Public Disclosure Authorized Paper No. 21 / January 2005 Public Disclosure Authorized Community Cohesion in Liberia A Post-War Rapid Social Assessment Paul Richards Steven Archibald Beverlee Bruce Public Disclosure Authorized Watta Modad Edward Mulbah Tornorlah Varpilah James Vincent Public Disclosure Authorized Summary Findings At the core of Liberia’s conflict lies a class of Promoting CDD activities based on generalized marginal young people who currently lack faith in assumptions about ‘community participation’ and any kind of institutions. They consider that family, ‘consensus’ risks empowering certain groups over marriage, education, markets and the administration others. CDD processes should support, as far as of justice have all failed them. Many have preferred practicable, community-led definitions of co- to take their chances with various militia groups. operation and management structures. It must also be Successful peacebuilding, and reconstruction through recognized that some community-based ways of community empowerment will, to a large extent, organizing serve to empower particular groups over depend upon the dismantling of these institutionally others, and that external agency/NGO-initiated embedded distinctions between citizens and subjects. structures typically do likewise. A genuinely inclusive, appropriately targeted community-driven development (CDD) process There is a danger in seeing CDD activities only in could play a crucial role in shaping a different kind of technical terms, e.g., as an exercise in simply society, but only if it incorporates marginalized and providing infrastructure, or in transferring socially-excluded groups in the rebuilding process. international procedures for participatory development. To avoid this, communities themselves The rapid social assessment (RSA) reveals that the need to engage in analysis of different forms of co- assumptions of social cohesion, community operation and solidarity to create social capital that participation and consensus underpinning some CDD encourages cohesion. This can only be attempted activities in Liberia are too optimistic given Liberia's with the active involvement of Liberian groups dualistic legacy and should be reconsidered. seeking the return to constitutional rule. Community in Liberia is a deeply contested notion, reflecting historical inequalities in access to land, and Successful social reintegration requires support for distinctions between persons considered to be local conciliation processes, and mechanisms to "civilized" and "aboriginal". A more realistic set of encourage open, informed debate around issues of assumptions is required. Donors need to work with justice and human rights. Peace will largely depend the Liberian government to change ground rules in on the successful reintegration of ex-combatants and relation to land, labor and justice. Agencies need to the larger group of dispossessed, uprooted young invest in local-level conflict resolution and rights- people vulnerable to future militia recruitment. Jobs based development activity to shape a new and more and skills training are only part of what is needed. inclusive community dynamic. Processes of conciliation, and examination of issues of justice and rights, will also be important. Without The report includes suggestions on how to address support for community-driven peace-making these issues. A key point is to trigger a process in activities, alongside CDD activities, social fund which rural people are challenged to devise more projects may do no more than rebuild some of the inclusive notions of community and social cohesion societal causes of conflict. as part of the post-war rebuilding process. In order to contribute to stability in Liberia, CDD must firmly The report includes the following recommendations: focus on the inclusion of socially marginalized (i) ensure equal opportunities for CDD participation; groups. Further entrenchment of personal rule and (ii) ensure consistent dissemination of information; the privileges of a rural minority will only hasten the (iii) ensure that vested interests do not dominate return of war. CDD processes; (iv) support community-led creation of representative structures; (v) address barriers to War in Liberia reflects a long-term agrarian crisis CDD in remote areas; (vi) enhance agrarian based on inter-generational tensions and the failure of employment opportunities; (vii) promote rural institutions. Addressing the roots of the crisis participatory and accountable local governance; and requires changes to institutional frameworks that (viii) promote rights-based and conflict resolution influence rural social solidarity, including marriage approaches to reintegration. and access to land. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PAPERS Conflict Prevention & Reconstruction Paper No. 21 / Januray 2005 Community Cohesion in Liberia A Post-War Rapid Social Assessment Paul Richards Steven Archibald Beverlee Bruce Watta Modad Edward Mulbah Tornorlah Varpilah James Vincent This Working Papers Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage discussion and exchange of ideas on conflict and development issues. Papers in this series are not formal publications of the World Bank. This paper has not undergone the review accorded to official World Bank publications. The findings, interpretations and conclusions herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or its Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The series is edited by the Conflict Prevention and Reconstruction Unit in the Social Development Department of the Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Network for the World Bank. To request copies of the paper or for more information on the series, please contact the CPR Unit. Papers are also available on the CPR Unit’s website. For additional copies of this paper, please contact: Conflict Prevention & Reconstruction Social Development Department The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433 Fax: 202-522-3247 Web : http://www.worldbank.org/conflict (see “Publications” in the navigation menu) E-mail: [email protected] Printed on Recycled Paper Table of Contents Acronyms.....................................................................................................................................................iii Acknowledgements......................................................................................................................................iv Map ............................................................................................................................................................... v Executive Summary.....................................................................................................................................vi 1. The Rapid Social Assessment.................................................................................................................1 1.1 Approach .............................................................................................................................................1 1.2 The Liberian Peace Process.................................................................................................................2 2. Approach.................................................................................................................................................3 2.1 Socio-Cultural, Institutional, Historical, Political Contexts................................................................3 2.2 Current Context: National and Regional Economic, Political and Social Aspects .............................6 2.2.1 Economic Context: War-Lordism and Grass Roots Economy .....................................................6 2.2.2. Political and Social Context: Beyond Coercion and Deference ..................................................8 2.2.3 Regional Context: What Goes Around Must Come Around? ......................................................9 2.3 Relevant Legislative and Regulatory Considerations........................................................................11 3. Core Themes .........................................................................................................................................11 3.1 Stakeholders ......................................................................................................................................11 3.1.1 Stayees........................................................................................................................................12 3.1.2 Strangers and Clients ..................................................................................................................12 3.1.3 Outlying Villages........................................................................................................................13 3.1.4 Civil Society Organizations........................................................................................................13 3.1.5 Media ..........................................................................................................................................14 3.2 Participation and Consultation Mechanisms .....................................................................................14 3.3 Social Diversity and Gender..............................................................................................................16