Unlock Liberia Bomi and Grand Gedeh

UNLocK Liberia Turning the Page on Charles Taylor

April - August 2012 Founded in 1957, the Fund for Peace is an independent, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that works to prevent violent conflict and promote sustainable security. We promote sustainable security through research, training and education, engagement of civil society, building bridges across diverse sectors, and developing innovative technologies 55th Anniversary 1957-2012 and tools for policy makers. A leader in the conflict assessment and early warning field, the Fund for Peace focuses on the problems of weak and failing states. Our objective is to create practical tools and approaches for conflict mitigation that are useful to decision-makers.

The Fund for Peace Conflict Early Warning and Assessment Produced in partnership with Liberia Democracy Watch

UNLocK Reports Series Editors Kendall Lawrence Nate Haken Patricia Taft

Report Written by Nóra Loncsár

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www.fundforpeace.org 2 The Fund for Peace UNLocK Liberia Bomi and Grand Gedeh

Introduction

On April 26, 2012, the International is very high. In the absence of the rule of law, Methodology 4 Criminal Court convicted Liberia’s former mobs and communities take justice into their National Level Analysis 5 president Charles Taylor for his role in the own hands. At the border with Côte d’Ivoire commission of crimes against humanity (from whence Taylor originally launched his Indicator Trends 6 during the war in Sierra Leone in the 1990s. rebellion against Doe) armed groups and County-Level Analysis 7 For Sierra Leone, this brought a dark chapter mercenaries are reportedly active at the local Looking Ahead 10 to a close — and for Liberia as well. level. Sustainable human security has not yet About The Fund for Peace 11 taken hold in Liberia. As the United Nations From 1989 to 1990, Charles Taylor and Prince Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) continues to draw About Liberia Democracy Watch 11 Johnson fought to overthrow then-president down, the continued weakness of the police Samuel Doe. After Johnson captured and and army has raised real concerns over killed Doe (sipping a Budweiser as he whether the government is ready to take chopped off his ears), he and Taylor fought a ownership of the country’s security when the The second-most frequently reported bloody war for control of Monrovia. Taylor mission finally departs. category of incidents between April and eventually took power, but the country was August, 2012, was Pressures on Effective plunged into a civil war that lasted until 2003 This report is not a comprehensive political Governance. By many accounts, corruption is when peacekeepers were deployed and risk assessment of the likelihood of conflict a big problem in Liberia. Cases of corruption Taylor was exiled to Nigeria. onset in Liberia. Rather, it is a snapshot of the by public security forces and government— priorities and concerns of a local civil society to include embezzlement, nepotism, Researchers from The Fund for Peace (FFP) network living in communities across mismanagement of development funds and and Liberia Democracy Watch (LDW) were Liberia’s 15 counties. Over the last five years, malfeasance in the justice system—were present in Gbarnga, Taylor’s erstwhile base of this network has been regularly taking the widely recorded. Recently, Laymah Gbowee, operations, for a conflict assessment pulse of the country, gathering and coding the fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate of Ellen workshop on the day of the conviction. Riot incidents that indicate the risk of human Johnson Sirleaf, decided to leave the police and UNMIL forces were deployed en insecurity from their point of view. This government claiming that the President masse, standing by in the event of protest. report reflects the social, economic, political, failed to adequately tackle the issue of However, time had apparently passed Taylor and security factors that must be managed corruption in her government. 3 President by. People went about their businesses. “It’s for a peaceful and prosperous future. Sirleaf has been accused of nepotism in the over,” one person said. past, when three of her sons were allocated The most frequently reported category of prominent government positions. Charles Taylor’s chapter may be closed but incidents between April and August was Additionally, after a steady improvement on the echoes of history still remain a decade Insecurity (which includes murder, assault, the Corruption Perceptions Index, in 2011 after the end of the war. Prince Johnson is robbery, rape, and violent protests, as well as Liberia’s score worsened for the first time now Senator of Nimba County. The same attacks by public security forces and armed since 2007. 4 Further indicative of challenges ethnic tensions that contributed to the gangs). These concerns over human security with respect to state legitimacy and effective outbreak of war still exist today. For much of highlight the weaknesses of the Liberian governance, there were numerous protests the country beyond Monrovia, the National Police, which lacks the capacity, and strikes throughout the country in government is a faint and distant idea. Basic financial resources and personnel to response to various issues, including land infrastructure and public services are few. effectively deal with the current security and grabbing, police checkpoints, low salaries and According to the October 2012 report of the evolving security concerns. There is only one the perceived unlawful detention of International Monetary Fund, Liberia is the police officer for every 850 Liberian citizens suspects. fifth poorest country in the world. 1 and the visibility of the national police is Unemployment, especially among the youth, especially low in rural areas. 2 The third-most often reported category of

