Liberia: Mar-May 2010
Executive Summary This is the first in a series of quarterly publications on Liberia, compiling incident/issue reports submitted by Liberian civil society for conflict early warning and prevention. Social, economic, and political pressures will be monitored through the UNLocK early warning system in run-up to the October 2011 election with the goal of preventing violence from flaring at the local or national levels. This report presents an aggregation of the data entered into the database by participating civil society organizations located throughout Liberia, now in the reconstruction phase after its devastating civil war, which ended in 2003. During the period of March—May 2010, one of the issues most reported on by civil society was land competition. It was not confined to one particular county or area— reports of land competition were received from Lofa, Margibi, Bong and Nimba Counties. Sometimes the conflicts took on an ethnic or religious tone, such as in the case of a reported land conflict in Lofa County between the Mandingo and Loma ethnic groups. In other cases, the conflict was reported to be between towns or individuals, highlighting the problem of a lack clarity over legal ownership of land. Regardless of the source of the conflict, a land dispute can be a catalyzing event that can quickly escalate into violence along group lines, and for this reason the issue should be carefully monitored and steps taken to peacefully resolve such conflicts when they arise.
A Focus on Bong and Nimba Counties During this period, an UNLocK workshop was held in Bong county, and as a result, Bong generated the most reports of any of the 15 counties. Nimba County generated the second largest number of reports, also a result of the presence of civil society from that county at the workshop. This concentration of reports allows for an in-depth analysis of events in Bong and Nimba during this three-month period. Over the course of the year, workshops will be held in other regions, which will allow future reports to drill down to the county level in other parts of the country. The problems in Bong County centered around insufficient provision of services, especially the education system and well as inadequate policing and violent crime. In Nimba County, the lack of public services was also the most prominent issue. Reported issues included a poor education system, insufficient health services, and inadequate policing. These issues are not unique to these two counties—confidence in the police and the legal system appears to be low throughout Liberia as a whole. This situation can allow disputes to escalate quickly because individuals or mobs frequently take justice into their own hands, believing that the police and the judiciary will not be able to fairly enforce the law. This can be particularly destabilizing as tensions run higher around election time, so it will be something to watch more closely as the elections approach.
Findings Reports that The Fund for Peace received from its UNLocK Liberia partners (March 2010 to May 2010) indicate that Liberia faces pressures at the national and local levels. This issue contains a summary of the civil society field reports, by indicator, with maps showing affected regions and districts. Those outlined in red are districts that have field reports associated with them. A red outline does not necessarily mean that it is worse off than districts lacking in data, though it does highlight problems that need to be addressed in that particular district or subcounty. Broken out by indicator and county, there were 92 reports logged during the period in question. Of the 12 CAST indicators, issues relating to Human Rights were considered the most salient by civil society (19 reports), followed by Demographic Pressures (18 reports), Public Services (17 reports), State Legitimacy (10 reports), the Security Apparatus (7 reports), Group Grievance and Uneven Development (6 reports each), and Factionalized Elites (5 reports). The remaining indicators (Human Flight, Economic Decline/Poverty, Refugees/IDPs, and External Intervention) each had only one or two reports, or in the case of External Intervention, none. Geographically the majority of the reports were from Bong County (28 reports) and Nimba County (26 reports), followed by Montserrado County with 13 reports. The remaining 12 counties received between zero and two reports between March and May, 2010. It is important to note that this is not a comprehensive tally of conflict-related incidents in Liberia. The distribution of reports, both among indicators and among counties, does not reflect the distribution of challenges facing Liberian communities. This merely reflects the challenges highlighted by participating organizations over the time period in question.
