UNMIL FOCUS

Vol. 3, No. 01UNMIL FOCUS

September - November 2006

Liberia an Exampleof Hope: Kofi AnnanReclaiming National ForestsRebuilding Infrastructure

2 UNMIL FOCUS September - November 2006

Message From the Special Representativeof the Secretary-General

Alan DossSpecial Representative of theSecretary-General and Coordinator ofUnited Nations Operations in Liberia

Since I lastwrote inU N M I LFOCUS,the gov-

ernment and peo-ple of Liberia havecontinued to makesubstantial stridesin reconstructingthe nation thatuntil recently wasa victim of a longand painful con-flict.

In lateSeptember, I had the opportunity to brief theSecurity Council in New York on Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s latest report on Liberia.The report detailed the progress the country hasmade so far in collaboration with the UnitedNations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). While not-ing that Liberia is an example of hope as it strivessteadfastly to achieve sustainable peace, theSecretary-General also stressed the need for sig-nificant support from the international communi-ty as the nation faces immense challenges inreconstructing its vandalised economy and inmending its torn social fabric.

Security still remains one of the major con-cerns, as pointed out in the progress report, andUNMIL is encouraging the Government ofLiberia to draw up a comprehensive security pol-icy and strategy. Simultaneously, the restructur-ing of the Liberia National Police is ongoing,with the recruitment and training of a new force.

The training of the recruits for the new ArmedForces of Liberia began in July and already overone hundred of the first group of trainees, includ-ing ten women, have graduated. The new AFL isexpected to be partially operational by late 2008.

As the economy picks-up, prevention of crime-- essentially a policing task -- must continue tobe a high priority for UNMIL. For this, theLiberia National Police requires urgent, addition-al donor support, especially for communicationsequipment and transportation, well beyond whathas already been delivered or pledged by donors.UNMIL has assisted the Government in prepar-

ing financing proposals to donor partners, inorder to meet these requirements. I hope donorswill respond favourably.

Laying emphasis on locally-driven develop-ment to spur economic growth, UNMIL, togeth-er with the UN funds and agencies, has initiatedthe creation of a UN County Support Team(CST) in each of Liberia’s 15 counties. Theseteams have now begun assisting local authoritiesin the counties to design, coordinate and imple-ment community development projects. This ini-tiative is the UN family’s response to the govern-ment’s policy of decentralization and aligns UNassistance with the country’s own developmentagenda.

The UN family in Liberia continues to workactively in infrastructural development, educa-tion, health sector and refugee returns to supportthe Government’s own reconstruction efforts.

In October, I attended the meeting of theHeads of the United Nations Peace Missions inWest Africa that was held in Dakar. The meetingacknowledged the Security Council’s continuedsupport for the consolidation of peace in Liberiaand drew attention to the need for job creation,national reconciliation and the realistic manage-ment of expectations among the Liberian popula-tion and the international community. A majorissue deliberated at this meeting was the fragilepeace process in Côte d’Ivoire, a subject closelylinked to Liberia’s own prospects for lastingpeace.

A lot more work remains to be done beforeLiberia can fully emerge from the shadow ofconflict. In view of the massive challenges facingthe country, the international community willneed to remain closely engaged in Liberia whilethe process of reform and renewal moves ahead.This will be the focus of the Partners Forum,which will bring Liberia and its partners togeth-er in Washington, D.C., next February.

September - November 2006 UNMIL FOCUS 3

SSppeecciiaall RReepprreesseennttaattiivvee ooff tthheeSSeeccrreettaarryy-GGeenneerraall aanndd CCoooorrddiinnaattoorrooff UUnniitteedd NNaattiioonnss OOppeerraattiioonnss iinnLLiibbeerriiaaAlan DDoss

DDeeppuuttyy SSppeecciiaall RReepprreesseennttaattiivvee ooff tthheeSSeeccrreettaarryy-GGeenneerraall ffoorr RReeccoovveerryy aanndd GGoovveerrnnaanncceeJordan RRyan

OOffffiicceerr-iinn-CChhaarrggee ooff PPuubblliiccIInnffoorrmmaattiioonnBen DDotsei MMalor

EEddiittoorr aanndd HHeeaadd ooff PPuubblliiccaattiioonnssMathew EElavanalthoduka

SSttaaffff WWrriitteerrssYuko MMaedaSulaiman MMomodu J. WWesley WWashington

DDeessiiggnn aanndd GGrraapphhiiccssPaddy DDefoxy IIlos, III

PPhhoottoossEric KKanalstein

PPuubblliisshheedd bbyy tthhee PPuubblliicc IInnffoorrmmaattiioonnOOffffiiccee,, UUnniitteedd NNaattiioonnss MMiissssiioonn iinnLLiibbeerriiaa

uunnmmiillffooccuuss@@uunnmmiill..oorrgg

Printed by Buck Press Ltd., Accra, Ghana

IN THIS ISSUE14 Liberia an Example of Hope: Kofi Annan16 Reclaiming National Forests18 WB Grant for Forestry Development19 Diamond Ban Stays10 Got Guthrie Back12 Rebuilding Infrastructure14 County Teams Support Local Authorities16 The Cost of Conflict18 Ex-fighters Need More Jobs19 Threat of Food Insecurity20 Interview: Alan Doss22 Hope for Liberian Green Revolution24 Restoring Confidence in Judiciary26 Networking Women in Governance27 IDP Chapter Ends28 Women Join Security Services29 First AFL Recruits Graduate30 Novel Approach to Arms Collection31 Patrolling the Borders32 Quick Impact Projects33 Fighting Lassa Fever34 From China, With Love35 Chinese Keep Roads Open38 Liberians Speak

With the passage of theNational Forestry ReformLaw and the lifting of timbersanctions by the UNSecurity Council, Liberia isnow poised to benefit frombetter forestry manage-ment.

The 2006 Liberia NationalHuman DevelopmentReport indicts the pro-longed conflict for inflictingmajor setbacks on theeconomy and indentifiespriority areas for develop-ment.

Many organizations, includ-ing UNMIL, are joiningforces to rebuild Liberia’sshattered infrastructure asthe World Bank takes thelead in funding major roadworks.

6

4

1612

Visit us at www.unmil.org

In his latest report onLiberia, Kofi Annan takesstock of the progress madein the country and the chal-lenges ahead.

mous challenges in several areas,” he cau-tioned, urging donor countries to comeforward to assist the country recoverquickly from long years of civil war.

“Liberia has continued to make tangi-ble progress in a number of areas. Thethree branches of Government are func-tioning; the reform of the security sector isgradually progressing; the resettlement ofinternally displaced persons has been com-pleted; an increasing number of Liberianrefugees have returned home,” Annan saidin his mid-September report. He also

noted the steps taken to fight corruptionand improve economic governance.

Annan recalled his visit to Liberia inJuly to witness the progress being made inrebuilding the country and his meetingswith President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf andher Cabinet as well as senior public andUN officials. “I was impressed by thecommitment and dedication to peace anddemocratic governance demonstrated bythe leaders and people of Liberia,” he said.

The Secretary-General highlightedsecurity as one of the major challenges inLiberia’s reconstruction effort. “The coun-try is heavily dependent on UNMIL for theprovision of security, given that the newpolice service is still in its formative stagesand the training of the new armed forces isonly just beginning,” he pointed out. Heurged the Liberian Government and theUnited Nations to “remain vigilant” to

carefully manage internal threats to stabil-ity.

Although the reform and restructuringof the Liberian National Police continuesto make good progress, Annan said theGovernment urgently needs funds to com-plete the basic training programme fornew recruits as well as for specializedpolice training, vehicles, communicationsequipment and accommodationallowances. He lamented the low presenceof the national police in the interior of thecountry which remains “far below accept-able levels.”

However, despite such problems,Annan described the security situation inLiberia as having remained “generally sta-ble” since his last report to the SecurityCouncil in June and noted the steadyprogress being made in the restoration and


By MMathew EElavanalthoduka

Liberia, which was once at thecentre of conflict in WestAfrica, now serves as “anexample of hope” and of whatcan be achieved when leaders

and citizens work together, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in his recentprogress report to the Security Council onthe war-torn nation’s efforts to consolidatepeace and rehabilitate its shattered econo-my. “Nevertheless, Liberia still faces enor-

Liberia anExampleof Hope:Kofi Annan

AAss tthhee 22000066 UUnniitteedd NNaattiioonnssCCoonnssoolliiddaatteedd AAppppeeaall ffoorrLLiibbeerriiaa hhaass oonnllyy rreecceeiivveedd 3344ppeerr cceenntt ooff tthhee eessttiimmaatteeddrreeqquuiirreemmeennttss ffoorr tthhee yyeeaarr,,hhee aappppeeaalleedd ttoo ddoonnoorrss ttooggeenneerroouussllyy pprroovviiddee tthheeaassssiissttaannccee rreeqquuiirreedd ttoo mmeeeetttthheessee nneeeeddss..


consolidation of State authority through-out the nation.

Annan cited in his report severalhumanitarian challenges that require“urgent attention” in the country. Theyinclude provision of health care, water andsanitation, education, shelter, food andlivelihood opportunities. As the 2006United Nations Consolidated Appeal forLiberia has only received 34 per cent ofthe estimated requirements for the year, heappealed to donors to generously providethe assistance required to meet theseneeds.

The Secretary-General also said thatLiberia's efforts to cultivate good relationswith its neighbours were progressing well,and highlighted the important regionalmessage sent by the transfer on 20 June offormer Liberian President Charles Taylorfrom Sierra Leone to The Hague to facecharges of war crimes. “Not only did itsignal that the world will not acceptimpunity, it also demonstrated the recogni-tion by the Government of Liberia, region-al leaders and the Security Council thatMr. Taylor’s continued presence inFreetown was a threat to peace and stabil-ity in the sub-region,” he said.

Briefing the Security Council on theSecretary-General’s report, SpecialRepresentative Alan Doss reiterated theneed for “constant vigilance and robustmanagement” to maintain political stabili-ty in Liberia. Demonstrations and threatsof violence by former security personnel,disruptions by ex-combatants waiting orcontesting reintegration benefits andrestive youth searching for employmentare “sources of potential instability” in thecountry, he said.

“We must be prepared too for disrup-tions that may come from other groups andindividuals whose political and economicinterests have been adversely affected bythe new democratic dispensation and theAdministration’s reform initiatives,” Dosswarned. He also highlighted the concernthat any deterioration in the security situa-tion in neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire couldspill over into Liberia. To address this, theUnited Nations Mission in Liberia hasbeefed up security in border areas and isconducting concurrent patrolling with theUN Mission in Côte d’Ivoire.

Among the many challenges of post-

conflict recovery in Liberia, few are aspressing as the problem of unemployment,

Doss informed the Security Council. “Ourefforts to bolster stability and accelerate

reform will be seriously undermined if wecannot help Liberia create jobs for themultitude of young people, ex-combatantsand former employees who have few orno economic opportunities,” he stressed.

Doss urged donors and partners tocontribute as a matter of priority to theinitiative launched by the LiberianGovernment in July for employment gen-eration through labour intensive publicworks. The World Bank, USAID, ILO,UNDP and the UN Mission in Liberiahave already committed support to thisinitiative.

Although the Government has takensome steps towards enhancing the rule oflaw, a great deal remains to be done toensure the effective administration of jus-tice, respect for human rights and the end-ing of impunity, the SpecialRepresentative reminded the 15-memberbody. The main obstacles are the lack ofjudicial infrastructure, a dearth of quali-fied judicial and legal officers and finan-cial constraints, he pointed out.

Doss attributed the progress inadvancing the peace process in Liberia toefforts by President Johnson-Sirleaf, andthe continued support of the SecurityCouncil and other member countries ofthe United Nations. However, in view ofthe massive challenges facing the country,the international community will need toremain closely engaged in Liberia whilethe process of reform and renewal movesahead, he added.

If the security situation permits, theUnited Nations Mission in Liberia maybegin its drawdown phase in early 2008,the UN envoy said. During this phase, theMission will seek to progressively trans-fer security responsibilities to nationaland local authorities based on criteria andtimeframe to be discussed with theGovernment. The Council will be provid-ed with the plan for the drawdown inSeptember 2007.

Special Representative Doss alsothanked the troop and civilian police con-tributing countries, past and presentUNMIL personnel, the UN Country Team,humanitarian and aid organizations aswell as ECOWAS, the African Union andthe donor community, all of whom con-tinue to support the cause of peace inLiberia and West Africa.

AAlltthhoouugghh tthhee GGoovveerrnnmmeenntthhaass ttaakkeenn ssoommee sstteeppssttoowwaarrddss eennhhaanncciinngg tthhee rruulleeooff llaaww,, aa ggrreeaatt ddeeaall rreemmaaiinnssttoo bbee ddoonnee ttoo eennssuurree tthheeeeffffeeccttiivvee aaddmmiinniissttrraattiioonn ooffjjuussttiiccee,, rreessppeecctt ffoorr hhuummaannrriigghhttss aanndd tthhee eennddiinngg ooffiimmppuunniittyy.. TThhee mmaaiinn oobbssttaa-cclleess aarree tthhee llaacckk ooff jjuuddiicciiaalliinnffrraassttrruuccttuurree,, aa ddeeaarrtthh ooffqquuaalliiffiieedd jjuuddiicciiaall aanndd lleeggaallooffffiicceerrss aanndd ffiinnaanncciiaall ccoonn-ssttrraaiinnttss..

Alan Doss


By YYuko MMaeda

Adramatic passage of thenew National ForestryReform Law at theLegislature in mid-September paved the way

for lifting by the Security Council a long-standing UN sanction on timber trade inLiberia for good, opening up a life-timeopportunity for the nation to regain controlover its abundant natural resources to helpdevelop the country’s ruined economywhile protecting its rich biodiversity.

The law, subsequently signed byPresident Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf on 4October, is to create a sustainable forestrysector for the benefit of the people byholistically regulating commercial log-

ging, community forestry and conserva-tion activities. For Liberia which has takenseveral steps to clean up the chaoticforestry sector in recent months, the pas-sage of the law cleared the final obstacle tosecure the full lifting of the timber embar-go -- the only condition the SecurityCouncil imposed in June to make a tempo-rary lifting permanent.

Calling the passage of the law “abenchmark” in the reform of the forestrysector, Johnson-Sirleaf envisioned the lawwould bring back credibility to forestrymanagement in Liberia and could allowpeople in the forestry community to takeadvantage of their natural resources. “Wenow have the responsibility to implementthis law,” vowed the President before sign-ing the law. “We can protect our forests for

the future generations; we can ensureresource allocation and equity in distribu-tion of benefits; we can make sure to addvalue to our primary commodity, so thatwe can move on steps along the develop-ment ladder.”

Liberia lies entirely in the UpperGuinean Rainforest ecosystem. Coveringnearly half of the national land, Liberia’sforests are home to about 240 timberspecies, 2,000 flowering plants, 125 mam-mal species, 590 bird species and a few ofthe remaining populations of endangeredforest elephant in West Africa. Led by tim-ber trade that once amounted to more than50 per cent of the country’s exports worthan estimated US$80 million, forestresources had contributed more than 20per cent of the national Gross Domestic

RReeccllaaiimmiinnggNNaattiioonnaall FFoorreessttss

Liberia’s rich forests, a sourceof “blood timber” in the past,are set to benefit the economy

NATURAL RESOURCES


Product at peak time.However, forest resources have never

been properly managed or protected.During the 14-year brutal civil war, timberbecame a lucrative resource for Liberia’sarmed factions, who traded timber prod-ucts for arms. Logging concessions weregiven out to private companies two and ahalf times as much as the actual size offorest land available, and only a little por-tion of tax revenue from trade went to thenational coffers. To end the “blood timber”trade, the UN Security Council imposed aban on timber exports in May 2003,months before Charles Taylor went intoexile and the warring factions signed theComprehensive Peace Accord in Accra.Although export of timber came to a haltand some reform efforts were made by adonors-led Liberia Forest Initiative, theSecurity Council repeatedly renewed thesanction for lack of measures by the tran-sitional government to ensure the forestresources are used for development.

It was only after Johnson-Sirleaf tookoffice early this year that reform in thepotentially viable forestry sector took off.She issued her first executive order to nul-lify all the 70 logging concessions, all ofwhich were previously found guilty offueling the war or not complying with thelaws, and constituted a joint committee ofthe government and its international part-ners, the Forestry Reform MonitoringCommittee (FRMC), to develop a compre-hensive forestry reform package thatincluded drafting the law and monitoringthe forestry.

