A History of Liberia, its Conflicts and its Minnesotan Diaspora
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| Liberia. Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain). |
The Liberian conflict, which culminated in fourteen
years of civil war from 1989 to 1996, can be traced back to the
state’s founding in 1847. Liberia began its journey towards
statehood in 1822 when emancipated slaves left the United States for
Africa, creating a settlement in Liberia called Monrovia. Joined by
people from the Congo who were freed from the slave ships taking them
to the Americas upon the emancipation, these
‘Americo-Liberians,’ making up less than five percent of
the population, divided the Liberian population into two classes (U. S.
Committee For Refugees 1992: 2-3). As government funds depleted, the
ex-slaves became slave drivers by forcibly sending many indigenous
people to work on plantations on islands off the African coast (U. S.
Committee For Refugees 1992: 4).
In 1980, Liberia ceased to be considered a republic even
in name when the country was taken over by a coup led by Samuel Doe.
After suspending the Liberian constitution, Doe exercised his power
over the country through his army made up of men from the Krahn ethnic
group. These soldiers, called the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL),
created a nation of fear by raping, castrating and/or otherwise
dismembering those who opposed or even appeared to oppose them.
Many of the soldiers were children. While the situation appeared
to be improving in 1984 when Doe declared that he was returning the
country to a republic, he rigged the resulting elections in his favor
(U. S. Committee For Refugees 1992: 4). In 1985 a coup against Doe lead
by a man from the Gio ethnic group failed. In response, Krahn soldiers
killed hundreds of Gios and Manos, who were closely associated with the
Gios, in Nimba County (U. S. Committee For Refugees 1992: 5).
December 1989 marked the beginning of Liberia’s
fourteen-year civil war when the National Patriotic Front of Liberia
(NPFL), led by Charles Taylor, attacked the AFL in Nimba County. While
the war began as an attempt to overthrow Doe, it rapidly developed into
an ethnically based conflict where civilians were the ones forced to
pay the price of war with their lives, their family’s lives, and
their dignity. Children were forced to watch their parents’
brutal murders. Countless atrocities were committed against the
innocent people of Liberia. Many began to head for shelter along the
Sierra Leone border (U. S. Committee For Refugees 1992: 5). In
September 1990 Doe was killed and cease-fire was declared a month later
but the conflict between the Krahn and the Gios and Manos still remains
unresolved (U. S. Committee For Refugees 1992: 8).
The violence continued until 1996 when the thirteenth Liberian peace
agreement was signed. By then, one tenth of the Liberian population was
killed and one third left the country as refugees (Lyons 1998: 177). In
1997 Charles Taylor was elected into the presidency.
While the conflict in Liberia is commonly considered an ethnic one,
others would argue that it also has an economic basis. Some even say
that commerce was the key issue in the conflict particularly in the
goals of the warlords and the sources of their power. Taylor
essentially controlled the gold, diamond, timber and lumber markets and
all his rivals have also based their authority on these and similar
markets (Reno 1998: 79). The political leaders in Liberia based their
“campaigns” on their private commerce rather than being
backed by an interest group or stating anything they planned to do to
improve the country (Reno 1998: 80).
The internal conflict that has wracked the Liberian
state has caused many Liberians to leave their homes and communities to
seek asylum in safer regions. As of December 31 of 2005, 200,000
refugees were reported in West Africa and 16,100 Liberians sought
asylum from other countries. In the United States in 2003, 6,873
Liberian refugees filled out Applications for Refugee Status. They
represented the fourth highest rate of all refugees. In the following
years, the numbers of asylum seekers continued to grow. In 2004, 4,918
Liberian Refugees were approved for refugee status with a total of
7,140 Liberians being admitted that year. The same year they
accounted for 13.5% of all refugees in the United States (Refugee Applicants and Admissions).