Methodology Between 2007 and 2009, The Fund for Peace conducted three training workshops in conflict early warning, based on our conflict assessment methodology (CAST). Participants included a broad range of civil society representatives in Liberia. The goals of the project are to provide civil society with a framework by which to recognize potential danger signs, document events, gather data from across the country and communicate it to each other for processing and analysis. This information is to be used both for helping people get out of harm’s way in the short term, as well as for developing conflict-sensitive approaches to development and policy in the long term. Since the UNLocK early warning system was established in 2008, over 140 reports on Liberia (broken out by indicator and district) have been entered into the database as of this writing, most of which were received in 2010. The data generated by the participants has been saved on a password-protected website, accessible by the participants for their own analysis and for the corroboration of details to ensure accuracy. The 12 CAST indicators for which data is sought include social, economic, and political/military pressures on the state: 7. Legitimacy of the State 8. Public Services 9. Human Rights 10. Security Apparatus 11. Factionalized Elites 12. External Intervention
1. Demographic Pressures 2. Refugees and IDPs 3. Group Grievance 4. Human Flight (including Brain Drain) 5. Uneven Development 6. Economic Decline/Poverty 2
Hu De m an m og Ri ra gh ph ts ic Pr es Pu su Le bl re ic gi Se tim rv ac ice y of s th Se e cu St rit at y e Ap pa G ra ro tu up s Un G r ie ev va en nc De e ve Fa lo ct pm io na en li z t e d Ec E on lite om s ic De cl in Hu e m an Fl Re ig ht fu ge Ex es te rn /ID al Ps In te rv en t io n
Number of Reports
48 Reports (October '08 - February '10)
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s tr o p e R f o r e b m u N 12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Indicator
92 Reports (March '10 - May '10)
20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
Indicator
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Reported Demographic Pressures This quarter, land competition was the predominant issue, receiving 8 reports out of a total of 18 for this indicator. This was followed by natural disasters (4 reports). Incidents of land competition were spread across four counties: Bong, Nimba, Margibi and Lofa. According to the reports received, land disputes often involved an ethnic or religious element, or took place between neighboring towns.
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CAST pressures reported in counties outlined in red.
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In Lofa County (County 8), civil society reported land competition between the Mandingo and Loma ethnic groups. In addition to land competition along ethnic lines, there were land disputes between towns that sometimes turned violent in Margibi (County 9) and Bong (County 2), as well as a dispute between individuals in Panta-Kpa district, Bong County. There were also reports of attempts to resolve land conflict in Nimba (County 12) after violence broke out there in early 2010, including an effort by the Christian and Muslim Peace Council in the area. Damage from natural disasters was reported in Bong, Lofa and Nimba counties. In each instance, storms and heavy rain caused flooding and damaged homes, leading to temporary displacement in affected areas. The rainy season in Liberia usually starts around May and continues through October. Other reported issues relating to Demographic Pressures included outbreaks of disease, lack of clean water, and incidents of drug trafficking.
Reported Group Grievance Tensions were reported between the Mandingos and other groups, a recurring theme in Northern Liberia, along with tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims. Group Grievancerelated incidents were reported in Nimba, Bong and Lofa counties. On the national level, frustration continued over the perception that elites from the Diaspora who were returning after spending the war years abroad were given preference for highranking government jobs, to the disadvantage of those who had stayed.
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Non-Muslims being buried in a cemetery claimed by Muslims caused anger in Jorquelleh District, Bong (County 2). Conflicts over small disputes had a tendency to escalate, such as an unspecified incident at a hand pump in Jorquelleh District that sparked tensions between Mandingos and other groups. There were efforts at reconciliation as well, such as a meeting of the Christian and Muslim Peace Council that met in Nimba (County 12) to work towards resolving the recent conflicts between those communities in the area, some of them involving land. 4
CAST pressures reported in counties outlined in red.
Reported Pressures on State Legitimacy The two main issues that emerged relating to Legitimacy of the State were corruption of various sorts and riots or protests. Accusations of corruption were leveled against the executive branch of the national government, the government of Nimba County, and the police in Margibi and Montserrado. There were also reports of more general issues at the national level relating to the 2011 elections.
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There were reports that the General Auditing Commission (GAC) found evidence of corruption in several major government ministries, including ministry of finance, public work, education, health and lands and mines. In response to accusations of corruption, the Minister of Finance accused the Auditor General of falsely implicating him in corrupt practices at the Ministry for political aims. Officers of the Liberian National Police (LNP) reportedly extorted money from taxi drivers throughout the country and CAST pressures reported in counties outlined in red. six officers of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN) were charged with conspiracy for allegedly facilitating the escape of several Bangladeshi prisoners from the immigration cells in Monrovia. In April, the Voinjama magisterial court in Lofa (County 8) was reportedly burned down by a mob demanding justice in a rape case. In late May in Monrovia (County 11), there were multiple protests by a group of women claiming to be widows of soldiers and security officers killed during the civil war. The women blocked traffic, demanding US$5,000 in benefits. Over 100 local contractors of the Ministry of Public Works demonstrated in demand of back pay.
Absence of a current legal framework for demarcating electoral constituencies for the upcoming electoral process. An overly centralized vote tabulation and announcement process by the National Elections Commission (NEC) as well as a general waning of confidence in the NEC.