“It’s wonderful to see this new law,which does promote the sustainable use offorest resources, has been signed by thePresident,” said Jordan Ryan, DeputySpecial Representative of Secretary-General who co-chaired the forestryreform committee. “We hope…Liberiawill get back to work to develop forestryin a sustainable way, which truly benefitsall of the people of Liberia.”

With the passage of the much-awaitedlegislation, the Security Council on 20October decided not to reinstate the sanc-tion on timber trade. “Members of theSecurity Council commended the Liberianlegislature for passing legislation that willensure a transparent, accountable and gov-ernment-controlled forestry sector,”

Security Council President of the monthKenzo Oshima said in New York. “Thisimportant forestry legislation will ensurethat revenues from the timber industry willnot again fuel conflict.”

The historic law stipulates the ForestryDevelopment Authority (FDA) take full-control over forest resources in commer-cial logging, community forestry and con-servation. It sets out the mechanism toaward concession rights, the imposition ofsystematic taxation and various fees, theprotection of forestry-dependent commu-nities and the establishment of protectedforest areas.

“Liberianization” is a key concept ofthe forestry management under the newlaw to define a fine line between the pro-tection of Liberian businesses and the pro-motion of foreign investments. It regulatesthat commercial logging agreements overa land area less than 50,000 hectares canbe given exclusively to Liberian-ownedcompanies while a land area between50,000 and 100,000 hectares to companiesowned at least 51 per cent by Liberian cit-izens.

The law also demands a community-friendly forestry industry. The commercialloggers are obligated to establish a socialagreement with local communities livingon the fringe of concessions on the bene-fits and access rights they could enjoy.And from the land rental fees the loggingcompanies pay to the government, 30 percent would go to communities entitled tobenefit and another 30 per cent to the

counties of concession areas. In addition,the law protects the right of local commu-nities to ownership and usage of commu-nal forest resources.

Conservation and protection offorestry environment are another majorcomponent of the law. All of the loggingcompanies are now for the first time inLiberia’s history required to go through anenvironmental impact assessment and pro-duce an environmental management strat-egy plan to ensure an ecologically soundusage of forest resources before startingtheir operations. The law also demandsprotected forest areas such as NationalParks, National Forests and GameReserves be established for wildlife pro-tection, eco-tourism and research activitiesunder a Protected Forest Areas Network.

“This law represents a major accom-plishment to put Liberia on the right trackfor sustainable development, economicgrowth and employment creation,” com-mended Oliver Pierce of the USDepartment of Agriculture ForestryService, which provided technical assis-tance for forestry reform. In the recentpast, the forestry sector employed morethan 7,000 workers.

The passage of the law was a culmina-tion of a joint effort between the govern-ment and the international community,including the UN Mission in Liberia.Together with experts from the WorldBank, the USDA Forestry Service and theUN agency Food and AgricultureOrganisation, UNMIL’s environmental

President Johnson-Sirleaf signs the new Forestry Reform Law


By YYuko MMaeda

In an effort to strengthen Liberia'sforestry management, the WorldBank has given a US$2 million grant

to Liberia to develop a soundly-gov-erned, community-oriented forestry sec-tor.

The Bank’s Development ForestrySector Management Project is to increaseinstitutional capacity of Liberia’sForestry Development Authority andother public entities, support communityforest activities, develop agro-forestrymanagement, assist small-scale privatelogging businesses and raise publicawareness on the forestry reform. Thethree-year project will be implementedby the UN Development Programme inconjunction with the Liberia Forest

WB Grant for Forestry DevelopmentInitiative, a coalition of donors, the gov-ernment and NGOs for a long-termforestry development.

The grant came at an opportune timeas the new Forestry Reform Law becameeffective on 4 October. Regulating com-mercial logging, community forestry andconservation activities, the law is expectedto allow the country to exploit its abundantnatural resources for the benefit of theforestry community and the country's eco-nomic growth, and protect the biodiversityof forests.

“The initial grant of US$2 million willgo to help vitalize the capacity of FDA tobe able to implement the law,” said JordanRyan, Deputy Special Representative ofUN Secretary-General and UNDP CountryCoordinator who leads the UN efforts inLiberia’s forestry reform. “It’s a great

action of the World Bank, very timely.”Although the passage of the law

was a milestone to help create a sustain-able forestry sector and lift the UN sanc-tion on timber exports, its implementationremains a considerable challenge asforestry-related regulations and other fun-damental management mechanisms arenot in place and the capacity of the regula-tory body is weak. The Bank’s grant isexpected to address this area.

According to the project document, thegrant will be used for restructuring of theFDA, training of log-tracking and chain ofcustody and developing new forestry reg-ulations. It will also provide training fordeveloping sustainable forest managementplans for communities and help establishtwo pilot community forestry concessions.Technical assistance to develop market-

advisors and civil affairs officers haveprovided invaluable inputs to theforestry reform.

“Forestry reform deals with threepillars: commercial forestry, communityforestry and conservation forestry… Wehave addressed all issues of forestry,from the issue of Liberianization to theissue of community rights,” recalledJoseph Sesay, an agro-economist andCivil Affairs Officer who has beenengaged in forestry reform from the ini-tial stages and drew up a roadmap forthe lifting of timber sanctions two yearsago. He says as Liberia produces a highquality of timber, the logging industrywould bounce back in a few years if thelaw were implemented properly. “It haspotential to boost local economy bygenerating large revenue from commer-cial forestry and creating lots ofemployment opportunities. Timberexports could generate US$140 millionby 2010,” he projects.

Yet challenges in forestry reformstill remain. Webby Bwanali, a SeniorEnvironmental Advisor, says capacity-building of FDA and the Environmental

Protection Agency is one of the urgentchallenges to be overcome for the fullimplementation of the law. And forestryregulations covering such fields as for-est land-use planning, chain of custodymanagement and environmental impactassessment need to be developed.“Forest is still intact,” Bwanali says. “Ithas to be governed well for a greatfuture. Enforcement institutions shouldbe strengthened and the governmentmust ensure the implementation of thelaw and regulations.”

UNMIL, together with other inter-national partners, stands by the govern-ment in implementing the law to makethe forestry sector vibrant. “The inter-national partners are delighted to sup-port the efforts of Liberians in havingthe control of the natural resources,”said Ryan. “We need to make sure thelaw is implemented fully and fairly. Wehope the UN Country Team and UNCounty Support Teams in the fields willbe able to work with logging compa-nies, FDA and people who would bene-fit from this law.”

Pie

rluig

i Bom

bi/U

nive

rsita

deg

li St

udi -

Rom

a Tr

e

Liberia’s forestsare home to avariety of animaland plantspecies


By YYuko MMaeda

Although the UN Security Councilacknowledged some progress inLiberia’s reform on the diamond

mining industry, Liberia failed to make aUN ban on diamond trade lifted, accord-ing to a statement issued on 20 Octoberby the Council.

“Members of the Security Councilwere encouraged by the steps Liberia hastaken towards meeting the requirementsfor the lifting of the measures on dia-monds,” reads the statement by SecurityCouncil President Kenzo Oshima. Butthe council concluded to retain the ban,noting the findings by the Panel ofExperts, a UN body to review sanctions,that “more needs to be done for Liberia toestablish a Certificate of Origin Regimefor export of Liberian rough diamonds.”

The certificate of origin regime is apre-requisite to join the KimberleyProcess, an international certificationprocess to verify whether the precious

gems come from legitimate sources, notfrom conflict-ridden regimes. It is a jointinitiative of governments, internationaldiamond industry and civil society to curbthe flow of “blood diamonds” that havefinanced armed conflicts in Africa andelsewhere, and has a membership of 45countries and regions, accounting foralmost all the global production of roughdiamonds.

The Council specifically urged thegovernment to take the necessary reformmeasures including the development ofstronger management of the gem miningindustry and more effective verificationand accountability mechanisms. At thesame time, the Council expressed its wishto lift the embargo “as soon as possible sothat revenues from the diamond sector canbenefit the Liberian people.” It will reviewthe diamonds sanction again in December.

The ban on Liberia’s diamond exportswas originally imposed in 2001 along witharms embargo when it was a major sourceto fuel bloody conflicts in Liberia as well

as in neighbouring countries. During thewar, Liberia exported an estimatedUS$300 million worth of diamonds annu-ally.

In a response to the world body’sdecision, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleafon 31 October constituted a joint TaskForce on Diamond to accelerate the gov-ernment’s efforts to join the Kimberleyscheme. With Lands, Mines and EnergyMinister Eugene Shannon as chair andSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General Alan Doss as co-chair, the taskforce is charged with ensuring the gov-ernment takes up necessary measures tomeet the requirements for the lifting ofthe UN ban on diamonds.

Timber trade, another UN embargo, isnow free from any restriction as theSecurity Council in October decided notto reinstate the ban, which was imposedin May 2003 and temporarily lifted inJune this year, since Liberia passed thenew Forestry Reform Law by the dead-line set by the Council.

Diamond Ban Stays

oriented management of tree crops such ascocoa and rubber will come as a part of thegrant. The project also envisions support-ing the creation of micro-enterprises forreforestation and community-drivendevelopment projects around the SapoNational Park.

FDA Managing Director John Woodssaid the grant will help the community liv-ing on the fringe of the forests receiveequitable share from the natural resources."This project is intended to improve thelivelihood of people in the forestry com-munity and reduce the level of poverty.”

Paola Agostini, a World Bank senioreconomist who led the formulation of theproject, said it will turn around the forestrysector as a major source of growth andincome for Liberia. “The first major step isdone with the passage of the law. A nextmajor step now is to implement the lawand to make sure all the regulations are inplace so that we can really be operationalin the forestry sector,” she said.

Jordan Ryan during an assessment visit to a logging company inPleebo


By YYuko MMaeda

As he approached a curve onthe road toward the head-quarters of the GuthrieRubber Plantation from oneof the three entry points,

Allan Quee shifted the gear into secondand readied himself to encounter ex-com-batants roaming around the overgrowingrubber trees. It was an automatic reactionfor the consultant who has been visiting theplantation daily for needs assessment.Instead of the violence-hungry youth, whatcaught his eyes was hundreds of smilingchildren in a brand-new white and blueuniform running toward him.

“It was the most amazing moment I’veever had since I started coming here everyday,” Quee recalls the day the plantation’sonly full-grade school reopened in earlyOctober. “I was almost in tears.”

Guthrie signifies a successful joint ini-tiative the government and the UN took torestore State authority over Liberia’s abun-dant natural resources. With the support ofthe UN Mission in Liberia and other UNagencies, the government in mid-Augusttook over control of the plantation long

occupied by ex-combatants to lay the foun-dation for future investment.

“With this repossession, the govern-ment will restore State authority and rule oflaw on the Guthrie Rubber Plantation…tocreate a peaceful and secure environment,give legal employment opportunities andestablish an interim management team torehabilitate the plantation,” declaredAgriculture Minister Christian Toe, whoalso heads the government-UN jointRubber Plantation Task Force, which ismandated to address multifaceted issues tooverhaul the rubber industry.

Liberia is home to one of the world’slargest rubber plantations, Firestone, andrubber accounts for most of the country’sexport earnings. But without a proper over-sight by the government, the rubber indus-try has become a hotbed of economiccrimes and human rights violations.

Guthrie, the only government-ownedplantation which stretches out 300,000acres in two north-western counties ofBomi and Grand Cape Mount, is the worstcase. Opened in 1957, it was long managedby Guthrie Rubber Company fromMalaysia from 1981 until 2000, but hasrecently been occupied by former combat-

ants of the defunct LURD, one of the war-ring factions involved in Liberia’s civilconflict. In the last three years, hundreds offormer rebels controlled the plantation totap and sell illicit latex for millions of dol-lars and terrorized the plantation communi-ty of 36,000 people. August’s repossessionwas a beginning of the long process torecover the ruined plantation.

The takeover of Guthrie was not aneasy task. Before the repossession, mem-bers of the task force carefully worked outa repossession strategy. First the LiberianNational Police assigned 12 police officersto the plantation to secure the environment,UNMIL deployed peacekeepers and UNpolice officers to backup the national secu-rity force, another team of the task forceprepared various reintegration opportuni-ties to encourage ex-combatants to aban-don illicit business, and the governmentidentified an interim management teamfrom the Rubber Planters Association toput the rubber business back and set up asupport group with relevant institutions.Simultaneously, UNMIL engineers con-structed pre-fabricated offices for them atthe centre of the plantation.

“This didn’t happen by chance; it was a

Got Guthrie Back

Once ruled by rebel forces,Liberia’s rubber plantations areback under government control


result of a lot of hard work,” summarizedAlan Doss, the Special Representative ofthe Secretary-General.

As the takeover began, there were agroup of ex-combatants still chanting “wewon’t leave,” demanding the payment ofdemobilisation benefits. Armed UN policeofficers from Jordan, backed by Namibianpeacekeepers, kept a watch on the agitatedformer rebels. Intensive information cam-paigns and tedious dialogues with the ille-gal occupants and community leaders priorto the repossession apparently didn’t workfor some.

Despite a few scuffles, the takeoverbrought hope to many. “This is a dream-come-true. I’m overjoyed!” screamedRichard M. Konenh, a former worker ofthe plantation, widely smiling to the digni-taries who announced the repossession. Ina blue jean jacket and a matching cap, the52-year-old veteran tapper said he returnedto Guthrie for the first time since he fledthe war. “I came back here to see thetakeover, hoping to get my job back… Iwant to start working right now!”

Since the reclamation, Guthrie hasbeen slowly but steadily moving ahead.The government managed to convince by

mid-September a majority of the hard-coreformer rebels to leave the plantation andgradually curbed illegal tapping while arehabilitation and reintegration componentof the task force conducted a screeningprocess to verify the eligibility of ex-com-batants for the official reintegration pro-grammes in formal education and voca-tional training. The interim managementteam, meanwhile, began restoring the busi-ness by putting back a chain of commandfor operation, hiring, rehiring and trainingover 1,000 tappers, and brushing the rubberfarms and roadsides to start tapping latex.By late October, the management begancentrally collecting rubber crops fromemployees, which are sold to a privatecompany to process.

“Despite some difficulties, we’reencouraged by the progress made since thegovernment took over control of the plan-tation,” Doss commended when he revisit-ed Guthrie in mid-October.

Quee, UNMIL’s consultant, feels theprogress in his bones. When he started reg-ular visits to Guthrie in June, he could noteven drive into the plantation without asecurity escort by armed peacekeepers. Butnow that the security situation is undercontrol by the peacekeepers and policeofficers, he can freely move around tap-pers’ camps to survey the need for socialservices to improve their livelihood.“Within a few months, the plantation madesignificant progress. It’s amazing,” he says.

Surely, the shadow of terrifying ex-combatants is fading out of the plantation.Fayiah Bundor, a 37-year-old headmanwho supervises a group of tappers, says hecan now work on his free will. “Since thenew management took over, we have hadno problems with ex-combatants. Before,we were forced to work, tap rubber forthem as they wish.” He says former rebelswho controlled the area forcibly tookclothes, shoes and other personal belong-ings from tappers. They also forced them totap latex without any room for negotiationfor the price. “Now we are free.”

For the reintegration of ex-combatants,the screening process has identified 159demobilised former combatants as eligiblefor the formal programmes and the taskforce is assisting them to enter vocationaltraining courses or regular schools. Nearly400 other ex-combatants of Guthrie, who

are not qualified for the formal rehabilita-tion programmes, are scheduled to receivesix-month training in rubber and agricul-tural skills by the UK-based NGOLandmine Action. And some are minglingwith regular tappers to work under the newmanagement.

With peace in place, the livelihood ofpeople on the plantation is changing, too.In addition to the full-grade school childrenwalk to for as long as two hours from theedge of the plantation, 15 other schools forkindergarteners and lower-grade kids arenow functioning across the rubber farms. Ahealth clinic run by the management teamhas begun its services since late October totreat outpatients. And a local market ofthatched huts is now open near the planta-tion’s central office. Although the numberof stalls is still small, the market presentsgrocery stores, clothing shops and even arestaurant-bar. “I already have regular cus-tomers. They stay up to midnight or 1o’clock in the morning,” says Haja Jalloh,the 24-year-old owner of the restaurant-barwho lives outside Guthrie. She grabbed abusiness opportunity on the plantation assoon as security was restored.