www.fundforpeace.org 3 The Fund for Peace Introduction

incidents related to human rights violations. There are also land disputes between Furthermore, this latter type of conflict Sexual violence (particularly the rape of individuals and between communities. One frequently has an ethnic dimension, since — children and teenage girls) and abuses of the main sources of these disputes is the given the dynamics of the Liberian civil war committed by teachers, were among the most complex legal systems that govern land — the ex-combatants and returnees often often documented cases. Other human rights ownership in Liberia, as the same piece of belong to different ethnic groups. For related incidents in this reporting period land often falls under both customary and instance, in Nimba County, the Gio and Mano included domestic violence, violation of the statutory law, creating competing claims of people fought on the side of former rights of the accused and forced ownership. These cases are hard to settle as President Charles Taylor, while those who displacement. most Liberians lack proper documentation fled mostly belong to the Mandingo ethnic and while a land registry does exist,, it has group. Therefore, the increased prevalence of Finally, a significant proportion of the not been maintained since the outbreak of these conflicts not only indicates that the reported incidents were related to land the war, rendering it largely useless. Other reforms and policies that the government has competition, which on several occasions led land disputes have their origin in the civil put in place to address land disputes are slow to violence. In the construction of roads and war, when combatants captured — or were to show results, but also highlights the urgent private projects there is frequently confusion given — the land of those who fled as a need for a comprehensive reconciliation over efficient and appropriate compensation reward for their participation in the conflict. program among the various tribal and ethnic to land owners and residents who are to be As refugees are gradually returning to Liberia, groups. displaced as a result. they often find their property occupied, creating tensions in the community.

1 International Monetary Fund (2012). World Economic Outlook Database: October 2012 Edition. Retrieved from http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/ weo/2012/02/weodata/index.aspx. 2 Mackay, M (2012, October 11). Nobel Peace Prize winner rips fellow laureate over corruption. CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/11/world/africa/ nobel-peace-prize-leymah-gbowee/index.html. 3 Transparency International (2011). Corruption Perceptions Index. Retrieved from http://www.transparency.org/research/cpi/overview. 4 Search for Common Ground/Talking Drum Studio and SIPRI (2011). Security Sector Reform in Liberia. Retrieved from http://www.sfcg.org/programmes/liberia/pdf/ Liberia%20SSR%20Report.pdf.

www.fundforpeace.org 4 The Fund for Peace UNLocK Liberia Methodology

About the Report

From March 2010 to August 2012 FFP the conflict landscape in Liberia which is then The 8 UNLocK indicators for which data is conducted 14 conflict assessment workshops used to anticipate and respond to the major sought include social, economic, and in Liberia in partnership with LDW. In Bong, pressures that could lead to conflict. In the political/military pressures on the state: Bomi, Grand Bassa, Grand Gedeh, Nimba, and short term, this information acts as a warning, Lofa Counties, as well as Monrovia, allowing people to avoid potential conflict Social and Economic Indicators individuals and civil society organizations zones. More broadly, this information can be have been trained in a conflict assessment used by government and civil society to Demographic Pressures methodology utilizing FFP’s Conflict inform conflict sensitive approaches to Assessment System Tool (CAST) framework. development and policy. As of this Refugees or Displaced Persons The CAST framework was then adapted for publication, over 1050 incident reports had relevance through a consultative and been filed representing participation from at Group Grievance participatory process and tailored to the local least 100 civil society organizations. Economic Pressures conflict landscape, resulting in the UNLocK framework with eight indicators. The UNLocK has focused on two counties in Political and Military Indicators framework is applied by the network of local Liberia for this report due to several reasons. civil society representatives to assess, FFP staff traveled to Liberia in July 2012, and Governance/Legitimacy anticipate, and take actions to prevent held an UNLocK workshop in Bomi County, violent conflict. and saw many of these pressures still Public Services reflected. Grand Gedeh has been included Since the UNLocK Early Warning System was due to its proximity to Cote d’Ivoire and Human Rights established in 2008, participants have been increased reports of rising tensions from submitting incident reports to a password- UNLocK network participants in the county, as Insecurity protected database organized by date, well as from findings from LDW visitations. In location and indicator. These incident reports particular, there have been reports of armed are then compiled to generate an image of groups in the area.