Reported Factionalized Elites In Nimba, Bong and Montserrado, there were reports about tensions and power struggles between politicians. There were also reports of more general issues at the national level relating to the 2011 elections.
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There was deep division over the passage of the Threshold Bill, surpassing normal legislative debates and have included the executive and judiciary. The bill would set a threshold for the number of people that make up an electoral constituency. It has been debated for nearly two years with less populated counties demanding more seats. • Two political parties accused the government of not prosecuting corrupt officials.
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A rising level of “political cross-carpeting” (politicians moving between parties, usually for short-term gains) and the question of who belongs to which political party. • Growing intra-party conflicts. • A lack of internal democracy within political parties.
CAST pressures reported in counties outlined in red.
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Reported Uneven Economic Development Most of the reports relating to Uneven Economic Development did not highlight uneven development along ethnic or religious lines, but instead regional disparities in development projects and public works.
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In Panta-Kpa, Bong (County 2), promised roads and schools were not being built. Several issues were reported in Nimba (County 12). In Sanniquelleh, there were complaints that the county seat was less developed than other areas of the county. Tappita District was reportedly completely lacking in basic services in some areas. Finally, a road rehabilitation project in Zoegeh was not completed when equipment was reportedly redirected to work on a road in Yarwein-Mehnsohnneh District. CAST pressures reported in counties outlined in red.
Reported Pressures on Public Services With 17 reports, Public Services was the third most reported indicator. Nine of those reports were from Bong County, seven were from Nimba County, and one was from Montserrado. These reports cover a wide range of issues, from inadequate policing to the road system.
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• CAST pressures reported in counties outlined in red.
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In the Jorquelleh District of Bong (County 2), a motorcyclist was reportedly murdered and his motorcycle stolen. In Sanniquelleh-Mahn District, Nimba (County 12), a businessman brutalized a young man for allegedly stealing from him. In addition, police reportedly allowed a man accused of armed robbery to escape from a police cell, prompting anger in the community. Reports on the education system focused on inadequate pay for teachers, which led to street protests in Bong and reports that underpaid teachers in Nimba were susceptible to corruption. There was an outbreak of measles in Bong County and reports that health facilities were inadequate in Nimba and Bong. The prison facilities in Sanniquellie, Nimba, were poor and there was reportedly no prison at all in Panta-Kpa, Bong, which was presenting a problem for the local authorities.
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Reported Security Apparatus Issues Some prominent issues relating to the Security Apparatus were police impunity and mob violence/vigilante justice. These reports indicate an overall lack of confidence in the police.
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CAST pressures reported in counties outlined in red.
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In Greater Monrovia, Montserrado (County 11), a police officer reportedly raped a teenage girl held in detention. Also in Greater Monrovia, the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) reported that over 100 inmates had been jailed and held without trial beyond the statutory limit. An incidence of police brutality and possible impunity was reported in Ganta, Nimba (County 12), when a police officer caused head injuries to a commercial driver in March and the LNP boss for Nimba County allegedly delayed sending the officer to court. In Salayea District, Lofa (County 8), a child was injured by playing with unexploded ordinance. Two men were found dead, allegedly murdered, in Dolo Town in the Firestone District of Margibi (County 9). According to some reports, the dead men were part of a criminal gang that was attacked by a mob in the night.
Reported Human Rights Issues Since the last period (October 2006-February 2010) there is an increase in the number of reports of Brutality. While brutality was only reported twice in the last period (4.17% of all reports in the period) it has jumped to 9 reports (9.78% of all reports) during this most recent time period. These reports of brutality originated from six counties: Bong, Grand Gedeh, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado and Nimba.
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Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) soldiers were accused of stabbing two civilians in Unification Town, Mambah-Kaba District, Margibi (County 9). Murders were reported in Bong (County 2), Montserrado (County 11) and Nimba (County 12), including the murder of a 15-year-old girl in Nimba. There were four separate reports of rapes of children or CAST pressures reported in counties outlined in red. teenage girls in Bong, Montserrado and Lofa (County 8).
External Intervention Liberia is highly dependent on external actors for security and service delivery. Participants raised concerns about the sustainability this dynamic.