The rehabilitation of the plantation ispicking up. Operations Manager AnthonyT. Merchant, a veteran retiree fromFirestone, says the management continuesto brush the rubber farms to clear the sites,plans to stimulate trees to re-energize andtrains tappers to respect “rubber culture.”Plans are afoot to establish a nursery ofsmall trees to replant the farms beforehanding the plantation over to a privateinvestor. “We are here to stabilize the situ-ation for investors. It will happen in the nottoo distant future,” he says.

Augustine S. Allie, a long-term formeremployee and now a production managerfor one of the plantation’s three estates,dreams the return of old days. He remem-bers the processing factory was runningfull-scale, warehouses were full of machin-ery and, of course, truckloads of rubberfilled up weigh stations. “It was full of life.People were enjoying their lives,” hesmiles. “We can still bring back those days.One day we will get that life back.”

Guthrie is slowly rediscovering its for-mer self.


By SSulaiman MMomodu

“Look, most of ourroads are filled withpotholes,” GeorgeRichards, a residentof Monrovia, sighs

in frustration. “So we want the govern-ment to please fix the roads in the country.In addition, we want electricity, we wantwater supply…”

Amidst soaring expectations amongthe three million-plus war-weary Liberianswho long to see tangible evidence ofdevelopment, rebuilding Liberia’s ruinedinfrastructure is undoubtedly one of thegreatest challenges the Government ofPresident Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is current-ly contending with.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us toensure that Liberia is a stable, safe andprosperous country….we have to worktogether because we all have something tocontribute, but also because time is not onour side,” Special Representative of theSecretary-General Alan Doss said inNovember at a meeting with the staff ofUNMIL and UN agencies. Terming it as“dry season deliverables,” he said over thenext six to eight months as the weatherimproves, “we want to help the govern-ment move forward as fast as it can in awhole range of areas but particularly in thearea of infrastructure.”

Since April 2004, the United NationsMission in Liberia (UNMIL) has madeemergency repairs or undertaken efforts toimprove the most critical spots on over2,000 km of roads throughout the country.Notwithstanding this effort, and in view ofthe fact that infrastructure is capital inten-sive, more needs to be done to improveLiberia’s road network system, which hasbeen made worse by years of neglect dur-ing the 14-year conflict.

With the beginning of the dry season in

November, many organizations includingUNMIL, UN agencies, non-governmentalorganizations, and the private sector aswell as civil society organizations arecooperating with the Ministry of PublicWorks to rebuild the infrastructure as theWorld Bank (WB) takes the lead in fund-ing major road works on the country’s pri-mary roads.

During his visit to Liberia in July, WBPresident Paul Wolfowitz observed thatLiberia needs “everything and everythingall at once.” The Bank has provided anemergency grant of US$68 million to sup-port ‘emergency interventions’ in address-ing some of the critical infrastructureneeds of the country, such as rehabilitatingdilapidated roads, improving the efficien-cy of both sea and air ports and restoringportions of the sewerage, drainage andsolid waste management systems in thecapital, Monrovia, as well as undertakingcommunity empowerment projects in var-ious parts of the country.

“The Liberian people have been prom-ised a lot, now is the time for all to deliv-er,” said Paul Kriss, the Infrastructure andBasic Services Cluster Leader of theWorld Bank in Liberia.

Whether in Monrovia or in theremotest parts of the country, the cry forbetter services and improved facilities is afamiliar one, with requests for rehabilita-tion of roads featuring prominently.During the rainy season lasting from Aprilto October/November of each year, badroad conditions continually becomeworse. And with very poor drainage sys-tems, many roads in the capital are pronenot only to flooding during heavy down-pours, but some city residents also experi-ence flooding of their homes from time totime.

The hunger for good roads is under-standable. Improved road conditions willhelp facilitate humanitarian assistance,

revive the country’s economy throughexpansion of commerce and trade and con-tribute to poverty reduction among ruraland urban populations. Good roads alsomean reduced travel time, reduced trans-port costs and reduced cost for goods.

The World Bank’s grant prioritizesrehabilitation of six rural roadwaysthrough the rebuilding of bridges and cul-verts, rehabilitation of critical segments ofroad surfaces, roadside brushing andrepairing of drainages, among others. WBis funding projects on six rural roads, withUNMIL implementing labour-intensivework on five of them :Foya - Voinjama, incollaboration with UNHCR, Voinjama -Zorzor, Ganta – Saclepea, Saclepea -Tappita and Zwedru – Fishtown. Work onthe sixth, the Pleebo - Barclayville road, isto be implemented by the Ministry of

RReebbuuiillddiinnggIInnffrraassttrruuccttuurree

DEVELOPMENT


Public Works through local contractors. In addition to the rural projects, WB is

rehabilitating two major roads linkingMonrovia to Buchanan and to Ganta, atown near the border with Guinea. “Thiswork is almost complete in terms of prepa-rations,” Kriss said, pointing out that actu-al road works would commence soon.These emergency interventions are, how-ever, on critical sections of the roads,which are to be asphalted. It is expectedthat rehabilitation of these roads will cre-ate short-term employment opportunitiesfor hundreds of youths.

As part of a joint project implementa-tion agreement involving the six above-mentioned projects, WB, UNMIL, PublicWorks and UNDP meet regularly in aquadrilateral form of cooperation. UNMILsupplies heavy construction equipment aswell as military and civilian technicalexpertise and supervision, Public Worksprovides added road engineering expertiseand knowledge of the terrain, UNDP takescare of the overall management of finan-cial resources, including procurement ofauxiliary construction equipment, tools,gear and materials as well as payment oflabourers, and the WB contributes finan-

cial resources. At the same time, principalparties involved in road works meet fort-nightly in a gathering convened byUNMIL-RRR to focus attention on opera-tional issues and to facilitate cooperationin support of community driven recoveryefforts.

Added to the appalling road condi-tions, Monrovia’s Freeport, the only func-tioning port in the country that is the eco-nomic life-line for the nation, is in verybad shape partly as a result of the war, butmainly as a result of neglect and bad man-agement. Much of the food, manufacturedgoods and fuel are imported into the coun-try through the Freeport, but both thephysical infrastructure and cargo handlingfacilities require urgent attention, which issomething that the WB is also looking intoso as to ensure that the operation of theport is efficient, effective and secure.

Arriving in Liberia by air, a visitor’sfirst impression of the country’s infrastruc-ture is the poorly equipped RobertsInternational Airport (RIA). The WB,however, has committed US$600,000 forthe purchase of navigational, aeronautical,meteorological and security equipment forthe airport. The capital’s international air-

port, if well equipped, can attract manyinternational airlines and investors. Thegovernment has also come forward withits own contribution to the airport’s revivalby committing US$200,000 for the reno-vation and modification of the existingpassenger terminal.

In addition to focusing on roads andbridges, UNMIL continues to rehabilitatemany public buildings through its QuickImpact Project (QIP) mechanism, includ-ing schools, health clinics, administrativebuildings, banks, court houses, police andfire stations, says Gregory Sanchez,UNMIL’s Rehabilitation and RecoveryOfficer. Other structures rehabilitated orbuilt through NGOs and local contractorsusing QIP resources include prisons andjails, markets, shelter for physically dis-abled and wells and sanitation facilities.

Among the many organisations assist-ing with the reconstruction of Liberia’sinfrastructure are the World Bank, theEuropean Commission, USAID, UNDP,UNMIL, UNHCR, GTZ, ILO, the SwissDevelopment Corporation, WFP, theDanish Refugee Council, German AgroAction and the Governments of theNetherlands and China, among others.

Expanding and rehabilitating the road network isa major task facing the government


By YYuko MMaeda

Atall man in a khaki safarisuit walks to the podium onthe stage amidst a musicalchorus by a group of peas-ant women. A round of

spontaneous applause follows as he warm-ly glances at the audience of a hundredlocal men and women. The scene is a for-mer courthouse in Voinjama now occupiedby UN peacekeepers.

“Everyone from this Lofa County musthave the same life. No one is left out fromthe process to build our clans, to build ourdistricts and to build our county,” the mangrasps the attention of his audience.“We’re going to do everything we can tohelp district commissioners design whatneeds to be done in their districts. We’reencouraging people to raise issues. Bringissues to us, bring plans and documents tous, so that we can try to execute them foryou.”

Confident and unpretentious, LofaCounty’s new Superintendent GalakpaiKortimai shares his vision on how hiscounty administration should be serving afast growing population of Lofans andhow he’s going to change the way thingswork. At this official ceremony to intro-duce the new Commissioner for Lofa’scapital town of Voinjama, Kortimai grabsthe opportunity to spell out his vision forLofa County. “We’re all one. We’re alltogether to rebuild our county.”

The north-western county of Lofa wasonce the bread-basket for Liberia’s three-million-plus population. Reduced to oneof the poorest counties in Liberia today,Lofa has scanty amenities to absorb theinflux of returnees from camps inside andoutside the country. Farming, a mainstayof economy, is just beginning to resume.The deplorable road conditions isolatetowns and villages. A majority of healthclinics remain dysfunctional and schoolsand other public buildings are in dire need

of rehabilitation. Led by Kortimai, thelocal authorities are now trying to makethe county bounce back, and the UnitedNations is supporting the efforts.

Together with UN funds and agencies,the UN Mission in Liberia initiated inApril the creation of a UN County SupportTeam (CST) in each of the 15 counties toassist the local authorities in administeringsocial services and in designing, coordi-nating and implementing communitydevelopment projects. The initiative is ajoint UN response to the government’spolicy of decentralization and is aimed ataligning the UN assistance frameworkwith Liberia’s national development agen-da in the four strategic areas of peace andsecurity, governance and rule of law, eco-nomic revitalization, and basic social serv-ices and infrastructure at county levels.

As part of this strategy, representativesof the UN family in the field work closelywith the superintendent’s office, line min-istries and non-governmental organiza-

County Teams SupportLocal Authorities

GRASSROOTS

A County Support Team meeting inprogress

CST initiative are beginning to see posi-tive changes. “This mechanism has raisedthe profile of line ministries at a locallevel. They now take ownership,” saysWouter Van Quickelborne, UNMIL’s civilaffairs officer based in Lofa. ChiaraCapozio, county coordinator for the UNDevelopment Programme, says the initia-tive is critical to empower the county lead-ership. “The local authorities are moreaware of what people expect from them…This mechanism has pushed them to movearound to see what’s happening,” she says.Lauranne Leca of the InternationalMedical Corp sees the CST forum criticalto keep informed of recovery efforts doneby other development actors. Eric Perry,UNMIL rehabilitation and recovery offi-cer, finds better cooperation among stake-

holders through CST. Hecoordinates a major rehabili-tation project on the 95-km-long Voinjama-Zorzor roadwith local representatives ofUNMIL’s military engineer-ing, the UNDP, the Ministryof Public Works and theLabour Commission.“Voinjama is very vibrant…CST has created a seriousteam to go ahead with proj-ects.”

Although a gargantuaneffort is needed to achieve asemblance of basic develop-ment in Lofa, the CST initia-

tive is surely making a significant impacton the ground. It has improved the infor-mation flow, coordination and cooperationamong development actors, increased thecapacity of the local authority to tackledevelopment issues, and raised the partici-pation of local officers from line min-istries.

“CST is all about a process,” saysMonica Andersson, CST Lofa facilitatorand UNMIL humanitarian coordinationofficer. Through the meetings, monthlyreports and coordination, the local leader-ship is building skills and capacity to runthe county administration as the UN teamimparts their expertise, she says.

Kortimai understands all those benefitsof the CST initiative. “We must take con-trol of our own destiny,” he says. “CST ishelping us to achieve that.”


tions to identify local needs for develop-ment and design action plans to fill thegaps between the needs and ongoingrecovery activities. The process is alsomeant to build the capacity of the countyauthorities to administer civil services,formulate county development plans andlobby the central government to take back-up measures for the local authorities.

“The CST is an effort to bring theUnited Nations together at the countylevel,” says Jordan Ryan, the DeputySpecial Representative of the Secretary-General, who leads the initiative. “Itinvolves the UN Mission in Liberia and allmembers of the UN Country Team work-ing together in support of the restoration ofstate authority county by county.”

Every month, each county holds aforum called a CountyAssessment and ActionReport meeting where localrepresentatives of the govern-ment, UN and NGOsexchange information on thelatest status of communitydevelopment issues andaction plans, based on reportsby the four sub-groups alongthe national developmentframework. Another CSTCore Group consisting ofUNMIL and UN agencies onthe ground holds a follow-upmeeting to address localissues highlighted in theforum which should be raised with UNagencies and UNMIL sections inMonrovia. All the information brought upby county actors is compiled into twomonthly reports, which are used at thenational level to design a more coordinat-ed country-wide action plan to support thecounties’ recovery efforts.

Lofa is a leading county in this initia-tive. The County Administration and theLofa UN family are currently building anew team to develop the county.

“In the past, leaders of the county did-n’t have a mechanism to see what washappening in the county or coordinatedevelopment projects,” says Kortimai, sit-ting in his cramped temporary office withno computer or decent office equipment.He leafs through hand-written documentsneatly classified by each subject, from

health services to returnees’ reintegrationto public works, and says that regularinformation exchange through the CSTmechanism has enabled the county leader-ship to identify the gaps in recoveryefforts. “One of the achievements of CSTis to help the county leadership to beinformed of UN’s and NGOs’ activities. Itgives us an insight into what is going on inour county and enables us to redirect theactivities to meet our people’s needs.”

For instance, the county administrationfound an overlapping project on road reha-bilitation through the CST meetings andmanaged to request a donor plan a repairwork on another road. The Lofa team alsosuccessfully advocated a speedy solutionfor a late payment issue, in which hun-dreds of ex-combatants in a rehabilitation

and reintegration programme had not beenpaid their stipends for months.

The local government is now compil-ing various data which will form the basisof development planning. An annualreport on education in Lofa has beendeveloped for the first time in many years.The report tells not only about demograph-ic data of schools, from the number of stu-dents by grade and sex and the figures ofteachers by qualification, but also the sta-tus of rehabilitation of school buildings.The county is also conducting a propertysurvey to sort out land tenure after impos-ing a ban on land sale for six months inresponse to recent violent land disputesassociated with returnees and ex-combat-ants. A survey of NGOs’ activities is alsounderway to map the gaps.

Many county actors engaged in the

Jordan Ryan with team members



“Violent conflict isone of the greatestimpediments tohuman develop-ment. It reverses

human development gains, suppresseshuman rights and needs, and destroys allcapacity for human advancement,” saysthe 2006 Liberia National HumanDevelopment Report (NHDR).

The report, titled ‘Mobilizing Capacityfor Reconstruction and Development,’indicts the prolonged violent conflict inthe country for inflicting major setbackson the economy, devastating the societyand rolling back the meagre human anddevelopment gains that were made duringthe pre-war years. “Violent conflict is oneof the surest and fastest routes to the bot-tom of human development index

table…and one of the strongest indicatorsfor a protracted stay there,” the reportpoints out.

Launching the report at a jam-packedMinistry of Foreign Affairs conferenceroom in Monrovia on 25 August, PresidentEllen Johnson-Sirleaf assured Liberiansthat her Government would endeavour tocurb poverty and conflicts, observing thatLiberians would not enjoy sustaineddevelopment amidst insecurity and law-lessness. The Liberian leader said that aneffective governance system and animpressive economic growth were vitalingredients for peaceful national develop-ment.

Speaking at the launch of the report,Special Representative of the Secretary-General Alan Doss challenged Liberians toelevate their country above poor gover-nance, weak institutions, devastated infra-structure and poverty. He called on the

Government and its international partnersto empower Liberians and advance humandevelopment in the country, stressing thatdeep-rooted poverty and food insecurityremained fundamental challenges facingLiberia.

A key message of the report is what itcalls “the human development costs” ofthe Liberian conflict. As many as over270,000 persons are reported to have diedas a direct result of the conflict or throughillnesses exacerbated by the lack of healthfacilities destroyed during the conflict.