www.fundforpeace.org 5 The Fund for Peace UNLocK Liberia Indicator Trends

Comparative Periodic Analysis: Indicator Trends

As with previous UNLocK Liberia Reports by Indicator: April to August 2012 publications, this one focuses on two counties for a more detailed review. In this Percentage of reports per indicator = National case, because of the relative richness of the = Bomi data in these two counties over this five = Grand Gedeh month period, and because of the risk factors 24 highlighted in the data, this report focuses on

Grand Gedeh and Bomi counties. Regarding Insecurity human insecurity, Grand Gedeh was of heightened concern because of the 18 Economic Pressures Pressures Economic continued existence of a large Ivorian refugee population which strains limited Effective Governance Governance Effective resources, armed activities across the border Refugees and IDPs IDPs and Refugees Demographic Pressures Pressures Demographic Rights Human Miscellaneous Group Grievance Grievance Group with Cote d’Ivoire, and the deplorable state

12 Services Public of the roads which virtually isolates the county from the rest of the country during the rainy season. In Bomi, there were many complaints by respondents about eviction 6 and the demolition of homes in the course of government development projects . Bomi is also host to a large UNMIL base and its heavy 0 reliance on UNMIL for even basic public services and security highlighted the inability of the government to expand its reach even a short 70 kilometers outside of the capital, raising real concerns for exacerbated pressures when the mission finally withdraws.

www.fundforpeace.org 6 The Fund for Peace UNLocK Liberia County-Level Analysis

About Grand Gedeh County

Although Grand Gedeh is Most notably, problems related to the living Liberia geographically the second-largest county of conditions of refugees, including inadequate Liberia, its population only constitutes 3.6 food supply and transportation challenges, Lofa percent of the total population. It is situated were the most often reported incidents in Gbarpolu at the southeast of the country and consists this period. Moreover, reports were also M P of eight districts: B’Hai, Gbao, Glio-Twarbo, compiled regarding the continued presence G Bong Nimba Puto, Gboe-Ploe, Konobo, Tchien and Cavalla. of armed groups in the county who may be i Bomi ib g Over 96 percent of its people are Khran training and recruiting individuals inside of ar M Grand Montserrado speakers (as was deposed President Samuel Liberia. Bassa s Grand Gedeh es C Doe) and the county also hosts people from r e iv the Sapo, Bassa and Kpelle ethnic groups. The second-most reported indicator in the R Sinoe county was the lack of effective and River Gee

Grand Gedeh is rich in natural resources, legitimate governance. A large number of G ran d K especially in timber and gold, and it had a incident reports centered on continued ru booming mining and logging industry before economic pressures, particularly illicit Maryland the Liberian civil war. However, the civil war economic activities, such as drug trafficking. and the subsequent sanctions on timber Because of Grand Gedeh’s isolation and the exports badly hurt these industries, which are poor conditions of the roads leading to the still struggling to recover, leaving many county, the cost of fuel and commodities is people unemployed. Furthermore, the war higher than in the rest of the country. This destroyed the limited existing infrastructure causes increased tension, particularly adding to the development challenges of the between Liberians and the refugee county. communities. UNLocK participants also reported frustrations about the awarding of Due to its proximity to Côte d’Ivoire, Grand land to companies for resource extraction Gedeh was and is significantly affected by and other projects. the various conflicts in the neighboring state.

www.fundforpeace.org 7 The Fund for Peace County-Level Analysis

About Bomi County

Bomi is the second-smallest county inadequate capacity — were widely reported. Liberia in Liberia with a population of 84,119. It is Finally, an overall shortage of teachers and