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There is massive dependence on external aid for development purposes and to fund basic public services. For instance, about 90% of health facilities are being supported by international nongovernmental organizations. There is concern about what might happen if these organizations pull out, as some are beginning to do. UNMIL is still responsible for many security functions, indicating a need to develop local capacity. 7
Bong County Bong County, with 28 out of the total 92 reports filed, has the most complete data set available for March through May 2010. Although the actual number of filed reports is relatively small, the details available in the description of each offers a glimpse at underlying issues in Bong county and Liberia as a whole. Within Bong County, the vast majority of information (15 reports) came from the Jorquelleh District (District 4). The next most documented district is Panta-Kpa (District 5) with 6 reports, followed by the Suakoko District (District 3) with 3 reports, the Kokoya District (District 6) with 2 reports and finally the Zota District (District 1) with 1 report. The accompanying map highlights, in dark red, those districts which generated reports during the given time period. This report will highlight some of the issues in the two best-documented districts Jorquelleh (District 4): Education: Three of the four reported educational issues in Liberia were in the Jorquelleh region. Two of the reports cite an ongoing conflict between the teachers and the Local County Educational Officer. The conflict was incited when the officer decided to withhold five months’ benefits disbursed by the Ministry of Education from volunteer teachers, on the grounds that some teachers were irregular in the classroom. This has since caused protests and in-classroom difficulties. The third report claims that there is a lack of educational supplies and compensation for teachers. • Intra-governmental Conflict: A number of the reports in Jorquelleh, namely those on education and factionalized elites, highlight conflicts between local and national governments which, especially in the instance of education, appear to be disruptive of necessary state functions. These reports include conflict over the disbursement of benefits to teachers as well as a conflict between the Superintendent of Bong County and the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, who is a popular elder of Bong County and serves now as Minister of Transport. • Violence: There were five reports of violent crime, the most common example of which was two reported killings of motorcyclists (one incident generating two reports, the other incident generating only one), with no apprehended suspects. These difficulties, along with the reported abuse of a detained prisoner, indicate a potential lack of adequate or competent policing in the area capable of maintaining stability.
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Panta-Kpa (District 5): Sanitation Issues: Although this problem is widespread throughout Liberia, it has only been reported in Panta-Kpa as a result of a recent spate of disease outbreaks in the town of Gboatu. These difficulties are exacerbated by the lack of health infrastructure in Liberia, as indicated by the four health system reports received for March-May 2010. • Land Competition: Although only reported once in Panta-Kpa, Land Competition is the second most reported issue in Liberia (with eight reports). Land competition reported in Panta-Kpa was not motivated by tribal affiliation or town affiliation, but is rather a conflict between three private individuals. This report helps in the interpretation of the other reports, in that it indicates that land competition may arise partially out of a general confusion over legal ownership of land as opposed to simply inter-group competition over desirable territory.
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Nimba County Nimba County received 26 out of a total of 92 reports during the period of March-May 2010, only slightly less than the 28 reports received for Bong County. Although the large number of reports received is partly the result of a stronger presence of the UNLocK network in that area, rather than an indication that the pressures it faces are more severe than in other counties, the larger number of reports allows for a more detailed examination of the situation in Nimba. Reports were received from all six districts of Nimba County: 11 from Sanniquellie Mahn (District 1), four from Gbehlageh (District 2), four from Saclepea (District 4), two from Zoegeh (District 3) and one each from Tappita (District 6) and Yarwein-Mehnsohnneh (District 5). Three reports were received that were not identified as belonging to a particular district. The districts receiving the most reports are described here in greater detail.
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Sanniquellie Mahn (District 1) • Public Services was the most-reported indicator with four out of a total of 11 reports for the district. There were two incidents of crime and inadequate policing. The president of the motorcyclists' union reportedly accused the police of not doing enough to project motorcyclists after a man accused of armed robbery against a motorcyclist escaped from a police cell. In another reported incident, a young man accused of robbery was brutalized. These incidents are representative of popular perceptions, not confined to Nimba County, that the police and the justice system will not hold perpetrators to account. These perceptions have often caused mobs or individuals to take the law into their own hands through violent attacks against suspected criminals. Inadequate health and prison facilities were also reported in Sanniquellie Mahn District. In an incident related to land conflict under the indicator for Demographic Pressures, the government reportedly announced a plan to settle a dispute between people who had built on a piece of contested land in Ganta. This is an encouraging report of institutions working to resolve a problem that too often can lead to violence in Liberia.
Gbehlageh (District 2) The reports on Gbehlageh District did not focus on one particular issue. Instead, they encompassed a range of issues, including a storm that destroyed about 25 houses, an incident of domestic violence, and report that a local businessman refused to pay taxes on the grounds that others were not doing so.