The civil war paralyzed the publicservice, leaving it virtually empty, follow-ing massive flight of qualified staff.Currently, the public service is not only ill-equipped to deliver essential services tothe people, but it is also unable to steer themuch-needed reforms. The report pointsout that rebuilding Liberia and improvingits human development status requires a

The Cost of Conflict

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT


holistic capacity building agenda targetingindividuals, organizations and the societyat large. The report emphasises the impor-tance of reliable data and statistics for pol-icy interventions and calls for reinstatingnational statistical systems that fell victimto the conflict.

Liberia is among 18 of the world’spoorest countries and is worse off today inhuman development indicators than it wasin 1990, says the report. By the timeLiberia emerged from war in 2003, it wasone of the poorest countries in the worldwith the majority of Liberians languishingin poverty with as many as 76.2 per centliving on less than US$1 a day, up from 55per cent in 1997. As many as 85 per centare unemployed and the country continuesto be among the most food insecure in theworld with an estimated 35 per cent of thepopulation undernourished.

Agriculture accounts for the largest(54%) of the GDP, yet agricultural inputs,such as seeds, and basic implements areavailable only through emergency assis-tance. Although rice remains the main sta-ple food in Liberia, accounting for 90 percent of daily dietary intake, virtually allthe country’s rice needs (95%) areimports. In the midst of a rich and diversenatural resource base, 235 out of 1,000babies born today do not live to see theirfifth birthday.

Incomes are low and have not changedover several decades. A resident physicianat a public hospital today reportedlyreceives LD 4,600 (US$82.14) per monthand a teacher with a university degree andteaching certificate is paid at best LD1,290 (US$22.63). Only one in 10Liberians has access to any form of healthcare. An overwhelming majority ofwomen who seek maternal care have noaccess to doctors and are at the mercy ofsemi-skilled health workers and tradition-al birth attendants.

The report takes note of capacitybuilding measures initiated by PresidentJohnson-Sirleaf’s government intended toimprove the functioning of public sectorinstitutions including the civil service.Some early “wins” in this regard includerevising the civil service code, a clean-upof the procurement process, introductionof internal controls and overhaul of finan-cial management procedures as well as

measures aimed at fighting corruption inthe public sector.

Despite these emerging successes, theimmediate problem of capacity weakness-es and poor morale of the civil serviceremains. The experience of theGovernment’s 150-Day Action Plan hasconfirmed that the whole of the publicservice is critically short of capacity,underscoring the need for a properlytrained, well motivated and adequatelycompensated public service cadre.

The NHDR makes a strong case forbreaking the cycle of violent conflict inorder to build sustainable peace and createconditions for capacity building for recon-struction and development. In addition, the2006 report supports efforts to renew dia-logue on the conditions needed to consoli-date peace and security and reverse regres-sion from the Millennium DevelopmentGoals across Liberia. It is the second suchreport Liberia has produced since 1999and the first since the conflict ended in2003.

Due to lack of data that help determinehuman development indices, Liberia doesnot feature in the 2006 global HumanDevelopment Report (HDR) that waslaunched early November in Cape Town,

South Africa. Globally, Norway tops theHDR index ranking while Niger, at 177, isat the bottom.

UNDP, in collaboration with Liberiangovernment authorities and stakeholders,organized a series of activities linked tothe publication and launch of the 2006Global HDR to highlight the urgency ofaction to increase access to water andimproved sanitation as an integral part ofreconstruction and development ofLiberia. This culminated in a formal coun-try launch on 15 November followed by apost-launch one-day water symposium thefollowing day.

According to a demographic andhealth survey conducted in 1999, the pro-portion of the Liberian population withaccess to safe water is about 32 per cent inurban areas and 4 per cent in rural areas.The proportion of people with access tosanitation exhibits similar trends.

Since UNDP produced the first globalHuman Development Report in 1990,HDRs have emerged as its flagship publi-cation and one of UNDP’s most importantpolicy analysis and advocacy tools. Whenthe required indices for Liberia to featurein the global report would be availableremains anybody’s guess.

Children are among the worstaffected by the civil war


By YYuko MMaeda

Although a majority of ex-combatants feels acceptedby the communities theyhave resettled in and appre-ciates their newly acquired

skills earned through reintegration pro-grammes, they still suffer lack of jobopportunities to participate in the coun-try’s development, a survey recently con-ducted by the UN Mission in Liberiafound.

The Ex-combatant Reintegration inLiberia survey, conducted in Septemberacross the country by the UNMILRehabilitation, Reintegration andRecovery Section, examined how formerfighters are coping with the reintegrationprocess, particularly in the economic,social and political aspects of their lives. Apreliminary report on the findings of thesurvey, which interviewed 944 ex-combat-ants and their resettlement communitymembers, were released in mid-November.

One in three surveyed had a job, eitherowning business or being employed andself-employed, and 15 per cent of therespondents were involved in studies.Only 28 per cent of the surveyed consid-ered themselves unemployed, much lessthan the country’s estimated unemploy-ment rate of some 80 per cent. However,an “economically inactive” group, who areeither engaged only in home duties, retiredor disabled, accounts for another 26 percent of the respondents. Given the fact thattwo-thirds of those who have a job areself-employed, most likely engaged in theinformal sector with petty trade or domes-tic work, a jobless population of ex-com-batants in the formal sector seems muchhigher.

The unemployment rate among thesurveyed differs by geographic setting.Alarmingly, more than 50 per cent of thosewho live in the capital of Monrovia and itssurrounding areas reported they are unem-ployed while less than one in 10 rural ex-combatants considered themselves jobless.This correlates with a result that farming is

the most popular occupation among all thesurveyed. “Rural based former combatantsare engaged in subsistence farming activi-ties or able to seek temporary employmenton farm plantations,” the survey pointsout, while ex-combatants living in theurban setting keep struggling to find a job.

The survey also found that the comple-tion of reintegration assistance pro-grammes in skills training doesn’t increasejob opportunities for ex-combatants. Morethan 42 per cent of those who completedthe training programmes are unemployed,eight per cent points higher than those whonever participated in any of demobilisationand reintegration process. Less than halfof those who completed rehabilitation pro-gramme have a job related to the trainingthey received but more than two-thirds of

them agreed they had learned marketableskills. The report says there is “a need toaddress heightened expectations (of thebenefits of vocational training) and tomatch skills training with employmentopportunities.”

On the social aspect, two-thirds of thesurveyed are resettled in their home com-munities while the rest live elsewheremainly because of better opportunitiesthere. Only one in 20 respondentsanswered a fear of returning to their homecommunities as ex-combatants as the mainreason for their resettlement in strangecommunities. Regardless of their resettle-ment areas, though, a vast majority of thesurveyed, or 93 per cent, believed they arewell accepted by their communities.Nearly 90 per cent of the ex-combatantsparticipate in community activities led bynon-ex-combatants, with 57 per cent

claiming to do so often. Group discussionswith community members also revealedthat ex-combatants are often seen engagedin community work such as road brushingand actively participate in social activities.

The survey found ex-combatants havenurtured a sense of security in the pastthree years. Nearly three-fourth of the sur-veyed reported feeling safe “to a greatextent” in their communities and morethan half of the respondents perceived thelevel of violence in their communities verylow. About 60 per cent reported thatthey’ve never had contact with formercommanders, and the majority of the focusgroup discussants stated they don’t see anyevidence or significant element of a mili-tant command structure in place.However, in Nimba County, the communi-ty voiced concern that lack of reintegrationopportunities causes some ex-combatantsto cross the border to join various rebelforces in neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire.

On political life, more than half of therespondents believed “to a great extent”that the current government will move thecountry’s socio-economic developmentforward. And a vast majority of them, or87 per cent, agreed that their vote couldmake a difference in Liberia’s recovery.

The report recommends that “reinte-gration programmes must be linked tonational labour creation and employmentopportunities, particularly in urban cen-tres,” and suggests the establishment of anational mechanism to offer adequate sup-port for graduates of the skills training andto provide business management trainingand start-up capital in order to encourageentrepreneurship.

In Liberia, the official Rehabilitationand Reintegration programme began inJune 2004 to offer various skills trainingfor more than 101,000 ex-combatants whorelinquished their weapons during theDemobilisation and Disarmament process.As of 1 September this year, nearly 30,000ex-combatants have completed RR train-ing and another 28,000-plus are currentlyenrolled in various training courses. Theofficial RR programme is scheduled to endin June 2007.

Ex-ffighters Need More Jobs


By JJ. WWesley WWashington

Food insecurity in Liberia’srural and semi-urban areasremains a major cause of con-cern, according to a recent sur-vey conducted by the

Government in collaboration with theUnited Nations, NGOs and donor partners.

The Comprehensive Food Security andNutrient Survey (CFSNS) conductedbetween February and June 2006 random-ly selected 375 rural and semi-urban com-munities and assessed 5,409 households. Itdetermined the nutritional status of over6,000 children under five and their moth-ers and provided the first reliable picturein many years of the level and causes offood insecurity, vulnerability and malnu-trition. The survey also identified liveli-hood patterns and agricultural constraints.

The wide-ranging CFSNS reportreleased early October at the MonroviaCity Hall identified three key problemareas -- low agricultural productivity, lim-ited buying power, and worrying levels ofmalnutrition. The survey also highlightedother factors such as road infrastructure,market access, health and sanitation, childcare and education as central to theimprovement of Liberia’s post-war foodsecurity picture.

“The message of this report is clear.Liberia must act now to address the hungerof its people. This requires a robustresponse from food aid to rehabilitatingthe agricultural sector,” Deputy SpecialRepresentative of the Secretary-Generalfor Recovery and Governance JordanRyan said during the launch of the sur-vey’s findings.

Years of conflict have severely cur-tailed Liberia’s agricultural productivity,creating temporary food shortages. Onlyhalf of rural households have access toland and used it for cultivation in 2005.The key problems of food insecurity, thereport notes, include low agricultural pro-duction capacities, limited economicaccess as well as low biological absorptioncapacities.

The analysis showed 10.5 per cent of

the surveyed households to be food inse-cure, 40 per cent highly vulnerable to foodinsecurity, 40.9 per cent moderately vul-nerable and only 8.6 per cent food secure.“River Gee, Grand Gedeh, Lofa and GrandKru have the highest proportion of house-holds with poor consumption and dietarydiversity,” the survey notes.

“In some regions, particularly in thenorth-west, the civil war has caused tem-porary food shortages. In other areas, par-ticularly in the southeast, food insecurityis more chronic, and people are unable tomeet their minimum food requirementsover a longer period of time,” the surveyfound. It also highlighted other factorssuch as road infrastructure, market access,health and sanitation, child care and edu-cation as central to the improvement of

food security. A long term vision is neededto improve farming know-how at all lev-els, from land management and pest erad-ication to increased technological inputsand crop diversification.

Caused by chronic malnutrition,“stunting,” that robes children of physicaland intellectual development, stands at analarmingly high 39 per cent, the surveyfound. Nine counties show rates of over 40per cent – ‘critical’ according to WorldHealth Organization (WHO) standards. Aworrying 6.9 per cent of children underfive suffer from acute malnutrition. Insome counties that rate passes 10 per cent,considered ‘serious’ by WHO.

Acute malnutrition is associated notjust with food intake, but also with illnessand the manner in which young children

are fed and raised, the survey notes.Malnutrition is not only the result of poorfood consumption, but also of variablessuch as lack of access to safe drinkingwater, poor sanitary conditions, high dis-ease rates and poor child feeding practices.

The report acknowledges that malnu-trition cannot be eradicated overnight.Community health and nutrition pro-grammes are needed to tackle chroniccases while acute stages require feedingprogrammes to address the health of bothmalnourished children and their mothers.The survey also showed that many house-holds simply do not possess the means topurchase or produce enough nutritiousfood to meet their daily needs.

Seventy per cent of those surveyed donot have access to clean drinking waterwhile 80 per cent of households have nosanitary facilities. The predominant healthproblems are malaria, diarrhoea and respi-ratory infections.

The survey plays a vital role in fillingthe information gap in Liberia, at a timewhen it is most needed, said Planning andEconomic Affairs Minister Toga GayeweaMcIntosh at the release of the survey. “Thereport not only reveals the issues of foodinsecurity and malnutrition problems, butalso provides a framework for a coherentresponse to the basic needs of the peopleof Liberia, thus providing the first reliablepicture in many years of the food securitysituation across the country,” he said.

The CFSNS was largely made possibleby the generous financial support of theHumanitarian Aid Department of theEuropean Commission (ECHO) and theUnited Kingdom’s Department forInternational Development (DFID). Thesurvey was carried out by enumeratorsnominated by the Ministries ofAgriculture, Education, Health and SocialWelfare, Planning and Economic Affairs,the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information services (LISGIS), and theUniversity of Liberia. Other financial,human resources and logistical supportwas provided locally by FAO, HIC,UNICEF, UNMIL, WFP, WHO, CRS,GTZ and World Vision.

Threat of Food Insecurity

ON THE CARPET: ALAN DOSS


Security, roads, girls’education, top priority…

Let’s start with the score card ofUNMIL, beginning from the deploy-ment of the mission in 2003. What arethe major achievements?

The first and most important achieve-ment is peace. If you look back where thiscountry was three years ago and where weare today, that has to be the most signifi-cant achievement. Three years ago this

country was still overrun by armedgroups. People were not safe andcouldn’t move around. Trade was

totally disrupted and no child could goto school.

Three years on we see the difference. Ithink UNMIL, not working alone obvious-ly, has contributed to the return of peaceand a measure of stability to Liberia. Thatinvolved a number of successful actionsand events. Most obviously disarmament,free and fair elections, and the return and

reintegration of hundreds of thousandsof people.

These are some of thevery positive develop-

ments thath a v e

h a p -

pened with the help of UNMIL and theUnited Nations. It’s important to look backat the road travelled. Even though we seemany challenges ahead, many problems tobe overcome, we should take a measurabledegree of satisfaction about what has beenachieved to date.

You recently addressed the SecurityCouncil on the progress report of theSecretary-General. Do you get the feel-ing from your interaction with theSecurity Council members that there issufficient international attentionfocused on Liberia and the UN wouldnot withdraw from Liberia hastily?

When I was at the Council inSeptember I received a very strong andpositive message about the work of theUnited Nations and UNMIL in Liberia. Ididn’t sense at all within the Council adesire to declare victory and leave. TheCouncil recognizes that there is still a lotto be done and that this country, eventhough is no longer a failed state, will needassistance including security assistance forsome time to come.

That’s encouraging but at the sametime the Council will expect to seeprogress. The government’s reform pro-gramme has to be pushed ahead. We haveto make progress in strengthening thesecurity services and so on.

With peace holding and a new demo-

TThhrreeee yyeeaarrss aafftteerr tthhee ddeeppllooyymmeenntt bbyy tthhee UUNN ooff oonnee ooff tthhee wwoorrlldd’’ss llaarrggeesstt ppeeaacceekkeeeeppiinngg mmiiss-ssiioonnss iinn LLiibbeerriiaa,, tthhee SSppeecciiaall RReepprreesseennttaattiivvee ooff tthhee SSeeccrreettaarryy-GGeenneerraall aanndd CCoooorrddiinnaattoorr ooff UUNNOOppeerraattiioonnss iinn LLiibbeerriiaa,, AAllaann DDoossss,, ddiissccuusssseess tthhee pprrooggrreessss ttoowwaarrddss ppeeaaccee aanndd ssttaabbiilliittyy iinn tthheeccoouunnttrryy iinn aann iinntteerrvviieeww wwiitthh EEddiittoorr MMaatthheeww EEllaavvaannaalltthhoodduukkaa aanndd ssttrreesssseess tthhee iimmppoorrttaannccee ooffrreehhaabbiilliittaattiinngg rrooaaddss aanndd eennhhaanncciinngg ggiirrllss’’ eedduuccaattiioonn..


cratically elected government in place, theexpectations of the people are very high.Yet, the reality may be that the reconstruc-tion of the economy could be agonisinglyslow. Isn’t there a need to carefully man-age people’s expectations?

Clearly, in a country where everythingfell apart in a violent fashion, it’s not goingto be easy to right all those wrongs in afew months or so. So I agree that thoseexpectations will have to be managed. Wemust understand the realities of a countrythat has lost 90 per cent of its gross domes-tic product over a quarter of a century. It’sstill going to take a quarter of a century toget back to where the country was before.

