VOLUME 33 2008 Number 1 LIBERIAN STUDIES JOURNAL Nation of Nation of Counties of SIERRA LEONE Liberia Nation of IVORY COAST -6°N Atlantic Ocean 0 50 Miles Geography Apartment University of Pittshurgh at Johnstown irw Map Updated: 2003 Published by THE LIBERIAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION, INC. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor LIBERIAN STUDIES JOURNAL Editorial Policy The Liberian Studies Journal is dedicated to the publication of original research on social, political, economic, scientific, and other issues about Liberia or with implications for Liberia. Opinions of contributors to the Journal do not necessarily reflect the policy of the organiza- tions they represent or the Liberian Studies Association, publisher of the Journal. Manuscript Requirements Manuscripts submitted for publication should not exceed 25 typewritten, double-spaced pages, with margins of one-and a-half inches. The page limit includes graphs, references, tables and appendices. Authors may, in addition to their manuscripts, submit a computer disk of their work preferably in MS Word 2007 or WordPerfect 8.0 (or higher) for Windows. Notes and references should be placed at the end of the text with headings. Notes, if any, should precede the references. The Journal is published in June and December. The deadline for the first issue is February 28, and for the second, August 31. Manuscripts should include a cover page that provides the title of the text, author's name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and affiliation. Anonymous referees will review all works. Manuscripts are accepted in English and French. Manuscripts must conform to the editorial style of either the Chicago Manual of Style (CMA), The American Psychological Association (APA), or Modern Language Associa- tion (MLA). Authors should send their manuscripts for consideration by regular mail or e-mail attach- ments to James S. Guseh, Editor Liberian Studies Journal North Carolina Central University Durham, North Carolina 27707 Email: [email protected] Phone: 919-530-5201 All Book Reviews should be mailed to Amos J. Beyan, Editor Liberian Studies Journal 4453 Friedmann Hall, Department of History Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008 Email: [email protected] Phone: 269-387-4567 Indexing and Abstracting: The Liberian Studies Journal is indexed and/or abstracted by America: History and Life (1970-); Bibliographic Index (Jan. 1990-); Current Abstracts (Jun. 2009); Historical Abstracts (1970-); International Bibliographies of the Social Sci- ences International Political Science Abstracts; Linguistic Bibliography; MLA Interna- tional Bibliography (Modern Language Association of America); RILM Abstracts of Music Literature (Repertoire International de Littermate (Musicale) (1973-). PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor VOLUME 33 2008 Number 1 LIBERIAN STUDIES JOURNAL Editor James S. Guseh North Carolina Central University Associate Editor Emmanuel 0. Oritsejafor North Carolina Central University Book Review Editor Amos Beyan Western Michigan University EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: William C. Allen, Virginia State University Warren d' Azevedo, University of Nevada Alpha M. Bah, College of Charleston Lawrence Breitborde, Knox College Christopher Clapham, Lancaster University D. Elwood Dunn, Sewanee-The University of the South Yekutiel Gershoni, Tel Aviv University Thomas Hayden, Society of African Missions Svend E. Holsoe, University of Delaware Sylvia Jacobs, North Carolina Central University James N. J. Kollie, Sr., University of Liberia Coroann Olcorodudu, Rowan College of N. J. Romeo E. Philips, Kalamazoo College Momo K. Rogers, Kpazolu Media Enterprises Henrique F. Tokpa, Cuttington University College LIBERIAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Alpha M. Bah, College of Charleston, President Mary Moran, Colgate University, Secretary-Treasurer James S. Guseh, North Carolina Central University, Parliamentarian Yekutiel Gershoni, Tel Aviv University, Past President Timothy A. Rainey, Johns Hopkins University Joseph Holloway, California State University-Northridge FORMER EDITORS Amos J. Beyan Al-Hassan Conteh C. William Allen Edward J. Biggane D. Elwood Dunn\ Svend Holsoe Jo Sullivan Edited at North Carolina Central University Department of Public Administration and the Office of International Affairs The Editors and Advisory Board gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the Department of Public Administration and the Office of International Affairs at North Carolina Central University. