History of Liberia

The history of Liberia as country begins in 1822, year when it was rested by a philanthropic company American of Colonisation ( American Colonization Society -), to install released black slaves there.

Quickly, a faintness between américano-bast and population indigenous appears.

Creation of the Republic and domination of thebast ones

The Liberia becomes a independent République in 1847. The vote censitaire makes it possible américano-bast to preserve the capacity during one century.

The August 14th 1917, during the First World War, Liberia declares the war with the Germany.

In 1931, the Société of the Nations condemns the work conditions forced imposed on the indigenous S by thebast ones for the account of multinationals of the industry of the rubber. The constrained scandal the government with the resignation. In 1936, the new government prohibits the forced labor. Nevertheless, the autochtones, private of right to vote, remain Citoyen S of second zone. It is in May 1945 which the president William Tubman grants the right to vote with the autochtones.

Starting from 1960, Liberia enters during one twenty years time of prosperity, thanks to concessions offered to foreign multinationals (mainly American and German) for the exploitation of the ore layers of Fer.

Inversion of the capacity of thebast ones

In 1971, William Tolbert, vice-president since 1951, reaches the presidency following the death of president Tubman. The economic policy which it follows increases cleavage between américano-bast and indigenous S. And the April 12th 1980, the government is reversed at the time a coup d'etat carried out by Samuel Doe, indigenous which seizes the power. It founds a Dictature quickly.

Turbulences

1989-1997: a disastrous civil war

The civil war in Liberia cost the life nearly 150.000 people, to the civilians for the majority, and caused a total collapse of the State. Thousands of people having been moved inside Liberia and out of its borders, some 850 000 people took refuge in the adjoining countries. The engagements started with the end of the year 1989 and the beginning of the year 1990, causing several hundreds of died during the confrontations between the governmental forces and the combatants claiming itself of a group of opposition, the National Patriotic Front off Liberia (NPFL), directed by a former member of the Government, Charles Taylor.

In 1989, the National Patriotic Face off Liberia (NPFL), a group of opposition under the authority of Charles Taylor, is organized. The revolt gains the worldwide without meeting quickly serious resistance on behalf of the governmental forces. Nevertheless, the projection is stopped with the doors of Monrovia. In same time, the members of the Economic community of the States of West Africa (CEDEAO) decide the sending of its force of interposition, the Economic Community off West African States Cease-fire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), made up of 4 000 men.

At the beginning of the conflict, the Economic community of the States of West Africa (CEDEAO), an regional organization, took various initiatives in order to arrive to a Pacific regulation of the conflict. UNO supported the action taken by CEDEAO to put an end to the civil war, in particular the creation of the Group of military observers of the Economic community of the States of West Africa (ECOMOG) in 1990. In 1992, the Safety advice imposed on Liberia a Embargo on the weapons and the General secretary named an special representative charged to facilitate the talks between CEDEAO and the belligerents.

In 1990, a dissension within the NPLF leads Prince Johnson to make secession, and to create off the Independent National Patriotic Front Liberia (INPFL) with a thousand of dissidents. The September 9th 1990, president Doe is assassinated by Prince Johnson at the time of a visit to the troops of the ECOMOG. The NPLF tries a new attack on Monrovia in 1992, which shows a failure. The situation enlise. War leaders create new dissenting factions. The attempts at resolution of the conflict by the CEDEAO remain vain.

After the signature of the peace agreement of Cotonou (Bénin) in 1993, negotiated thanks to CEDEAO, the Safety advice created the Mission of observation of the United Nations in Liberia (MONUL), which had as a mandate in particular to control the respect of the peace agreement, and to check of it the impartial application by all the parts. The MONUL was the first mission of Maintien of peace that the United Nations undertook in co-operation with a maintenance mission of the peace already setting-up by another organization.

However, of the applications backlogs of the agreements and the resumption of the engagements between bast factions made that there no were elections in February - March 1994, as envisaged. During following months, several additional agreements, amending and specifying certain provisions of the agreement of Cotonou were negotiated. Thanks to the Cease-fire into force, the the United Nations could observe the course of the elections of July 1997, with three years of delay on the initial calendar. After being established, the August 2nd 1997, president Charles Taylor formed a new government and announced the implementation of measures of reconciliation and national unit. The main aim of the MONUL seemed to be achieved.

the 1997-2003 progressive resumption of the civil war

Charles Taylor with the capacity

In 1996, the whole of the factions accept the behavior of a vote under the aegis of CEDEAO. And the July 19th 1997, Charles Taylor is elected president of the republic of Liberia with 75% of the voices. The validity of the election is questioned by the many foreign observers dépéchés for the occasion by international organizations.

In 1998, the ECOMOG leaves Liberia.

In November 1997, the mandate of the MONUL being completed the September 30th, UNO created the Bureau of support of the United Nations for the consolidation of peace in Liberia (BANUL), directed by a representative of the General secretary. Its principal task was to help the government to consolidate peace after the victory of president Charles Taylor in the multi-party elections of July 1997.

