians have fled to Liberia. A mass exodus from violence in Cote d’Ivoire would create further instability and strain Liberia’s already stretched resources.

Despite the success of the disarmament program and the election preparations, there are still many problems that must be addressed if Liberia is to undergo an effective transition back to normality and peace. Economic development is a central concern. The literacy rate is only 44%, and there is unemployment of nearly 85%. The unemployment rate is a serious problem as tens of thousands of ex-combatants are re-integrated into society. If they are unable to find training and employment, much of the progress that has been made may be lost.

In another blow to Liberia’s nascent recovery, the UN has recently renewed its ban on Liberian timber and diamond products because the Transitional Government does not control the mines or the interior forests. Timber and diamonds represent two of Liberia’s most significant exports, and the Transitional Government’s inability to control them deprives it of money it needs to rebuild the country. In addition, even though $520 million for restructuring was pledged at a donors’ conference earlier this year, less than half of the money has actually been allocated. The amount that has been allocated is insufficient to rebuild the war-torn country.

Moreover, some observers believe that recently the attention of donors has been focused on the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan, at the expense of Liberia. For example, the UN World Food Program recently began a campaign to raise $18.9 million to help feed Liberians. The WFP regional director for West Africa, Mustapha Darboe, lamented that it may not be able to secure the money because Liberia is “a forgotten crisis.”

Charles Taylor also presents an obstacle to a lasting peace in Liberia. The ex-President has been indicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone for his role in training and supporting one of the armed groups in Sierra Leone's terrible civil war. Taylor also had a hand in destabilizing Cote d'Ivoire and Guinea and backed a coup attempt against his former associate, Blaise Campoare of Burkina Faso. However, rather than waiting to be tried, Taylor has been granted asylum and protection by the government of Nigeria, in agreement with the U.S. and UK. It is important to a lasting peace in Liberia and the rest of West Africa that Taylor is brought to justice. Not only would imprisonment prevent Taylor from making any further attempts to destabilize the region, it would deter other leaders from committing similar crimes.

The current mandate of UNMIL is due to expire in September of 2005, but according to the UN envoy to Liberia, Jacques Paul Klein, even another year after that may well be “too early to leave.” There is much work still to be done and it is too soon for the international community to forget about Liberia.

Last updated November 22, 2004

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