I think people do understand the reali-ty and they don’t ask for a great deal. Theywant to see some progress in areas ofroads, health and education. They wouldwant to see that the administration isworking for them and controlling corrup-tion. They want to get on with their livesand if they feel safe and reasonably secure,that in itself, goes a long way.

But these expectations apply equally tothe international community. We, as part-ners, must be realistic as to what can beexpected in a situation such as this wherea country is emerging from a quarter of acentury of growing instability culminatingin a long and violent conflict that led to ahuge drop in the national income and theexodus of qualified people.

What would you say is the one areawhich we should be focusing on whichwill be the most beneficial to the popu-lation of Liberia today?

Allow me two areas. The bedrock mustbe security. We must make sure peoplefeel safe and secure, otherwise the restwon’t follow. I take that as a sine qua non.

Beyond that, I take two things, first,roads. Roads, because it has a tremendousmultiplier effect -- it employs people,opens up the country, helps farmers gettheir goods to market and the supplies,seeds, tools and so on that they need togrow crops. Roads are good for trade andinvestment. They make the country more

accessible and therefore more secure.

The second will be girl’s education.Different field, different impact, but expe-rience in so many countries shows, partic-ularly in Africa, that by educating girls, thereturn in terms of social advancement andeconomic progress is very marked. If youwant to deal with the problem of fertility,health, nutrition, you name it, putting girlsinto school is an extremely good invest-ment for a country. And, of course, it is abasic human right.

What was the focus of UN heads ofagencies and peacekeeping missionsmeeting in Dakar recently?

It was mainly an exchange of experi-ences and views on peace operations inWest Africa and to look at the situation ineach of the countries with a significantpeacekeeping presence. We also looked atsome of the structural problems in the sub-region, like the issue of youth unemploy-ment, arms control and cross-border traf-ficking. We had some experts from thisregion and beyond discussing issues oftransitional justice. For example, how doyou balance the needs of peace and theneeds of justice? How do you deal withimpunity? We had experts and academicsfrom the region and beyond who havebeen working on these issues.

What is UNMIL’s exit strategy downthe road?

It’s not a phrase I use -- exit strategy.

Obviously the core of our strategy has tobe strengthening of the national securityservices, particularly the Liberian NationalPolice, which is the principal instrumentfor domestic law and order, so that theycan take over from us eventually. But wealso recognize that over time securitydepends on many factors, not just on hav-ing an effective police and military, how-ever important they are.

We need to help strengthen the justicesystem to ensure the administration of jus-tice in a fair and objective manner. In theremote areas we see serious lapses inadministration of justice, where trial byordeal is still being carried out. A justsociety is a safe society. We must worktowards that goal bearing in mind that thiscountry sadly had a terrible record ofhuman rights abuse. We must support theTruth and Reconciliation Commission andbuild up the National Human RightsCommission.

More broadly, the Government with itspartners have to secure equitable access toeducation, health and basic services for thepeople. Infrastructure which will help theeconomy grow and in turn produce jobsand economic opportunities, especially foryoung people, is another high priority.

We want to see the basic strengtheningof the security institutions of the state, therule of law institutions, and the economicand social institutions which will underpingrowth and development. We need allthree elements and different parts of theUN are focusing on this.

This isn’t all UNMIL’s job. We haveUN Country Team colleagues and CountySupport Teams working very effectively.We have joint ventures with other interna-tional partners from the region and beyondlike the United States and the EuropeanCommission. In fact we’re doing a veryinteresting project with the World Bankand UNDP on road reconstruction usingUNMIL military engineers. Above all, wehave national partners, the government,civil society and the non-governmentalorganisations.

Thank you.

IItt’’ss iimmppoorrttaanntt ttoo llooookk bbaacckk aatttthhee rrooaadd ttrraavveelllleedd.. EEvveenntthhoouugghh wwee sseeee mmaannyy cchhaall-lleennggeess aahheeaadd,, mmaannyy pprroobb-lleemmss ttoo bbee oovveerrccoommee,, wweesshhoouulldd ttaakkee aa mmeeaassuurraabblleeddeeggrreeee ooff ssaattiissffaaccttiioonn aabboouuttwwhhaatt hhaass bbeeeenn aacchhiieevveedd ttooddaattee..

By AArthur RR. TTucker

Some West Africans call it“Rice of Hope,” and othersname it “I will no longer haveto sell my best goat” in a localtongue. Liberians are yet to

name the new variety of rice recentlyadopted by the country’s CentralAgriculture Research Institute (CARI), butexperts expect its introduction will lead toa “Green Revolution” in this food-insecurecountry.

A few varieties of the New Rice forAfrica (NERICA), a hybrid of Asian riceand African rice developed by the WestAfrica Rice Development Association(WARDA) now known as the Africa RiceCentre, came to Liberia in July. It was aresponse to a call for attention to the issueof rice self-sufficiency by President EllenJohnson-Sirleaf early this year. In order toincrease the productivity of rice crops andenhance Liberia’s food security, theMinistry of Agriculture and its internation-al partners, including the Food and

Agriculture Organisation and the WorldFood Programme, initiated to adopt thenew rice and began a process of replacingthe current poor, low-yielding varieties ofrice with NERICA.

The NERICA varieties are now plant-ed for multiplication in an area of 11.6hectares at CARI sites in Suakoko, BongCounty. Once the seeds are yielded, theywill be multiplied in other five seed multi-plication centres across the country, andthe yield from the centres will be later dis-tributed to farmers.

“The rice is getting matured muchfaster than we expected,” says JosephQwelibo Subah, CARI Director Generalwho heads the NERICA multiplicationproject. He predicts the sites will be able toyield an estimated 40.6 tons of seeds.“This means that a modest application offertilizer can increase yields of NERICAto an average of 3.5 tons per hectare.”

NERICA, originally developed in1999, has a few hundreds family lines thatare suitable for both upland and lowlandecologies of sub-Saharan Africa.

According to WARDA, an intergovern-mental research institution, the popularNERICA varieties have proven to be highyielding, early maturing (75-100 days),weed competitive, drought tolerant, resist-ant against Africa’s major pests and dis-eases, and tolerant to soil acidity and irontoxicity. NERICA lines have so far beentested in 31 sub-Sahara African countries,and today about 150,000 hectares areunder upland NERICA production inAfrica, including Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire,Nigeria, Togo and Kenya. It is said to haveincreased the production of rice by localfarmers and brought positive impacts ontheir livelihoods.

In Liberia, rice is the staple food of thepopulation. People heavily rely on riceimported from overseas as the country’sagricultural sector lay in ruins due to thelong years of civil war. An assessment car-ried by FAO and WFP early this yearshows that Liberia needs 278,000 tons ofrice to feed its 3 million-plus populationbut only 30 per cent of it is locally pro-duced.


HHooppee ffoorr LLiibbeerriiaannGGrreeeenn RReevvoolluuttiioonn


Responding to a widespread cassavamosaic virus in Liberia, theMinistry of Agriculture and the

Food and Agriculture Organisation havebegan an emergency multiplication projectto distribute improved, resistant varietiesof cassava with a grant of US$350,000 bythe USAID Mission in Liberia.

In recent years, Liberia’s farms acrossthe country have suffered from a new vir-ulent strain of mosaic virus, called Uganda

USAID Grants US$350,000 for Cassava Initiativevariant of East African Cassava MosaicVirus. Quickly reacting to the spread ofvirus, the ministry and the UN agricultureagency approached the InternationalInstitute for Tropical Agriculture for theirresistant varieties of cassava to distributeto Liberian farmers.

With the grant secured, Liberia import-ed 15 of the IITA top cassava genotypes.The new cassava varieties are now plantedin an area of two acres at the Liberian

Agriculture Minister Chris Toe says itis critical for a food insecure country likeLiberia to increase agricultural productivi-ty and domestic food production.“Stimulating agriculture production at thelocal level is far more cost-effective andsustainable than providing food aid,” hesays. For that reason, the adoption ofNERICA would mean more than just anincrease of rice production and a reductionof imports, he says. “It will mean morefood on each household’s table, moremoney in the farmers’ pockets and hopefor future farmers. This will in turn con-tribute to food security and poverty reduc-tion.”

Experts hope the adoption of NERICAwill lead to a Liberian Green Revolution, alocal version of the agricultural revolutionwith hybrid plant breeds, fertilisers andimproved irrigation that has boosted foodproduction in many countries worldwide.

However, FAO RepresentativeWinfred Hammond says a better rice seedalone cannot increase the productivity. Hestresses the need to strengthen the capaci-ty of human resources along the ricedevelopment continuum. “The capacity ofthe wide range of stakeholders along therice commodity chain, includingresearchers, extension workers, farmers,processors and marketers, need to bestrengthened to improve the rice sector,”he says. “Still we have a long way to go.”

Subah says his research institution iscommitted to the improvement of agricul-tural technologies as well as capacity-building of farmers and extension work-ers. “Scientists at CARI are determined tocultivate the NERICA varieties under best

management practices for irrigation andagronomic measures, so as to create a mul-tiplying effect and provide training forfarmers and extension workers,” he says.

Liberian farmers are yet to see someimprovement in rice production and

income generation. When it happens, theywill coin a new local name for LiberianNERICA.

The writer is an Information Officerwith FAO Liberia.

Liberia’s agriculturalsector is yet to pick up

Central Agriculture Research Institute(CARI) sites in Bong County. After theseason’s phytosanitary evaluation on plantdiseases and pests, the best will be multi-plied and distributed countrywide toreplace the current poor infected varietiesof cassava.

The new varieties are expected to safe-guard the future of cassava production inLiberia and improve the availability offood for rural Liberians.


By YYuko MMaeda

“God, you’re notsleeping!” Maria(not her realname), a widowwith five children,

screamed when she heard SerenaGarlawolu say she would bring the manback to court. Maria had been hurt, disap-pointed and frustrated since the youngman in question, who her 11-year-olddaughter claimed raped her, was releasedfrom jail for lack of evidence in mid-September. “I felt bad when he was setfree. I thought: ‘God will give me judg-ment if the judge cannot give it to me.’God heard me.”

Maria says her daughter was sexuallyassaulted by the man one day in Marchwhen the young girl walked to a nearbyvillage to sell smoked fish as she dideveryday. The man allegedly grabbed her,dragged her into the bush and sodomisedher while threatening to kill her if shescreamed. Shortly after the incident, thepolice found her crying hard in the bushand complaining of severe pain in herlower body and took her to a clinic formedical attention. The man was arrestedimmediately and the girl was referred to asocial counselling service. The caseseemed convincing.

The trial was set for September at theNinth Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga,180 km east of the capital city ofMonrovia. However, the prosecutor gaveup trying the man during the August termof court, one of the four 42-working-dayterms in a year in the judicial calendar, forinsufficient evidence. With medical evi-dence ruling out the occurrence of inter-

course and unable to locate the sole eye-witness to testify in court, the prosecutorentered a “nulle prosequoi” to drop thecase, in hope of reinstating the case laterwith better evidence. The judge granted itand ordered the release of the accused.Given the widespread impunity inLiberia’s post-conflict society, Maria hadno hope for a second chance.

Garlawolu came back to her rescuewithin a month. “I’m determined to prose-cute all rape cases pending in this court,”says Garlawolu, Prosecutorial Consultantassigned to the Ninth Circuit Court whoacts as Assistant County Attorney. She isone of 12 prosecutorial consultants the UNMission in Liberia funds to strengthen thecountry’s judicial sector, which had beendysfunctional due to long years of politicalturmoil and civil conflict. Garlawolu hasbeen handling seven rape cases in herjurisdiction since she took office in lateJuly. During the August term, she tried andwon one rape case in which the jury unan-imously found a 21-year-old ex-combatantguilty and the judge subsequently sen-tenced him to 10 years in prison. Herdetermination to reinstate the case ofMaria’s daughter increased when shelearned the man allegedly committedanother rape on a 12-year-old boy lessthan two weeks after his release. “I willdefinitely get him brought to justice forthis case, too.” Garlawolu plans to bringthe girl to a better qualified doctor to getanother medical certificate and track downthe eye witness who is said to be some-where in Monrovia before the next termbegins in mid-November.

“Our prosecutorial consultant is veryactive,” commends Judge Yussif D. Kaba,who is assigned to the Ninth Circuit Court

RReessttoorriinnggCCoonnffiiddeenncceeiinn JJuuddiicciiaarryy

RULE OF LAW

Defenders as defence consultants.Garlawolu, a 48-year-old attorney-in-

law who graduated from law school in2005 after many years of social work, hasbeen performing her job exceptionallywell, people say. Her first trial was a mur-der case, which was transferred from theEighth Circuit Court in Nimba. Garlawolumore than once travelled to distant Nimbato gather evidence by examining the crimescene and interviewing key peopleinvolved in the case. In the rape case of theex-combatant, she successfully convincedthe reluctant child victim and her caretak-er to come forward to participate in theprosecution and managed to reveal theperpetrator’s real age to try him as an adultby tracking down documents. She wonboth cases. “You had to go extra miles toprosecute these cases,” lauds Judge Kaba.He says Garlawolu has exhibited her tact-ful skills in preparing witnesses, collectingevidence and presenting legal argumentduring the trials. “With her, there’s muchimprovement in handling criminal cases.”

Robert Gbarbea, UNMIL’s nationallegal advisor deployed in Gbarnga, seesmore impact Garlawolu has broughtabout. As she helps a city solicitor to theGbarnga City Court review his cases inaddition to hers, the quality of prosecutionhas improved. And police officers are alsobenefiting from her advice in crime inves-tigation, evidence collection and the han-dling of victims, he says. “She’s certainlystrengthened the legal system.”

It is still true that most of the court-houses around the country are in a dilapi-dated state, many courts do not even havea typewriter to keep case records, andlegal and judicial personnel need moretraining and technical assistance to proper-ly handle criminal and civil cases. ButUNMIL’s legal consultant initiative is cer-tainly bringing positive changes in thefield.

“When I first came to Gbarnga, Ithought: ‘we’re going to make a differ-ence,’” Garlawolu recalls. “As a prosecu-tor, I have to bring relief for people andhelp regain people’s confidence in judici-ary.”

Liberia needs more of professionalslike Garlawolu to help nurture the rule oflaw and restore people’s confidence in thejustice system.


for the August term. He has a reputationfor upholding high standards of justice.During the term, the court managed tocomplete the trial of four cases and dis-missed 10 other cases among the 42 casesin the docket. It is exceptional by Liberianstandards as normally one to three cases, ifany, are heard during one term. Kabaattributes the improvement of case man-agement to Garlawolu, who compensatesfor the lack of legal training in her partnerCounty Attorney. “The prosecutorial armof the government is very weak becausemost state prosecutors haven’t beentrained as lawyers. Our consultant istrained. She has brought lots of progress inthe quality of prosecution,” Kaba says.

An acute shortage of qualified profes-sionals, coupled with the poor judicialinfrastructure and the lack of resources,has severely hindered the functioning ofLiberia’s judicial sector. Until mid-2006,Liberia had only six qualified prosecutorsserving in the entire country while onlynine public defenders aged between 56and 81 provided defence for suspects. Atthe magistrate court level, only three outof over 350 magistrates across the countryare qualified to practise law. The backlogof cases swells up and corrupt practicecontinues. This has led to mistrust in thecountry’s justice system, spurring a surgein mob justice and traditional trial byordeal. UNMIL’s most recent report onhuman rights in Liberia notes that “thejudicial system continued to fail to upholdconstitutional guarantees.”

In an effort to help build the capacityof the legal and judicial institutions,UNMIL has carried out various judicialreform initiatives. Its Legal and JudicialSystem Support Division has providedtraining to hundreds of legal and judicialpersonnel, from magistrates to court clerksto law students, and deployed the divi-sion’s legal advisors nation-wide to offerconsultations on the ground. In June, themission initiated to fund prosecutorial anddefence consultants to be deployed aroundthe country. The new initiative is an addi-tional injection designed to fill the short-age of trained personnel in order to ensurefair trial and speedy handling of cases.Currently 12 trained Liberian lawyersassist County Attorneys as prosecutorialconsultants and another 11 help Public

Efforts are underway to revampthe judicial system


By YYuko MMaeda

Recharged with a strong senseof solidarity, more than 200women in public officesreaffirmed their non-partisancollaboration for Liberia’s

development as they exchanged theirthoughts at a high-level women’s forum inMonrovia.