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Saclepea (District 4) In Saclepea District, the major issue was a lack of public services. There was reportedly a lack of good teachers, compounded by the fact that they were poorly paid. The Saclepea Comprehensive Health Center was also reported to be on the decline after the departure of the international NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). • There was also a report of cattle roaming through the communities, destroying crops and spreading disease. In addition, it was reported that officials in Nimba County were dismissed for the mismanagement of development funds received from Mittal Steel.
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Recommendations This report highlights significant pressures facing Liberia, both at the national and the local levels. Many could continue to escalate as the October 2011 elections draw closer. This underscores the need to address these issues effectively and in a timely manner to avoid a greater escalation of pressures and possible violence. The issue of land competition and conflict was one of the most prominent issues to emerge from the reports for this quarter. It was not confined to a specific incident or area: reports of land competition were received from Lofa, Margibi, Bong and Nimba Counties. Although land disputes and conflicts were reported between towns, ethnic or religious groups, and individuals, at the root of the problem is the lack of clarity in land ownership and the public’s lack of confidence in the legal system’s ability to resolve disputes. In order to resolve the issue of land conflict, steps will need to be taken to clarify and define property rights and land titles. It will also be important to ensure that the public has access to means of dispute resolution that they have confidence in, and that both parties would consider to be binding. It is important that the judicial system play a role in the resolution of land disputes, because ultimately it is responsible for upholding the rule of law in the country. Other means of dispute resolution and reconciliation can play a role as well, however, especially when whole communities are involved rather than just individuals. For instance, the Christian and Muslim Peace Council in Nimba County has reportedly taken steps to settle the recent land-related conflict in that area. If successful, this might be a model to replicate in other areas facing similar issues. In addition to addressing the issue of land conflict, it is critical that the elections be considered credible and legitimate by the population. Civic education on the electoral process, which is still relatively new to most Liberians, can go a long way towards managing expectations and preventing the spread of false information. If public trust in the electoral process can be built before the 2011 presidential election arrives, it will help to prevent possible outbreaks of conflict if the results are close or disputed. Although the elections are still months away, now is the time to lay the framework for a peaceful election process. Local elections occurring between now and the 2011 presidential elections present a good opportunity to educate the public on the election process, establish effective means of election monitoring, and build confidence in the electoral process as a whole, from campaigning to tallying the votes. Corruption is another critical issue that needs to be addressed. Measures to reduce corruption should include increasing the political will to deal with the issue, especially when it occurs among officials believed to be close associates of the President. Government should also ensure adequate resources (finances and manpower) are devoted to fighting corruption. Finally, the prosecutorial capacities of existing state structures should be strengthened. Finally, there is a need to improve the rule of law and build confidence in the police and the judicial system. Currently, there are frequent reports of police abuse, which often appears to go unpunished. In addition, citizens frequently resort to mob violence against perceived criminals because they believe that criminals will not be held accountable. Steps need to be taken to improve policing, strengthen the judicial system and punish police officers who commit human rights abuses. Without efforts to improve the rule of law and increase confidence in government institutions, citizens will continue to take matters into their own hands when resolving disputes, which can lead to violence.
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Recommendations (continued) The 2011 elections could provide a great opportunity for Liberia to demonstrate that it is now firmly on a path towards greater stability and development, and that its years of conflict are behind it. However, if not managed well, they could also present a great danger. With nearly a year and a half to go before the elections take place, there is still time to assess the challenges and take action to ensure that the elections are viewed as free, fair, and peaceful.
About The Fund for Peace The Fund for Peace is one of the world’s leading institutions developing creative strategies to prevent and resolve conflict. An independent research and educational organization, we have spent the past twelve years pioneering new tools for decision makers. Our focus is on developing early warning and performance measures; promoting transparency and accountability among governments, the private sector, and non-state actors; limiting the proliferation of weapons of war; and protecting civilians caught in the crossfire of conflict. Our methodologies use information technology and social science to promote sustainable security for a safer world.
About this Report This report was compiled by Joelle Burbank, Associate at The Fund for Peace, assisted by Nate Haken, Senior Associate, and Paul Schweiker, Research Intern, in collaboration with Liberia Democracy Watch. It is the first in a series of reports on Liberia that is part of a project to integrate data and perspectives from populations in conflict-affected zones into CAST, the FfP’s conflict assessment methodology. The project, the Early Warning and State Building Initiative, is made possible with funding from Carnegie Corporation of New York, Humanity United, and the National Endowment for Democracy. The statements made and views expressed are solely the responsibility of the authors. Š 2010 The Fund for Peace.
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