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor CONTENTS IF I COULD SPEAK TO MADAM PRESIDENT: RETURNEE WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE OF RETURN, REINTEGRATION AND PEACE IN LIBERIA* Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso TOWARD QUALITY EDUCAITON IN LIBERIA Sakui Malakpa 23 POLITICAL COMMUNICAITON, DEMOCRACY, AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN LIBERIA Edward Lama Wonkeryor, Ph.D. 33 RESEARCH NOTES: ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF IS THE 24TH , NOT 23RD PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA A NEW INTERPRETATIVE HSITORY William E. Allen and D. Elwood Dunn 64 NEW PUBLICATONS ON OR RELEVANT TO LIBERIA 69 DOCUMENTS William V.S. Tubman Papers 79 Sen. Edward M. Kennedy Report on Liberia 138 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor If I could speak to Madam President: Returnee Women'sExperiences of Return, Reintegration and Peace in Liberia* Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso ABSTRACT When the war in Liberia ended in 2003, an estimated 350,000 persons had become refugees. By 2005, about 200,000 refugees had returned with females constituting about 51% of these re- turnees. However, the literature establishes that the return and suc- cessful reintegration of refugees can contribute to building confidence in the peace process, and to legitimizing the new polit- ical order after elections. As part of my doctoral research on gender and returnee reintegration, field-work was carried out in Liberia in 2006. Interviews, focus group discussions and documentary analy- sis were utilized in five counties involving returnee refugees and various community leaders and agency staff. The evidence indicates that their perception of Liberia as `home' has shifted; their experiences of reintegration have been dif- ficult; and that the sustainability of their return and reintegration is seriously in doubt. Importantly, they had plenty to say to the Pres- ident though their voices felt lost and unrecognized. Key words: Return, Reintegration, Returnee Refugees. Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She also teaches Political Science at Babcock University, Nigeria. Her current re- search interests include women and post-conflict reconstruction, truth commissions and transitional justice, research methods in peace and conflict studies, forced migration in South Asia, and African politics especially. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor 2 IF I COULD SPEAK TO MADAM PRESIDENT INTRODUCTION: IF I COULD SPEAK TO MADAM PRESIDENT... "A lot of children have problems. Teenage pregnancy, father- less children....Most people in my community are very poor; the children dirty; no plan for school. So I want to help children. Espe- cially women that feel their time has passed. Like in my class, some girls can't write, they feel discouraged and people laugh at them, they don't come to school for two, three days...." "I have not really contributed anything [to my community] be- cause the other community denied our participation. Even in market places, at the well our children are denied of getting water...." "[I advocate] for women participation in decision making. [I advocate for] putting our skill into practice to give support for our country." "Women are contributing to post war reconstruction and peace building through life skill training and giving support to our hus- band, brother and sister." "[Encourage] the younger girls to take education seriously, and to do a trade that will back their education." "Guinea was better, because UN used to give us food in Guinea." "[In exile], UN guard me. Anything that happens you quickly run to UN. Well, things are not materializing now. Things still stay ugly like we are, like we were in Ghana. I really need help." "...We feel that with total peace, development will follow." SETTING THE CONTEXT: Background and Research Questions At independence in the 1960s, Africans were full of hope for the future, and the assumption that they were better suited to craft- ing their own destiny and development. Those hopes and expecta- PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor OLAJUMOKE YACOB-HALISO 3 tions were shattered within a decade of independence in much of Africa. Although Liberia was not colonized she also fell into the abyss of political instability. A series of riots culminated in Samuel Doe's military coup and the previously peaceful country entered into an era (1979- 2003) of social, political, and economic unrest never before witnessed by her citizens, and that lasted over two decades in all. During that time, a series of back-to-back civil wars were fought,