For the first time since they took officeearly this year under the new government,female legislatures, ministers, directorsand superintendents across the countrygathered at the Ministry of Gender andDevelopment on 30 September to sharetheir experiences in running offices as awoman decision-maker and build a betternetwork to strengthen their collaboration.Accepting there had been a “disconnect”among them and recognising the impor-tance of women’s solidarity, they suggest-ed ways to bridge the communication gap.At the end of the day-long forum “Womenin Governance Making a Difference,” theparticipants agreed to hold similar gather-ings more often to collectively advancewomen’s leadership in governance.

“The eyes of Africa and the eyes of theworld are on Liberia right now. This is agovernment that is headed by a woman.The success of this government will openthe doors to women all over the world,”reminded their role model President EllenJohnson-Sirleaf, Africa’s first femaleelected head of state, in her keynoteaddress. “My success is your success. Myfailure is your failure. This is our time, thisis our day.”

Last year, in the UN-backed nationalelections, voters elected eight femaleRepresentatives and another five Senatorsin addition to the high profile femalePresident. Since Johnson-Sirleaf came topower in January, she has appointed sever-al dozens women to head public offices atboth national and local levels. Currentlywomen make up 33 per cent of the provin-cial administrators, 31 per cent of seniorministerial positions, 14 per cent of the

legislature, and two of the five seats of theSupreme Court Bench. The current rate offemale representation in governance isunprecedented in the traditionally male-dominated West African nation. “Theyvoted for you to make a difference,” thePresident reminded the participants.

However, women in public offices areyet to use their collective power to make adifference in governance, according to thepanellists who addressed the challengesahead of female leaders.

Joana Foster, Senior Gender Advisorof the UN Mission in Liberia, pointed outthat the women in power should acceleratethe “institutionalization” of female partic-ipation in decision-making by utilising theConvention on the Elimination of allforms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW), an agreement signed by allmember states of the UN. It would build alinkage between the international legalframework and domestic laws to protectwomen’s interests, she said.

Commerce Minister Olubanke King-Akerele suggested women in publicoffices should refine the quality of leader-ship, saying an ideal leader must be able toprovide a vision, develop an action plan,mobilise resources and empower others togo with her. “We’ve been blessed by thePresident, who brought all of us with herto come along… We have to pass a torchto the next generation.”

Kagwiria Mbogori, programme man-ager of the UN Development Fund forWomen, UNIFEM, noted that often timeswomen in high level positions end up act-ing like a man once they take office. “Theystart going by their patriarchal rules, see-ing the work in the eyes of men. Let’s notchange our gender,” she appealed. “Don’tforget women’s solidarity can make thingshappen.”

Etweda Cooper, President of LiberiaWomen Initiative, an umbrella organiza-tion for women across the country,addressed the importance of networkingand building an alliance of women. “Weneed to communicate with each other,

share information and ideas. We need tosupport each other,” she told the audience.“You have to go back to your constituencyand explain what’s happening in the legis-lature,” she said, adding that’s the way tolift up women as a whole.

Responding to the panellists, manyparticipants voiced concern over the lackof communication among women in pub-lic offices and recognised the importanceof building an alliance to collectively dealwith issues important to women and chil-dren.

Some said the female leaders shouldencourage other women, including farm-ers and market people, to participate in thecountry’s development efforts, and shareinformation they have with rural Liberiansso that everyone can participate in thedecision-making process. Othersaddressed the issue of affirmative actionfor women to put a minimum quota forfemale representatives in government inplace. In the end, the participants agreed tomeet once a month to enhance theiralliance.

“It was a great forum,” smiled SediaMassaquoi-Bangoura, Deputy Minister ofLabour, who managed to collect at leastdozens of names and contact informationfrom participants during the forum. “Wedefinitely have to build the network ofwomen in governance to collaborate.”

The forum was organised by the min-istry, in close collaboration with UNIFEMand other international partners includingUNMIL’s Office of the Gender Advisor.Alan Doss, Special Representative of theUN Secretary-General, in his addresspraised the role of women in governanceto bring “a different perspective” to devel-opment. “It makes economic, social andpolitical sense to put the power of choicein the hands of poor women. Only then canwe get significant and quick advances inimproving health and education,” he said,promising that the international partnersstand by them for women’s advancement.“We’ll do the most to bring women to thecentre stage.”

Networking Women inGovernance



Officially, all the 35 internal-ly displaced persons (IDP)camps and spontaneous set-tlements in Liberia wereclosed on 20 April this year

at a ceremony held at Salala in BongCounty, the largest such camp in the coun-try. But some months after the IDP chapterwas thought to have been closed with314,095 registered displaced personsreceiving assistance package to return,hundreds of displaced persons continuedto live in squalid conditions in about 32 ofthe camps, prompting an assessment sur-vey by the Liberia Refugee Repatriationand Resettlement Commission (LRRRC),UN agencies, UNMIL and non-govern-mental organizations.

The survey found that some 5,500 dis-placed persons had stayed back in campsaround Monrovia and in the counties part-ly because their names were removed fromthe World Food Programme (WFP) logsduring camp consolidation exercise con-ducted in 2004/05. Some did not show upto collect their assistance package duringthe organized return. Other reasonsinclude the desire of some IDPs to locallyintegrate and the lack of access to basicservices such as schools and clinics inreturn areas.

The IDP Consultative Forum (ICF),the body that looks into IDP affairs thendecided that the remaining IDPs, other-wise called the residual caseload, shouldbe assisted to return. The ICF alsoresolved that assistance to IDPs should bedistributed upon arrival in their areas ofreturn and set November this year as thecut-off point for repatriation.

The repatriation of the residual case-load started on 2 October. Majority of thereturnees are heading to Bomi County,according to Henok Ochalla, a field officerwith the UN refugee agency UNHCR,which is taking the lead in the IDP returnprocess in collaboration with the LRRRCand other humanitarian actors.

Accompanied by UN peacekeepers,191 members from 88 families left the out-

skirts of Monrovia on 27 October on theirjourney home in a convoy of 20 vehicles.While UNHCR trucks carried the IDPs,UNMIL trucks carried their luggage.

At the Sinje transit centre locatedbetween Monrovia and the Sierra Leoneborder, representatives of the LRRRC andNGOs welcomed the IDPs. “You’re wel-come- there is no place like home.” Apeacekeeper from UNMIL’s Namibiancontingent assured them of security. “Weare here to protect you -- you have nothingto fear. Peace is here!”

At the transit centre, the returneesreceived their return assistance of food andnon-food items in addition to US$5 trans-portation allowance per person to reachhome after they are dropped off near their

home areas. During the repatriation earli-er, returnees were given four months foodration supplied by the WFP in two install-ments. This time around, the returneeswere given their four months' ration in onego as an added incentive.

“I feel good to be back home today, Iam really happy,” 52-year-old TaylorMorris from Perry Camp said cheerfully ashe arrived at Sinje Transit Camp with hiswife and three children. His 22-year-oldson stayed behind as he is going to schoolbut will join the family when school ends.Revealing that he intends to go back to hisfarming work, Morris sounded philosoph-ical: “Once there is life and there is peace,there is hope.”

As the IDPs return, some of the

landowners where the camps are locatedhave reportedly requested for the return oftheir land, an issue that the LRRRC islooking into against the background thatnegotiations for land for IDP camps wereeither done informally or the campssprung up spontaneously. On its part,UNHCR has commissioned a specialistorganization, the EnvironmentalFoundation for Africa (EFA), to carry outcritical activities to address environmentalhazards in former IDP camps. EFA hasalready begun work on sealing open pitlatrines, wells and garbage pits, anddemolishing abandoned shelters and dis-posing of household debris that pose aserious health hazard to people and ani-mals.

UNHCR and partners will continuesupporting the thousands of IDPs whohave returned through community-basedrecovery programmes, officially known asCommunity Empowerment Projects(CEPs), by providing medical assistanceand agricultural implements and ensuringthat educational facilities are functional.

The IDP return process began on 8November 2004 through the joint effortsof the LRRRC, UN agencies and NGOsfollowing the deployment of UN peace-keepers and the restoration of peace. Threeyears on, as the IDP return chapter closesin 2006 much to the satisfaction of UNagencies and other humanitarian actors,the former IDPs are hoping and prayingthat never again should they be forced torun away from their homes.

Meanwhile, the LRRRC, UNHCR andpartners continue to receive and provideassistance to Liberian refugees. As of 20October, 81,298 Liberian refugees hadbeen assisted to return by road, air and seamainly from Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, SierraLeone, Ghana and Nigeria. UNHCR’soffice in Kissidougou, Guinea, closed inSeptember, ending an 18-year presence inthe region following successful repatria-tion of 16,000 out of the total 18,000Liberian refugees in the region betweenMarch 2005 and September 2006. Therepatriation of Liberian refugees isplanned to end in June 2007.

IDP Chapter EndsEND OF EXILE



Dorothy Jartu Quay, 23, isneatly dressed in herLiberia National Policeuniform and is very proudof it. “It was no mistake for

me to join the police force,” she beams,sitting behind her desk at the police head-quarters in Monrovia. Although somemembers of the public provokingly callpolice personnel “five dollar police”because of a few Liberian dollar tips somemembers of the “old” police were notori-ous for collecting from law breakers inorder to set them free, Quay said she hadnever allowed such nicknames to dampenher enthusiasm.

“We are very happy to be serving ourcountry after 10 months of training. This isbetter than staying at home doing nothingfor our country,” says Quay’s colleague,Roseline Dweh.

Emerging from 14 years of brutal con-flict, Liberia is currently engaged inreforming its security sector under theSecurity Sector Reform (SSR) programmewith both the army and the police targeting20 per cent of women’s recruitment. Thisis in line with UN Security Council resolu-tion 1325, which calls on all actors whenimplementing a peace agreement to adopta gender perspective -- measures thatensure the protection of and respect for therights of women and girls.

As Liberians continue to savour thehistoric feat of electing Africa’s firstfemale president and thus bringing thestruggle for gender equality to the fore,security is of high priority for Liberianwomen who suffered the most during thecountry’s civil war. “We women have totake the lead to ensure that the peaceprocess stays on course,” says Liberia’sMinister of Gender and Development,Varba Gayflor.

The police reform and restructuringexercise, under the aegis of the UN Police(UNPOL), began in 2004. The restructur-ing of the previously factionalised armybegan only this year, with DynCorp

International, a private security companycontracted by the United StatesGovernment, in charge of the exercise.

Early November, the first batch of 106soldiers including 10 women of the ArmedForces of Liberia (AFL) graduated aftersuccessfully completing a 15-week courseat a rehabilitated Barclay Training Centrein downtown Monrovia. Immaculatelydressed in military combat fatigues, themen and women of the new AFL proudlyparaded some of their newly-acquired mil-

itary skills at the graduation ceremony.“I am extremely satisfied with the per-

formance of the women and I feel veryproud of them,” said Edith Bawn, PublicAffairs Officer of DynCorp International.She added that they had a limited numberof women in the first group of recruitsbecause they had inadequate accommoda-tion facilities at the current temporarytraining centre.

The 106 new graduates began a six-week individual advance training in mid-November. The next group of new recruits

will start their training in January 2007 ata different location and it will target 500trainees, 20 per cent of them women. “It istoo early to say whether we would haveproblems attaining the overall target of 20per cent women in the army,” says Bawn.The initial number of soldiers to be trainedfor the AFL is 2,000.

Previously, recruitment into the armyand police was largely based on connec-tions and political affiliations and not onset criteria and competencies. As part of

the reform agenda, all personnel of theexisting LNP were required to register in2004 and to reapply. Over 2,300 of themwho had either reached the retirement ageor did not meet the minimum requirementswere deactivated, retaining about 900 per-sonnel who were retrained as part of arevamped police force of 3,500 personnel.

Although the new police currentlyboasts of senior female officers at the helmof the force, of the 2,214 who have so fargraduated at the end of October this year,only 133 or 6 per cent, are females.

Women Join Security ServicesSECURITY



One hundred and six recruits,including 10 females, of the firstclass graduated on 4 November

to join active service in the Armed Forcesof Liberia (AFL) after successfully com-pleting a 15-week Initial Entry TrainingCourse. Also graduating were recruits ofthe Band Unit of the new armed forces.

Discipline and respect for the rule oflaw were the subject of much of the day’sceremony at the Barclay Training Centrein Monrovia as the trainees, neatlydressed in military combat fatigues,savoured their graduation moment.

Addressing the graduates, Liberia’sVice President, Joseph Boakai stressedthat the new army should be subordinateto constitutional authorities and shouldact within the bounds of the national con-stitution and the rule of law. He urged thenew graduates to develop respect forhuman rights through practice and train-ing.

Defence Minister Brownie J.Samukai said that the Government’sobjective is to develop a professional mil-itary, “not in numbers, but in quality --well-trained, regimented, disciplined --with robust tactical and technical capabil-ities.” Samukai promised more efforts

First AFL Recruits Graduate

from the Government to obtain adequateresources to support, sustain and main-tain the new personnel of the AFL. “Wewill support efforts to have these soldiers,and all other soldiers that are to be trainedlater, to be paid their salaries on time andin a respectable manner. We shall seek thefinancial support of Government in main-taining the logistical equipment, quarter-ing and welfare facilities that are beingprovided by the U.S. Government for thenew armed forces,” he said.

United States Ambassador to LiberiaDonald Booth cautioned the young grad-uates never to forget that they representthe best about Liberia and its people.“Your uniform is a solid reminder of pro-fessionalism, discipline, and responsibili-ty. But whether a soldier is in uniform orout of uniform, whether a soldier is onduty or off duty, a soldier’s actions,words and intentions will ultimatelydetermine how your fellow citizens cometo view you and respect the AFL,” henoted.

Over the next three years, DynCorpInternational, a private security companycontracted by the U.S. Government, willassist with recruiting, vetting, trainingand equipping the new army of 2,000 sol-diers including 94 civil servants for theMinistry of Defence.

Due to years of war which seriouslyaffected education in the country, gettingpeople including women who meet thebasic requirement of a high school gradu-ation to join the army and police has notbeen easy, says Paul Frimpong, in chargeof UNPOL Reform and RestructuringSection. “But that does not mean we haveto lower the standard. We have put a pro-gramme in place to accelerate women’seducation.”

UNMIL’s Office of the GenderAdvisor works with the recruitment teamto bring the gender perspective into theexercise. The office also works withUNMIL’s Public Information and UNPOL

to design gender sensitive messages, slo-gans, flyers and billboards, as well as jin-gles for broadcast on radio to encouragewomen to join the security sector.

To meet the challenge of reaching thetarget of 20 per cent female participationin the LNP, the Norwegian government isfunding a project that provides interestedfemales who have attained 10th grade theopportunity to qualify for the GeneralEducational Development (GED) acceler-ated course. Participants who successfullycomplete the course become eligible tocommence the police training programme.

Graduation of the first class of AFL


By EElma SShaw

“Our people say,when strangerscome to visit, wemust first givethem kola before

they tell us their reason for coming,” saysthe young spokesperson for the Elders. Heis donning a western suit jacket with a col-orful African print lappa wrapped aroundthe waist, the formal Grebo fashion formen.

We are in Freetown, part of the GlarroChiefdom of River Gee County, to launchthe UNDP Arms for Development (AfD)project and are overwhelmed by the elabo-rate welcome ceremony. We have beenhere several times before to prepare thecommunity, but this one is a special occa-sion. The artistically painted women whodanced and sang for us as we approachedthe palaver hut are now seated with their

sasas, and the Elders, all men, are seated ina row with two plates of pink kola nuts anda cup of yellowish water on the floor infront of them.

The team from the Small Arms ControlProgramme has a lot to do in Glarro in thenext two days, but nothing can be startedwithout this traditional ritual. After hand-shakes and introductions we must eat thekola nuts, drink the water, and give a smalltoken gift of our own as a sign of appreci-ation. In return, we will have the fullcooperation of the Chiefs and the citizensof the Chiefdom. Looking at them now,smiling and in finery, one would neverbelieve that just three years ago many ofthem lost friends and relatives in what isnow known as the “River Gee Massacre.”More than 300 people were rounded upand killed, and to date, no one has beenbrought to justice for the crime. Behindthe smiles today is a determination to ridtheir communities and their county of all

military-style weapons so that history doesnot repeat itself.