Many Liberians in the United States have also been
living under Temporary Protection Status (TPS). This ensures
victims of natural disasters and war 18 months of residency in the
United States. Ten-thousand to 15,000 Liberians have been living under
TPS since 1991. Since then, the U.S. government has granted them
several extensions of residency because of the continuing instability
of their homeland (Taylor August 25, 2006). Now that sufficient
stability has been reached in the eyes of the U.S. government, the
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security has declared that the
designation of TPS for Liberia will be terminated on October 1, 2007 (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services).
The Liberian refugee population in Minnesota has
increased substantially over the past few years. In 2005, Minnesota
resettled 6,357 total refugees, a number which has only been exceeded
by California. Currently, it is estimated that 25,000 Liberians live in
Minnesota, most of whom live in or near Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn
Center. An estimated one fifth of the 100,000 residents in these
communities are West Africans (Minnesota Department of Health).
Many of the Liberians run small businesses such as beauty salons that
are frequented by their fellow countrymen. Liberians in the
community also distinguish themselves with their love and support of
the game of soccer (Schmickle July 18, 2005).
To support victims of war-based trauma living in the
community, the Center for the Victims of Torture has implemented a
program to create a network of schools, healthcare agencies, churches,
and social service programs. These services are intended to support the
psychological health of members of the community who continue to face
the repercussions of the violence inflicted upon them in their homeland
(Schmickle July 18, 2005).
Liberian refugees face many problems during their
transition to the U.S. Regarding healthcare for instance, Malaria
infections and TB have an extremely high rate in West African
populations. However, according to Dr. Wilhelmina Holder, Project
Manager of African and American Friendship Association for Cooperation
and Development (AAFACD), the health concerns of the Liberian
population of Minnesota have shifted with time to include
cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and diabetes (Chadwick, Sabah January
10, 2006).
As the war divided Liberia into two disagreeing
factions, it also has divided the Liberian refugees living in the Twin
Cities. In 2003 the Liberian community in Minnesota was divided by
accusations of support for the Liberians United for Reconciliation and
Democracy (LURD) insurgent group. Many Liberians were concerned with
what they perceived as monetary donations fueling the LURD and the
violence in Liberia. Indeed, the Twin Cities has traditionally been a
campaign stop for LURD officials working on fundraising. The accused
declare that their accusers are mainly the Americo-Liberians who were
once the ruling party in Liberia, which has always tried to oppress the
traditional ethnic groups of Liberia. They claim that the money they
donate is not to fuel the hostilities between the government and the
rebels but to procure food and other health supplies for the multitudes
of displaced Liberians still residing in Africa. On the other hand,
many Minnesotan Liberians wonder if the money is actually going to LURD
to purchase weapons that are used to kill innocent people, mainly the
brothers, aunts, and grandmothers of those people who have found refuge
in the United States (Schmitz August 7, 2003).
Today, the group Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights,
working in conjunction with the Peace and Reconciliation Commission of
Liberia, has implemented a project to try to bring the injustices done
to the multitudes of innocent people who were harmed into the light. By
documenting the accounts of Minnesotan Liberians and their experiences
with human rights violations, the Commission hopes to aid in bringing
about a level of international justice against the perpetrators of
these crimes. The project, which began June 22, 2006, will begin
collecting accounts during the fall, 2007. All accounts will be
taken from willing participants. Their stories will be compiled by the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Liberia to be used as they see
fit to find justice (Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights).
Organizations in Minnesota Supporting Liberians:
African & American Friendship Association for Cooperation and Development
• Phone: 651-645-5828
African Assistance Program
• Phone: 763-560-8995
African Consortium
• Phone: 763-560-0399
Homeless and Refugee Children Inc
• Phone: (763) 504-2940
Hope International Health & Social Services, Inc
Minnesota African Refugees and Immigrants Initiatives
• Phone: 763-533-1609
New Millenium Foundation
• Phone: 763-561-8721
Organization of Liberians in MN
• Phone: 763-560-0031
Pan African Network
• Phone: 763-503-4982
(Chadwick, Sabah January 10, 2006).