Lofa situated at northwestern part of country and opportunities for receiving higher education has four administrative districts: Dowein, has reportedly prompted many young people

Gbarpolu Klay, Senjeh and Suehn Mecca. Its population to migrate to other parts of the country,

M P mostly belongs to the Gola, Dei, Mandingo particularly Monrovia, or abroad, resulting in G Bong Nimba and Kpelle ethnic groups, with 60 percent significant brain drain. Bomi i ib g being Muslim and 40 percent Christian. ar M Grand Montserrado Human rights violations, which were the most Bassa s Grand Gedeh es As was true in Grand Gedeh County (where often reported incidents, constitute another C r e iv R Samuel Doe was born), the civil war had a considerable problem in Bomi. In line with Sinoe River Gee devastating impact on Bomi. Due to its the national trend, sexual violence against proximity to Monrovia, many of the fighting small children and teenagers was widely G ran d K factions launched their operations from Bomi, reported, along with cases in the education ru for example the Liberians United for system where teachers forced female Maryland Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebel students to have sex in exchange for better faction that was ultimately responsible for grades. Besides the health and social forcing Taylor into exile. The war not only consequences for women, sexual violence destroyed the county’s infrastructure and reflects a breakdown in the rule of law, which healthcare system, but also contributed to is among the most serious drivers of human the stagnation of agricultural activities, iron insecurity over the long term and needs to be ore mining and timber production, sectors addressed. Other human rights violations in which had flourished before the war. this reporting period included incidents related to child abuse, child labor, restrictions Concerns over infrastructure and public of the freedom of speech and the violation of services were also reflected in the UNLocK the rights of detainees. reports, as this was the second-most reported indicator between April and August. For UNLocK reports also highlighted land instance, there were reports that the poor competition as a major problem in Bomi. condition of roads, especially during the rainy Incidents related to land disputes between season, hinders trade and prevents access to individuals and communities, and as a result healthcare, while a polluted and inadequate of infrastructure projects which resulted in water supply has led to intra-communal the eviction of residents. Lastly, concerns conflicts and cholera outbreaks. Additionally, over unemployment, inflation, poverty, drug problems with the healthcare system — abuse and biases in the justice system were including corruption, low salaries and also noted.

www.fundforpeace.org 8 The Fund for Peace County-Level Analysis

Grand Gedeh Timeline: UNLocK Incident Reports 2012

April May June July August

The people of Grand Gedeh Great Britain confirmed the pres- The Former Development Former faction leader Thomas County are closely moni- ence of armed groups in Grand superintendent was charged Yaya Nimley from Liberia has toring the corruption Gedeh County. with corruption for mismanage- been linked to crisis in charges label against the ment of the County Develop- neighboring Cote d’Ivoire. superintendent and his Refugees in Konobo district do deputy. ment Fund (CDF). not receive food supplies in host communities, only those in the Bad road conditions have refugee camps receive aid. stopped the transfer of Refugees from Konobo Camp to Plan Timber Product (PTP) camp.

Bomi Timeline: UNLocK Incident Reports 2012

April May June July August

A new case of sexual ex- Given the high level of Most of the government The abrupt demolition of houses in ploitation has been re- unemployment, people are schools lack sufficient Tubmanburg left no time for the ported at the Bomi Junior forced to leave their teachers. relocation of the habitants, displac- High School. homes and family to find ing several families that are now work. There are many land dispute homeless. Bad road conditions cases ongoing in Bomi leading to the Gonjeh A sick child was denied County. A 14 year old girl was raped by a Clinic are claimed to be entrance to a hospital 28 year old man. since his parents didn’t the reason for the death A pregnant woman died on have the financial condi- of several patients before her way to the Government A single mother brutalized her tions to pay for the costs. their arrival to the hospital due to bad road own child, who serves as the bread hospital. conditions that made it winner for the family, since the A child between age of 2 difficult for the ambulance to child refused to go to sell on the years has raped by an 28 reach the woman. street. years old man.