With the full support of the Safety advice, the BANUL thus seemed to facilitate the promotion of the national reconciliation and of the good governance and it helped to mobilize an international assistance for the execution of programs of rebuilding and development. More recently, he endeavoured to carry out the tasks of his revised mandate, approved by the Safety advice the April 23rd 2003. Under the terms of this revised mandate, and in addition to its initial tasks, the BANUL was to get busy to help the bast government to meet the needs that it had expressed with regard to the reinforcement of its capacities in the field of the Human rights and for the preparation of the elections, and to work out a strategy of consolidation of peace integrating the political objectives, the assistance with the programs and of the considerations relating to the human rights.

However, the efforts of consolidation of the peace of the BANUL were seriously compromised by the fact that the government with the capacity and the leaders of the opposition appeared unable to overcome their disagreements on question-keys of management of the public affairs. Meanwhile, the promotion of the national reconciliation was weakened by the systematic violations of the human rights, the exclusion and the harassing of the political opponents and the absence of reform in the sector of safety. These elements contributed to the resumption of the civil war in Liberia and encouraged the international community to require of the warring factions to try to arrive to a negotiated payment of the conflict.

The July 8th 2003, whereas the engagements between the governmental forces and several belligerent factions intensified and that one was likely to attend a humane tragedy, the General secretary decided to name Jacques Paul Klein (the United States) as a his Special representative for Liberia (see S/2003/695). He entrusted the task to him to coordinate the activities of the organizations of the United Nations in Liberia and to support new transitory arrangements. The July 29th 2003, the General secretary described the deployment in three phases of the international troops in Liberia, leading to the creation of an operation of maintenance of the multidimensional peace of the United Nations (S/2003/769). It also indicated that following the nomination of Mr. Klein and the creation under consideration of an operation of the United Nations in Liberia, the mandate of the BANUL should of course be completed.

Since then, the situation in Liberia developed quickly. The 2003, the Safety advice adopted the resolution 1497 (2003), authorizing the installation of a multinational force in Liberia and informant whom it was laid out to set up a force of stabilization of UNO which would be deployed at the latest on October 1st, 2003. Moreover, on August 18th, 2003, the bast parts signed with Accra a total peace agreement, in which the parts required of the United Nations to deploy a force in Liberia, under the terms of the Chapter VII|7 charter of the United Nations, which will be charged to support the national transitory Government of Liberia and to facilitate the implementation of the agreement. Thanks to the later deployment of the Mission of the Economic community of the States of West Africa in Liberia, the situation as regards safety in the country improved.

The events led to the creation of the Mission of the United Nations in Liberia (MINUL), in particular the resignation of Taylor, the August 11th. The peaceful way in which making did without the capacities to Liberia (S/2003/875). The deployment of a maintenance mission of the peace of the United Nations is recommended: as well as had requested some the Safety advice, the General secretary presented, the September 11th, a report/ratio (S/2003/875) containing an outline of the general situation in the country, as his recommendations relating to the part which UNO can play to facilitate implementation the effective of the total peace agreement, in particular with regard to the size, the structure and the mandate of an operation of maintenance of peace in Liberia.

The General secretary recommended that the Safety advice, acting under the terms of the Chapter VII|7 charter, authorizes the deployment of an operation of maintenance of the peace of the United Nations equipped with manpower of a maximum of 15 000 men, including 250 military observers, 160 staff officers and a maximum of 875 members of the civil police force, 5 strong armed units made up additional each of 120 people, as well as civil component of appreciable size and of the personnel of necessary support.

MINUL would be a multidimensional operation comprising of the shutters policy, soldier, civil police force, criminal justice, civil cases, human rights, parity man-women, child welfare, GDR, information and support like, at the proper time, an electoral shutter. It would comprise a mechanism of coordination of its activities with those of the humane organizations and the community of the development. It would act as close coordination with CEDEAO and the African Union. In order to ensure a coordinated action of the United Nations vis-a-vis the many problems of the under-area, the Mission would also work in close cooperation with the Mission of the United Nations in Sierra Leone (MINUSIL), the Mission of the United Nations in Ivory Coast (MINUCI) and the Office of the United Nations for West Africa.

Placed under the direction of my Special representative, the Mission would be responsible for its own activities as well as those of the system of the United Nations in Liberia. The Special representative would be assisted by a team of management in particular made up of two associated, a commander of the force having the rank of lieutenant-general of army, and of a police superintendent.

An adviser except class for the parity man-women, shouldered by collaborators, will belong to the Office of the Special representative of the General secretary and will be in charge of the integration of a sexospecific prospect in the various pillars for the Office, like in the context of the civil society and other external partners. In addition, an adviser for the VIH/AIDS, also shouldered by collaborators, will be assistant of the Office of the Special representative to coordinate the activities of prevention of the transmission of the HIV among the civil and military personnel of the Mission and the local communities.

In his report/ratio, the General secretary pointed out that the making of the capacities of President Taylor to the Blah Vice-president and the signature, by the bast parts, of the total peace agreement offered a unique opportunity to put a term at the sufferings of the bast people and to find a peaceful solution with a conflict which had been the epicentre of instability in the under-area. He stressed that if the United Nations and the international community as a whole were ready to support the bast peace process, it was with the bast parts themselves that the responsibility first for the success of the peace agreement fell.