Beatrice Teah, a subsistence farmerwho lives in Freetown, later recalled yearsof exile in neighbouring Côte d’Ivoirewhere her daughter still goes to school.“With all the trouble there I want her tocome home, but we don’t have goodschools here,” she says. “River Gee needsdevelopment.”

Musu Kiazolu, UNDP Small ArmsCounty Coordinator for River Gee, agrees.She says people in Freetown drink the yel-low water from the River Gbeh becausethere are no sources for clean and safewater. Health facilities are also lacking,and people often walk miles to get propercare in the county’s capital.

The stories are similar throughout theSoutheast region of Liberia where UNDPhas begun the Community ArmsCollection for Development component ofthe National Five-Year Programme forsmall arms control. Despite the challengesof poor road conditions, the AfD projectwas launched in six Chiefdoms there inAugust 2006 -- Twainsiebo andNyemonweh in Maryland County,Cherboken and Glarro in River GeeCounty, and B’hai and Niao-Gborbo inGrand Gedeh County. The project wasalso launched in the Zota Chiefdom ofBong County. Communities in theseChiefdoms are encouraged to voluntarilysurrender arms and ammunition inexchange for development projects fromUNDP.

Four Chiefdoms have already selectedtheir development projects and are nowbreaking ground or making other prepara-tions to implement their projects.

On day two, at the official launchingceremony in Glarro Chiefdom, the displayof cultural traditions to symbolize commit-ment to the project continued with thepresentation of a live rooster and a bowl offreshly harvested rice to River Gee CountySuperintendent Karku Sampson. TheSuperintendent encouraged the people tokeep up their enthusiasm throughout theArms for Development process, and, ontheir behalf, turned over to UNMIL thefirst weapons surrendered by theChiefdom.

The writer is a CommunicationsOfficer with UNDP Liberia.

Novel Approach toArms Collection



From the sleepy Liberian bordertown of Loguatu in NimbaCounty, where in 1989 the civilconflict that would engulf thewhole country for the next 14

years first began, the patrol team travelsalong a narrow path through thick bush andforest. A few kilometres later, the teamcomes to the end of the road, facing thepeacefully flowing Cavalla river, the natu-ral boundary between Côted'Ivoire and Liberia. Across theriver one can see men armed withKalashnikovs in battle readypositions. The men are fighters ofthe Ivorian rebel outfit ForcesNouvelles (New Forces), whohave been controlling the north ofthat country for about four yearsrunning.

Although UNMIL’s patroldoes not cross over to the Ivorianside, and in the absence of abridge, some peacekeepers of theUnited Nations Mission in Côted’Ivoire, ONUCI, cross the riveron rafters from the Ivorian side to meettheir counterparts in Liberia. The peace-keepers compare notes. No incident oneither side -- all calm and quiet.

With the restoration of peace to Liberiaand its neighbour Sierra Leone thanks toUN peacekeepers, there are genuine fearsthat any deterioration of security in theneighbouring countries could have direct orindirect impact on the gains the UN hasmade. The war-weary locals of Loguatusummarize it with screaming graffiti ontheir walls: “No more war, we want peace!”

Peace remains the most cherisheddesire in the volatile West African sub-region notorious for its porous borders.While Liberia and Sierra Leone enjoy rela-tive peace, the stalemate in Côte d’Ivoirecontinues. At the same time, there is an airof political uncertainty and despair hangingover Guinea. Although Liberians at the bor-der say the Ivorian rebels have not createdany disturbances, a sense of uneasinesswith their presence could be clearly seen ontheir faces.

During patrols in vehicles andarmoured tanks through the jungle in terri-ble road conditions or on foot, the peace-keepers clearly identify all crossing pointsand gather information on terrain and roadconditions. Troops deployed on both sidesknow each other and the local residents arereassured of their security. The peacekeep-ers also obtain maps of the border area aswell as information on rebel movements.

Addressing the press at UNMIL head-quarters in Monrovia mid-October,UNMIL Force Commander Lt.-Gen.

Chikadibia Isaac Obiakor shed some lighton the exercise named “Operation Logo”on the border with Sierra Leone and“Operation Mayo” on the Ivorian border.“We patrol on our side of the border andmeet at identified crossing points toexchange information,” he said. “While weare doing the western borders, we hadtroops doing the eastern borders concur-rently.” The border patrols also include airreconnaissance.

Lt.-Gen. Obiakor points out that thereare lots of unsubstantiated storiesin local newspapers on campseither in Côte d'Ivoire or in Nimbawhere rebel recruits are training.“But we have found nothing of thatnature.”

The UNMIL military bossstresses that although no rebeltraining camps or recruitment werediscovered, the patrols will not berelaxed. “Immigration, customsand the Liberia National Police areall involved in this patrol so itbecomes part and parcel of whatthey should be doing eventually.”

Some Liberian residents in theborder area with Côte d'Ivoire and SierraLeone say they are very much appreciativeof the border patrols. “With the borderpatrols, we are sure to go about our dailyactivities in peace and to sleep in peace,”John Johnson, a resident of Loguatu,remarks.

Meanwhile, a regional ForceCommanders’ Conference in lateNovember in Monrovia reviewed the bor-der patrols and decided to launchOperation Seskin, along the border withGuinea at the end of the month.

Patrolling the BordersIInn tthhee wwaakkee ooff aass yyeett uunnssuubbssttaannttiiaatteedd mmeeddiiaa rreeppoorrttss iinn CCôôttee dd''IIvvooiirree aanndd LLiibbeerriiaa ooff mmeerrccee-nnaarryy ttrraaiinniinngg oonn tthhee bboorrddeerr,, tthhee UUnniitteedd NNaattiioonnss ppeeaacceekkeeeeppiinngg mmiissssiioonnss iinn tthhee ttwwoo nneeiigghh-bboouurriinngg ccoouunnttrriieess hhaavvee ssttaarrtteedd jjooiinntt ppaattrroollss iinn aann eeffffoorrtt ttoo pprreevveenntt aannyy rreeccrruuiittmmeenntt ooff mmeerr-cceennaarriieess oorr aarrmmss ttrraaffffiicckkiinngg,, aanndd ttoo rreeiinnffoorrccee sseeccuurriittyy aalloonngg tthheeiirr ccoommmmoonn bboorrddeerrss.. UUNNMMIILLFFOOCCUUSS jjooiinneedd aa ppaattrrooll tteeaamm iinn NNiimmbbaa CCoouunnttyy,, wwhhiicchh sshhaarreess bboorrddeerr wwiitthh CCôôttee dd''IIvvooiirree aannddGGuuiinneeaa..

UN Peacekeeperspatrol the border



The United Nations Mission inLiberia (UNMIL) through itsQuick Impact Projects (QIPs)funds community-oriented,small scale but highly visible

infrastructure projects aimed at helpingLiberia recover from its prolonged warand improve the living standards of thepeople.

From the initial projects of garbageand metal scrap collection and removalfrom the streets of Monrovia and its envi-rons in October 2003 to the rehabili-tation of roads and educational facili-ties, UNMIL has continued to supportthe Government’s efforts to realize itsprogrammes of recovery and recon-struction.

Overall, a total of 282 such proj-ects totalling US$4 million have beenundertaken over the last three years.Of these, 215 projects have beencompleted, while 67 are ongoing.

Since QIPs began, education sec-tor has benefited from the highestnumber, 38 per cent, of such projects.Among the other sectors benefitingfrom the projects are rule of law, waterand sanitation, road rehabilitation, health,economic activity and shelter.

In far away Buanplay, Nimba County,some 300 kilometres from Monrovia,UNMIL, through a local contractor, isconstructing a 13-classroom junior highschool building to replace two dilapidatedmud brick structures serving as the educa-tional facility for some 500 students in thetown and the surrounding areas. This isjust one of the 109 projects aimed at reha-bilitating the education sector.

“I’m so overjoyed,” says ThomasKarngbury, Town Chief of Buanplay, ashe thanks UNMIL for the assistanceaccorded the township through the QIPs.“Our children will be able to learn in anatmosphere conducive for learning. Youhave brought great relief to us and ourchildren in this community and the adja-cent villages.”

In Sinyea, Bong County, a town withover 6,500 inhabitants, getting safe drink-ing water is a nightmare. Local inhabi-tants rely on water from the adjourningcreeks or the open un-chlorinated wells inthe vicinity. However, five new handpumps nearing completion around thetown through QIPs will soon provide theresidents with clean drinking water.

The major focus of QIPs now is onrehabilitation and refurbishing of court-houses, police stations, and prison com-pounds aimed at enhancing rule of lawand good governance. As part of this, the

Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, theonly law school in the country, has beengiven a massive facelift.

A number of magisterial and judicialcourthouses have been renovated andrefurbished in Greenville, Tubmanburg,Kakata, Bensonville, Careysburg, andGbarnga. Similar renovation projects areunderway in Buchanan, Zwedru, Harper,Bopulu, Cestos City, Ganta andSanniquellie.

Alfred Y.K. Manigbolor, StipendiaryMagistrate, Gbarnga City Court is ecstat-ic about the renovation of his court byUNMIL. “The renovation of this buildinghas made a great impact. People did nothave interest in the judicial systembecause this place was looking run-down.But since UNMIL QIPs came in and ren-ovated the building, it has given a goodimpression to the public.”

Other institutions like the Monrovia,

Kakata and Gbarnga Central Prisons havereceived facelifts through UNMIL QIPs.At the Kakata Central Prison, outsideKakata, Margibi County, CorrectionsOfficers were quite overwhelmed with therefurbished and renovated facility.

Correctional Desk Officer AmosSarnoh couldn’t hide his delight. “To befrank, I’m very much grateful to QIPsbecause when we took over this place, theprison was not suitable. There was a lackof toilet facilities, inmates received verylittle ventilation and sunlight during theday, the fence was very low, and there

were no exercise facilities,” he said.Though with only 51 inmates,

Sarnoh says the facilities are now upto standard. “Our static security is inplace: fence is higher secured withbarbed wire, the entrances have steelgates, there is much more ventilationfor inmates and most importantly, anexercise venue and water facilitiesare all included,” he said. There arenow four withholding cells with spe-cific cells for juvenile and females atthe premises.

Liberia’s civil servants who arebased outside the capital were forced

to travel to Monrovia at the end of everymonth to collect and cash their salarychecks due to the absence of bankingfacilities in the counties. However, theydon’t have to go through that stress andstrain any longer.

Constructed and refurbished throughUNMIL QIPs, the Central Bank of Liberianow has payment centres in Tubmanburg,Voinjama and Zwedru, which will alsoserve the neighbouring counties. The pay-ment centres will also enable customs andrevenue agents to deposit funds and avoidthe need for frequent travel to the bank’sMonrovia headquarters. Discussions arebeing finalized for the construction ofthree more centres in Sinoe, Maryland andGrand Kru counties.

Of all the Quick Impact Projects, 40per cent were implemented inMontserrado County, followed by Nimba,Bomi, Margibi and other counties.

Quick Impact Projects


As the deadly, haemorrhagicdisease, Lassa Fever, con-tinues to claim lives inLiberia, the World HealthOrganisation (WHO) and

the Ministry of Health (MOH) are imple-menting an Emergency Lassa FeverPrevention and Control Programmespecifically for the endemic counties ofBong, Lofa and Nimba. The project is co-funded by the European CommissionHumanitarian Office (ECHO) and WHO.

The ongoing programme, which wouldbe eventually expanded to cover the entirecountry, is expected to contribute to thereduction of morbidity andmortality caused by LassaFever by strengthening thecapacities of health workersand communities.

The WHO Representativein Liberia, Dr. Eugene A.Nyarko, said from January2005 to October 2006, about12 cases of Lassa Fever wereconfirmed with three recordeddeaths, among them twoPakistani UN peacekeepers.Most of the confirmed caseswere reported from the threeendemic counties, but Gbarpolu, GrandBassa, Maryland and Montserrado coun-ties also reported the disease.

Laboratory tests to confirm whetherone is suffering from Lassa Fever are usu-ally sent by courier to Hamburg inGermany. It usually takes a week for theresults to be known. Nyarko acknowl-edged that sending samples abroad is aproblem but said plans are afoot to have alaboratory in West Africa capable ofdetecting the disease. The surge in LassaFever cases in Liberia has led to a new co-ordination mechanism among principalstakeholders: MOH, the Country HealthTeams, UNMIL, WHO, Phebe Hospitaland the communities.

In the ongoing prevention and controlthat started in November 2005, the mainstrategies include improvement of patientcare through clinical diagnosis, case man-

agement, referrals, infection control andinjection safety; hospital-based surveil-lance through improved laboratory servic-es and rapid diagnosis; community mobi-lization through provision of sanitationtools, surveillance and response to out-breaks; and community sensitizationthrough information, education and com-munication.

As part of the programme, skills of themostly untrained or semi-skilled healthworkers in rural areas get a boost, enablingthem diagnose Lassa Fever clinically,report and refer suspected cases to PhebeHospital, the only facility in the country

for management of the disease, which waslooted and all equipment destroyed duringthe war, but has now been rehabilitated.

First reported in Zorzor hospital, Lofacounty in 1970, Lassa Fever has been oneof the public health problems in Liberiawith consequent impact on the socio-eco-nomic and livelihood of the Liberian peo-ple. Studies conducted in 1984 suggesthigh transmission of the disease in thecountry with varying incidences ofbetween 14-17 per cent in the endemiccounties. In the coastal areas the inci-dences vary between 3.8-4.3 per cent. Theproportion of death from the disease hasbeen high, especially in pregnant women.

WHO has trained 162 health workersfrom the three endemic counties on LassaFever prevention and control. Twelvecounty health team members were trainedas trainers to facilitate information sharing

and skills development in the affectedcounties. In addition, 60 nurses and nurs-ing students from Phebe Hospital weresensitized on aspects of case definitions,clinical presentation and standard precau-tions. All the trained health workers wereprovided with guidelines and field refer-ence materials for use in their health facil-ities. It is envisaged that these tools willequip the health workers in the investiga-tion of Lassa Fever related rumours or out-breaks, surveillance, clinical diagnosis ofsuspected cases, specimen handling,observation of standard precautions,reporting, and management.

WHO has provided personalprotective equipment to strength-en the capacity of the isolationward in Phebe Hospital, in addi-tion to BiochemistrySpectrometer for blood analysisand the drug, Ribavirin, for treat-ment of the disease. Communityawareness and community clean-up campaigns have started in allthe three counties with the sup-port of local community leaders.WHO has provided sanitationtools consisting of wheelbar-rows, shovels, rakes, cutlasses,

hoes, diggers and sanitation gloves to 60communities from 20 districts in the threeidentified counties.

Lassa Fever is endemic in Guinea,Liberia, Sierra Leone and regions ofNigeria where it was first discovered in avillage called Lassa. Lassa infection inrodents persists and the virus is shedthroughout the life of the animal. Diseasetransmission is primarily through direct orindirect contact with the waste of infectedrodents deposited on surfaces such asfloors or beds or in food or water. Person-to-person spread may occur during theacute phase of fever when the virus ispresent in the throat. The virus may beexcreted in the urine of patients for threeto nine weeks from the onset of the dis-ease. Lassa virus can also be transmittedvia semen for up to three months. All agegroups are susceptible to the disease.

Fighting Lassa Fever


By AAlexactus KKaure

The road from the Chinese cap-ital of Beijing to Liberia’ssouth-eastern city of Zwedruis long. But for the 12 doctorsand 16 other Chinese medical

personnel from the Beijing Army GeneralHospital, Zwedru is their second home.They are part of the Chinese Level IIHospital in Zwedru.

The Hospital provides high qualitymedical support to mostly UNMIL SectorIV staff but sometimes extends free med-ical service to critical patients in the localcommunity who cannot be treated at thelocal hospital. Besides the highly trainedand professional staff, the Chinese Level IIHospital also boasts of state-of-the-artmedical equipment. Its laboratory hasbeen praised by Madam Bendu Tulg,Liberia’s Assistant Minister of Health, asthe best in the South-eastern region ofLiberia.

Saving the life of an Ethiopian peace-keeper, who shot himself accidentally inthe chest early this July, was a significantachievement for Lt.-Col. Sun Tiansheng,Commander of the Hospital, and his team.This won the hearts of fellow peacekeep-ers in Zwedru, mostly from Ethiopia.