www.fundforpeace.org 9 The Fund for Peace UNLocK Liberia Conclusion

Looking Ahead

Liberia has made some significant the capital as Bomi, still do not have regular given serious attention in the coming year, progress over the near-decade since fighting access to safe drinking water, education, and particularly if Côte d’Ivoire becomes unstable ceased and a fragile peace was restored. This basic medical services. In addition, the again, as there is the possibility of such progress includes the successful holding of extremely poor capacity of the police and instability dragging Liberia into conflict two national elections with only minor judicial system has deeply undermined the again. violence reported, the ambitious legitimacy of the government, which more reconstruction of the capital and the opening and more Liberians are coming to see as Finally, although Liberia has come a long way of the country for direct foreign investment. corrupt and inadequate. This leads to real from the gross human rights abuses In addition, Liberians themselves have made fears that when UNMIL pulls out of the experienced during the Taylor period, there is progress in healing the divisions that kept country there will be a security gap that may still a fundamental lack of human security their country locked in a seemingly lead to the resumption of fighting, pervasive throughout the country and in interminable cycle of violence for nearly a particularly over access to basic goods and these two counties in particular. Rape, child decade and a half. Ethnic and religious services. abuse, and other forms of sexual violence are cleavages, which were exploited and prevalent and are becoming more so. These exacerbated by warlords like Taylor and Doe, As highlighted in the Grand Gedeh example are fueled by the overall lack of a police have gone a long way towards being healed above, another concern to Liberia’s security is presence to prevent or respond to such with most Liberians desiring peace and the insecurity of its neighbors, particularly crimes and the judiciary to prosecute and stability more than a return to war. Côte d’Ivoire. In a county like Grand Gedeh, adjudicate them. Without rapid government which in the past has been used as a base for investment into cleaning up corruption and However, despite these achievements, there the launching of insurgencies both within building the capacity of these two remain several factors that could fuel a return Liberia itself and also Côte d’Ivoire, tensions fundamental sectors, most everyday to instability, particularly in Bomi and Grand continue over border insecurity and resource Liberians will continue to mistrust the Gedeh counties. As noted above, while the competition. In addition, the isolation of that leadership in Monrovia and the ability of government has declared its intention to particular county from the rest of the country their country to become stable and rapidly extend public services outside of the often drives a deeper sense of abandonment democratic absent outside assistance. capital, it has been very slow in doing so. and disregard by the government in Most Liberians, even in a county as close to Monrovia. These factors will need to be

www.fundforpeace.org 10 The Fund for Peace About The Partners

About The Fund for Peace

The Fund for Peace is an states. We work at both the grassroots level independent, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) non- with civil society actors and at policy levels profit research and educational organization with key decision makers. We have worked in that works to prevent violent conflict and over 50 countries with a wide range of promote sustainable security. partners in all sectors: governments, 55th Anniversary 1957-2012 international organizations, the military, We promote sustainable security through nongovernmental organizations, academics, www. fund for peace .org research, training and education, engagement journalists, civil society networks, and the of civil society, building bridges across private sector. diverse sectors, and developing innovative technologies and tools for policy makers. The Fund for Peace offers a wide range of initiatives focused on our central objective: A leader in the conflict assessment and early to promote sustainable security and the warning field, the Fund for Peace focuses on ability of a state to solve its own problems the problems of weak and failing states. Our peacefully without an external military or objective is to create practical tools and administrative presence. Our programs fall approaches for conflict mitigation that are into three primary thematic areas: useful to decision-makers. • Conflict Early Warning and Assessment;

• Transnational Threats; and The Fund for Peace adopts a holistic approach • Sustainable Development, Sustainable to the issues stemming from weak and failing Security. About Liberia Democracy Watch

Liberia Democracy Watch was collection of local elections observer groups established in late 1996 in the build up to the funded by the National Democratic Institute 1997 elections in Liberia. The organization (NDI) which comprised the Catholic Justice was founded by a group of university and Peace Commission (JPC), FOCUS and graduates who envisioned a society devoid of many other local organizations. Between socio-political abuses, corruption and the 1997 and 2005, Liberia was wrought with waning respect for the rule of law. As part of socio-political and economic abuses its first engagement, LDW was a founding necessitating the shift of focus to human member of the elections observatory group: rights and related issues. Liberia Elections Observers Network (LEON), a www. liberia democracy watch .org

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