Creation of the MINUL and preparation of the elections of October 2005

The September 19th 2003, the Safety advice adopted the resolution 1509 unanimously (2003), by thanking the General secretary for his report/ratio of September 11th, 2003 and its recommendations. It decided that the MINUL would include/understand 15 000 members of the military personnel of the United Nations, of which a maximum of 250 military observers and 160 staff officers, and 1 115 police officers civil, of which units made up to lend their contest to the maintenance of law and order on all the territory of Liberia, as well as the suitable civil component. The Mission was created for one 12 months period. He requested the General secretary to ensure on October 1st, 2003 the making of the capacities of the forces of the ECOMIL directed by CEDEAO the MINUL.

As envisaged, the Mission of the United Nations in Liberia (MINUL) provided the functions of maintenance of the peace of the forces of the Mission of CEDEAO Liberia (ECOMIL) on October 1st. The few 3.500 West African soldiers who had belonged to the advanced troops of the ECOMIL temporarily capped a beret of soldier of the peace of the United Nations. In an official statement published the same day, the General secretary accommodated this very important evolution with satisfaction and greeted the part played by CEDEAO in the introduction of the climate of security which opened the way with the deployment of the MINUL. He paid homage to the governments of the Bénin, of the Gambia, the Guinea-Bissau, the Mali, the Nigeria, the Senegal and the Togo for their contribution to the MINUL, like the the United States for their support with the regional force. The General secretary is known as trustful that the MINUL could be able to contribute in an important way to the payment of the conflict in Liberia in so far as all the parts concerned cooperate fully with it and that the international community provides the essential resources.

The revolt of 2003

to make

Political transition

After the departure of Charles Taylor, a political transition is started, in particular by the behavior of legislative and presidential elections. The electoral campaign was held without notable incidents, in particular thanks to the presence of 15 000 Blue helmets of the UNMIL, present in the country since October 2003.

The October 11th 2005, the bast ones are called with the ballot boxes to elect their president. Among the 22 candidates, one notes the presence of George Weah (old a star of the Football) and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (a economist and old person in charge within the the World Bank), which is the two favorites in the surveys.

The October 21st, National electoral commission (NEC) announces that George Weah obtained 28,3% of the voices, preceding Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf which had 19,8%. The latter will thus take part in the second turn who took place the November 8th. The final results of this first turn are made public the October 26th, after 20 complaints concerning of the possible frauds were examined.

Concerning the legislative elections, the Congrès for the democratic change (CDC) of George Weah obtained 3 seats out of 26 with the Sénat and 15 out of 64 with the Room of the representative. The Parti the unit of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf obtained 3 seats with the Senate and 9 with the Room of the representatives.

Rate of participation was of 74,9%.

As envisaged, on November 8th takes place the second turn of the presidential election. George Weah brought together around him several politicians of weight, like Winston Tubman (fourth with the first turn), Varney Sherman (fifth with the first turn) and Sékou Conneh (former chief of the rebellion of LURD (plain Libériens for the reconciliation and the democracy)). Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has like support only politicians of second plan, but she hopes that the women will make the difference at the time of the election, to perhaps make she it first democratically elected woman president in Africa. The November 23rd, the National electoral commission (NEC) announces the final results, which declare victorious Ellen Johnson Sirleaf with 59,4% of the votes, against 40,6% for George Weah. The new president must lend oath the January 16th 2006 and give on foot a country devastated by the civil war.

Concerning the formation of sound Government, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf affirmed her intention of “ to form a government of unit which will exceed the lines of fracture between the parties, the ethnos groups, and the religions . ” The only condition is not to be corrupted. It did not exclude the participation from George Weah in the government, while adding: “ But the country will not cease functioning if it is not in the government. We will advance, with or without him . ”

As envisaged, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf lends Serment on January 16th, of many characters policy were present, of which the loser of the second turn, George Weah. With the international level one can note the presence marked for the result of the transition process of the American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, accompanied by the first lady Laura Bush and by his daughter. For Africa there was, the president South-African Thabo Mbeki, of the Senegal Abdoulaye Wade, of the Niger Mamadou Tandja, of the Ghana John Kufuor and of Sierra Leone Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. The France was represented by the minister delegated to the Co-operation, the Development and the Francophonie Brigitte Girardin, the China by the Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, the Guinea by the Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo and the Ivory Coast by Simone Gbagbo, the woman of Laurent Gbagbo the president of the Ivory Coast.

At the time of its speech, it once more stressed the fact that its government will be of union nationale : “ My government will tighten the hand of the friendship and solidarity to rejoin all the political parties (...) while turning the back on our differences ” and that the fight against corruption will be one of its priorités : “ Under my administration, corruption will be the principal public enemy. We will face it and will fight it . ” It thus replaces to date officially Gyude Bryant.

Concerning the Parliament, the two new presidents of each room also lent oath the same day. It is of Isaac Nyenabo for the Sénat and about Edwin Snowe for the National Assembly.

External bond

History of Liberia, on the site Africa-OnWeb.com

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