The shot peace-keeper was rushed tothe Hospital in a critical condition. Thedoctors carried out a quick but successfulcardio-pulmonary resuscitation. Afterthree hours of surgery, the patient’s bleed-ing was under control, heart-rate stabilizedand all the vital signs back to normal.Sweating and exhausted, the Chinese doc-tors and nurses had pulled the patient backfrom death. When the good news wasannounced, people waiting outside theHospital cheered and applauded to showtheir gratitude to the doctors.

“The contribution of the Chinese med-ical personnel in Zwedru is not only wellacknowledged by UNMIL but also by theentire Liberian people,” Brigadier BirhanuJula, the Ethiopian Commander for SectorIV, commented recently. Up to now, theChinese Level II Hospital has receivednearly 20,000 out-patients and in-patientsof UNMIL staff alone.

Since its establishment, the Hospitalhas undertaken various humanitarianactivities as part of the effort to helprebuild Liberia, including free medicalassistance to the local people and healthpromotion programmes using mobile clin-ics.

“The contribution of the Chinese LevelII Hospital in the provision of health to

Grand Gedeh communities has been com-mendable. The Hospital has been helpingin providing health services to the citizensin collaboration with the government-owned Martha Tubman Memorial (MTM)Hospital in Zwedru in many differentways,” said Dr Oluyinka Aderibigbe ofMTM Hospital. This help has included theprovision of X-ray facilities, laboratorytests and TB medication.

“The people of Grand-Gedeh Countyare grateful to the Chinese people for thelevel of work they have carried out,” saysOphelia Gledy, Zwedru City Mayoressrecalling two cases -- one involving a littleboy who had third-degree burns on mostparts of his body and needed some inten-sive treatment, and a pregnant young girlwho was transferred from the MTMHospital with vaginal bleeding.

Despite not having a gynaecologist,the Hospital had no choice but to admit thepatient. After several hours of surgery,during which several phone calls weremade to China for expert advice, the babywas successfully delivered and the motherwas out of danger.

“The tremendous service the Chinesemedical personnel are rendering is indis-pensable in addressing the health needs ofour people in that area,” says JosephBoakai, Vice President of Liberia.

From China, With LovePEACEKEEPERS

Chinese medical personnel at work


By AAlexactus KKaure

Before the arrival of UNMIL,the Albert T. White Stadiumin Zwedru was in a state oftotal neglect and disrepair.But almost three years later,

the renovated Stadium can be mistaken fora spanking military training academy. It isnow home to the Chinese EngineeringCompany.

The Company’s story begins here inZwedru. It is a story of making movementpossible, of roads and their regular mainte-nance. The Company has 275 personnelranging from commanding officers andsergeants, engineers and technicians, oper-ators, drivers and mechanics.

The statistics can be staggering. TheCompany has 431 equipments, dividedinto seven groups, 14 engineeringmachines, 16 tractors, 58 containers, ninegenerators and three sets of water treat-ment plants, says the Commander of theCompany, Lt.-Col. Li Chutang.

The Chinese Engineering Companyhas a daunting task as it is responsible forthree major road arteries. It takes care of

the Zwedru-Tappeta, Zwedru-Greenville,Zwedru-Webo Highways and the ToeTown road to the border with Côted’Ivoire. Put together these stretches ofroads represent over 500 km. And theCompany’s area of operation, Sector IV, isnot just the largest of the four sectors, butit is also the only sector that doesn’t havea portion of tarred road.

The Commander says the Company ishere to maintain roads and not to buildthem -- a crucial distinction. Asked whichof the roads he is most proud of, he quick-ly picks out Zwedru-Tappeta and ToeTown’s. In fact, there is a permanentdetachment of the Company stationed onthe Zwedru-FishTown road and another onthe Zwedru-Tappeta. The trouble spots onthe road are immediately taken care ofwithout having to drive from Zwedruevery day. For the first time in many years,the Zwedru-Tappeta road has been in goodcondition even during the rainy season,says the Commander.

However, the task is not easy. TheZwedru-Greenville road has proved to be anightmare, says the Commander. Lack oftimely delivery of construction materials

from Monrovia is the major constrain. Itagain boils down to transport.

The Chinese Engineering Companyhas so far built two heliports at GreenvilleAirport, repaired the Zwedru Airfield,built four steel bridges, rehabilitated tworoads and built a truck-port in Zwedru,among other tasks. On the social front, theCompany has levelled the ground for anelementary school in Toe Town andrepaired the wall of a badly damagedmosque in Zwedru. The Company alsorescued 80 stranded vehicles both UNMILand private, and has lifted 81 containers.

In addition to over 320 km of roadsrepaired, the Chinese engineers have alsofixed 66 seriously damaged road sections.And they have won kudos for their work.The Special Representative of theSecretary-General, Alan Doss, praised theengineers for their hard work when heopened the Sarbo Bridge in River Geebuilt by the Company. Recognizing thatthe bridge had been built in just one week,he said that this achievement demonstratesnot only the contingent’s technical abilitiesbut also their dedication to their job aspeacekeepers.

Chinese Keep Roads Open


Members of the LiberianLegislature had everyreason to smile onThursday, 12 October,as they received two

grants from the United NationsDemocracy Fund (UNDEF) totaling near-ly half a million US dollars.

The two grants include the LegislativeStudy Grant Programme of US$120,000,which is to last for two years and is intend-ed to strengthen the professionalism of thelegislature and encourage the participationof youth in the democratic process, andthe project, “Building a National IntegrityFramework for Liberia,” amountingUS$360,000, to be implemented by theGovernance Reform Commission (GRC).The latter seeks to promote transparency,accountability and the rule of law, with aview to eliminating or substantially mini-mizing corruption.

The study grant programme will pro-vide scholarships for some students at theUniversity of Liberia. This will be imple-mented through UNDP, the University of

Liberia and the Legislature. Speaking at the signing ceremony held

at the United Nations Mission in Liberia(UNMIL) Headquarters in Monrovia,attended by senior members of theLiberian senate and legislature, SpecialRepresentative of the Secretary-GeneralAlan Doss said the project is one of thevery first approved by UNDF which cameout of a major reform effort by the outgo-ing Secretary General, Kofi Annan. Hesaid the Legislative Study GrantProgramme is important because it meetstwo needs: “first to strengthen the capaci-ty of the Legislature …and a strongLegislature means a strong Government…and second, bringing young people intothe political arena.”

The Deputy Special Representative ofthe Secretary-General for Recovery andGovernance, Jordan Ryan, said Liberiashould be proud to be one of the few coun-tries to receive two grants from the newDemocracy Fund. “Democracy requiresthat all of the public be outraged whenthere are examples of corruption but all ofthe public have the ability to be engaged inprocesses that put a check on issues of cor-

ruption,” he said.The Speaker of the House of

Representatives, Edwin Snowe, lauded theefforts of the United Nations for bringingpeace and sustaining it by empowering theLiberian people. “These grants demon-strate that peacekeeping is not only aboutensuring security or silencing the guns butalso about sustaining peace. By empower-ing our young Liberians, the UN is notonly setting the pace for lasting peace butalso ensuring that we can all live togetherand develop our nation as one people.”

The President Pro Tempore, IsaacNyenabo, expressed gratitude to theUnited Nations for the grants. ‘We believethat capacity-building is the essence ofnational development…we believe thatthis process of fomenting the strength ofthe committees by bringing in youngprofessionals to assist in note taking,research work, etc. will help to improveour society.”

UNDEF was established at the 2005World Summit at the UN in New York andis funded through contributions ofMember States for the promotion ofdemocracy and human rights.

Grants for Liberian Legislature


NEWS BRIEFS


The Government of Japan inmid-November contributedUS$1.6 million to the UnitedNations Children’s Fund,UNICEF, to help reduce

Liberia’s high under-five mortality rate.The 2006 National Human DevelopmentReport stated that 235 out of 1,000 babiesborn today in Liberia do not live to seetheir fifth birthday.

The donation will supportlife-saving child immunizationcoverage and provide more than147,000 insecticide treated bednets to protect infants and preg-nant women from malaria. Thegrant will also be used to pro-vide 780,000 doses ofArtesunate and Amodiaquine(ACT), used to treat childrenwho contract malaria, Africa’sleading cause of under-five mor-tality, according to a UNICEFpress release.

“We are profoundly grateful to theGovernment of Japan for their continuedcommitment to assist Liberia’s vulnerablechildren,” said UNICEF LiberiaRepresentative Rozanne Chorlton, whileparticipating in a press conference withYutaka Nakamura, Charge d'Affaires at the

Japanese embassy in Ghana. “This gener-ous contribution from the people of Japanwill support UNICEF’s interventions tosustain immunization coverage ofLiberian children less than one-year of ageat 85 per cent, distribute 147,840 bed netsin Lofa, Grand Gedeh, and Marylandcounties and supply 780,000 doses of ACTtreatment,” Chorleton explained.

For his part, Nakamura noted that the

new funding for UNICEF Liberia is part ofhis Government’s continued trust inUNICEF’s capacity to deliver resultstowards the achievements of theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs)4 and 5, which focus on child mortalityand maternal health.

Minister of Planning and EconomicAffairs, Toga Gayewea McIntosh andDeputy Minister and Chief MedicalOfficer at the Ministry of Health andSocial Welfare, Bernice T. Dahn, also par-ticipated in the Exchange of Notes cere-mony in the Liberian capital, Monrovia.Dahn lauded the Japanese government forthe donation and pointed out that malariais Africa’s leading cause of under-five

mortality and is the biggestkiller of children in Liberia.

With support fromUNICEF, the Government ofJapan and other partners,measles coverage has increasedto 94 per cent from 42 per centin 2004 and DPT3 (diphtheria,pertussis, and tetanus) coverageis up at 87 per cent in 2005from 31 per cent in 2004.Liberia is on track to be certi-fied polio free as no cases havebeen reported for three-years.

Since 2002, the Government of Japanhas provided UNICEF Liberia with morethan US$14.24 million to support the rein-tegration of demobilized Liberian childrenformerly associated with the fightingforces and the prevention of infectious dis-eases.

Japan Assists Liberian Children

Charlotte Abaka, the UNIndependent Expert on thePromotion and Protection ofHuman Rights in Liberia,has said that the country’s

judiciary must be strengthened to protectagainst rape and other crimes.

Warning that rape remains “one of thegreatest challenges” to human rights as sheconcluded her 11-day visit to Liberia inNovember, the expert decried the lack ofprogress with the nation’s Truth andReconciliation Commission and its humanrights body. The TRC is not yet operatingfully despite starting its public activitiesfive months ago, while the Commissionersof the Independent National Commission

on Human Rights (INCHR) have still notbeen appointed more than three years afterthe body was included in Liberia’s peacedeal.

Abaka urged the Independent Panel ofExperts appointed 10 months ago to pre-pare the shortlist of candidates, and theGovernment and Chief Justice to take allnecessary steps to ensure that competentand credible Commissioners are appointedwithout further delay.

However, Abaka noted that “signifi-cant” human rights progress has beenmade in Liberia since the conflict ended,among them several positive steps such asthe recent developments in the educationsector, the reassertion of State control over

the Guthrie rubber plantation andimprovement of the human rights situationin several of the larger plantations.

She commended the Government forits adoption in January of the Act amend-ing the Penal Law in relation to the defini-tion and penalties for rape. “However, Iam saddened to learn that there has been asyet little noticeable impact on the preva-lence of rape in Liberia, including rape ofvery young children.”

The UN Mission in Liberia is current-ly supporting the Government in thestrengthening of the judiciary throughtraining and infrastructural developmentsuch as the construction or rehabilitationof court houses.

Judiciary Must Be Strengthened : UN Expert

NEWS BRIEFS


LLIIBBEERRIIAANNSS

Isaac YYeah ((Journalist)

“The major thing that governmentshould do is to create job opportuni-ties that will empower the youth to

make meaningful living. Once every-body is busy, crime would be drasti-cally minimized. Secondly, some of

the programmes initiated by the gov-ernment should be suspended for

now. The right-sizing and down-siz-ing exercise should be suspended.

Likewise, the current demolition exer-cise should be suspended.”

James DDavis ((Businessman)

“We need to work together asLiberians. We need to open schoolsand institutions of higher learning inthe country. The human capacity of

the country is very weak. Governmentshould build more vocational institu-tions and encourage idle youths totake advantage so they can help to

rebuild this country. Also, to speed updevelopment in the country, we needelectricity, water, health care, etc. ”

Clinton NNagbe ((Student, SStella MMaris PPolytechnic)

“Nobody wants to do business in aplace where security is fragile. Themost urgent thing to be done is toconsolidate the peace in order toattract investors. Those who might

want to invest here will want to makesure that their investment will have

some security. And one way to do thisis that all Liberians should be security

officers. By this I mean, if you seesomething that is a threat to security,don’t say it is not my business. Thosewho commit crimes are people wholive with us in the community so weshould be prepared to bring their

clandestine activities to the attentionof the authorities and speed up the

country’s recovery process.”William AA. BBrown ((Businessman)

WWWWhhhhaaaatttt mmmmuuuusssstttt bbbbeeee ddddoooonnnneeee ttttoooo ssssppppeeee

“Liberia needs continued interna-tional assistance. It needs all of thepartners it can work with. We needto constructively engage the United

Nations and other bilateral andmultilateral organizations on how

they can help because it’s clear thatLiberia needs all of the partnership

for its reconstruction.Liberians need to cooperate and

collaborate. Opposition parties needto be brought on board. We thinkpeople from diverse backgroundsneed to be brought on board as away of contributing to the peace

and progress of the country.”

“One of the ways to speed upLiberia’s recovery process is that thegovernment must be in the positionto provide job opportunities so that

Liberians can get back to work.Right now it’s time for nation build-

ing. The standard of living in thecountry is generally low. Many peo-ple live from hand-to-mouth. Theyneed to be gainfully employed. So

to speed up Liberia’s recovery,Government must create jobs for

those without jobs and should alsoreconcile the people. ”

Prince CCollins ((Talking DDrum SStudio)


SS SSPPEEAAKK

“To speed up the country’s recovery,we need to rehabilitate our road net-work throughout the country. Once

our main trunk roads are rehabilitat-ed everything will speed up in the

country. The lack of adequate roadsand bridges in Monrovia is causing

us problems. With the collapse of theVai Town Bridge in Monrovia, thesedays there is immense traffic on theJohnson Street/Bushrod Island routewhich causes delays for people com-

ing to and from work daily.”

James MM. BBowah ((Businessman)

“Liberia needs all the assistancefrom all its partners. Liberia needsto remain engaged constructivelyand actively with the internationalcommunity. Our government willhave to continuously demonstratethat it is indeed prepared to work

with its international partners..When you talk about the education-al, health, infrastructural develop-

ment, everything hinges on theroads -- tackle the roads and every-thing will fall in place. Also the gov-ernment must remain resolute in itsdrive to clear this country of corrupt

practices.” Eva FFlomo ((Journalist)

“In my view, Liberia’s developmentdepends on ourselves -- together wehave to make this nation peacefuland prosperous. When one travels,you see how developed other coun-

tries are, and when you come to yourcountry, you see small villages whichwe call cities. Secondly, governmentshould create job opportunities so asto lessen the hardship on the Liberian

people.”

Elisa WW. DDahn ((Employee, GGovernment oof LLiberia)

“The government needs to reconstructthe roads, provide free education,

especially to those who cannot affordit. Government also has to improveon the security in this country. These

are very vital to the country’s recovery.Government should ensure that

refugees and internally displaced per-sons (IDPs) have returned to their

home areas. The demolition of shacksis untimely. How can you demolish theplace where one gets his or her dailybread without any alternative place to

relocate? ”

Antoinette WWolo ((Student, UUniversity oof LLiberia)

“I would like to say that Governmentand its international partners assist inbringing electricity, safe drinking wateras well as create jobs for the jobless

Liberians. They should spread to otherparts of the country creating anenabling environment for peace,

security and economic empowermentfor all Liberians.”

Esther CChea ((Businesswoman)

eeeeeeeedddd uuuupppp LLLLiiiibbbbeeeerrrriiiiaaaa''''ssss rrrreeeeccccoooovvvveeeerrrryyyy????

A publication of the United Nations Mission in Liberia Public Information Officewww.unmil.org

UNMIL FOCUS, Vol. 3, No. 01

Documents

UNMIL FOCUS