CONTEXT
Since December 1989, Liberia has been in the midst of a bloody civil war involving several warring factions, all of whom have been responsible for egregious violations. The country has remained divided as the various factions vie for power. The bulk of the country is controlled by Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL). Two of the western counties are controlled by the United Liberation Movement for Democracy in Liberia (ULIMO), a group made up of soldiers from former President Samuel Doe's army, the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL). Three more factions have emerged recently: the Liberia Peace Council, the Bong Democratic Front, and the Lofa Defense Council. Since 1990, the capital, Monrovia, has been governed by the Interim Government of National Unity (IGNU) backed by a West African peace-keeping force, ECOMOG.
Throughout the war, there have been numerous attempts by West African leaders to negotiate an end to the conflict. However, these efforts have been marred by frequent reneging on the part of Charles Taylor which have resulted in renewed fighting. In October 1992, the NPFL attacked Monrovia, ending two years of a tenuous ceasefire. The offense caught ECOMOG unprepared, and it responded by permitting former AFL fighters to operate alongside ECOMOG in combatting the NPFL. During the fighting, there were charges of human rights abuses by all sides and complaints of ECOMOG's use of carpet bombing, which resulted in civilian casualties. In July 1993, the NPFL, ULIMO and IGNU signed a peace agreement following talks arranged by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and the UN. The agreement provided for the creation of a UN observer mission in Liberia and the expansion of the ECOMOG forces to include East African troops.
Until March 7, 1994 when the disarmament process officially began, the process had reached a stalemate. Meanwhile, an estimated 652,600 Liberians remain refugees in neighboring West African states.
Prior to the civil war, no human rights groups existed under the repressive government of President Samuel Doe. Since the war, it has been impossible for any human rights organizations to form except in ECOMOG-controlled Monrovia. A number of human rights organizations have been established within Monrovia and are permitted to function without interference by IGNU and ECOMOG. However, these groups have been constrained in trying to document violations in territory controlled by any of the warring factions. The organizations have been forced to limit their activities to human rights education (through conferences, the media and billboards) and legal aid programs. In Monrovia, NGOs have become a cottage industry. It is one of the few ways to get paid for work. As a result, there are hundreds of registered NGOs--often representing only one person. There are, for example, over 100 women's NGOs registered in Monrovia at the moment.
Although disarmament was scheduled to have begun, delays and renewed fighting appear to have set back the peace process yet again. Human rights training in every area is necessary in Liberia. All the groups have only begun to operate since the war and most of the people running the organizations have no prior human rights experience. The former interim government President, Amos Sawyer, has also begun a human rights group called the Center for Democratic Empowerment since he stepped down in March 1994. One of the major issues that will face Liberian human rights groups is how to deal with the blanket amnesty provisions in the peace accord which exonerate all human rights violators for any act committed during the course of military engagements. Comparative experiences elsewhere could be useful for developing an approach to this issue. HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS
History
The Association of Human Rights Promoters (ASHURIP) was formed in 1991 by a former Doe government employee, Jesse Karnley.
Mandate
The organization's focus is human rights education.
Structure
ASHURIP is a membership organization of approximately 300.
Program
Since 1991, the Association has been sponsoring a joint seminar with the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission on Human Rights Day. They also printed 60,000 copies of the Liberian Constitution for distribution. Lack of funding has rendered the organization effectively defunct.
History
The Catholic Justice and Peace Commission was formed in November 1991 by the Catholic Secretariat. Archbishop Michael Francis has a long record of speaking out on human rights abuses in Liberia prior to the war and has ensured that the Commission has the necessary funding.
Mandate
The Justice and Peace Commission is the human rights and peace component of the Catholic Church of Liberia.
Structure
The Commission is headed by a National Director who runs an office staff of five.
Program
The Commission does human rights education work in the schools and churches, runs a legal aid program, visits prisons, documents human rights abuses, and communicates with the rebel leaders to complain about violations.
History
The Center formed in 1992 in Monrovia.
Mandate
The focus of its activity is human rights advocacy and legal aid.
Structure
The Center is headed by a Board of Advisors and has a staff of nineteen.
Program
The Center provides legal aid, runs human rights education programs, and has a resource and documentation library. It is responsible for a human rights course being taught at the Law School in Monrovia. The Center has given training to police on human rights standards and developed a program for ex-combatants.
History
The Liberia Human Rights Chapter was formed in 1991 by Harry Sie Brooks. The organization's first initiative was the publication of one issue of a human rights newspaper called Humanitas.
Mandate
The Chapter focuses on human rights education and advocacy.
Structure
Currently all of the organization's work is done by volunteers, due to lack of funding.
Program
The Chapter has been responsible for a number of billboards around Monrovia and radio programs on human rights. It also monitors the interim government and has gone into ULIMO territory. There have been a number of subsequent issues of Humanitas. When its funding ended this year, the staff was laid off and there has not been much activity.
History
Liberia Watch for Human Rights formed in February 1992.
Mandate
The organization's objectives are, among others, to provide human rights education, improve prison conditions, provide legal aid, and lobby for the repeal of inhumane laws.
Structure
Liberia Watch has a staff of seven. However, their activities have been constrained by inexperience and lack of funding.
Program
The organization has put out a few issues of a newspaper by the same name. However, it has been unable to achieve any of its goals because of lack of funding.
History
My Sister's Place received funding after the publicity about the rapes in Bosnia.
Mandate
My Sister's place is an organization run by the National Women's Commission of Libertia to help women who have been sexually abused or coerced during the war.
Structure
The organization has full-time staff, including an in-house lawyer and trauma counsellors.
Program
The projects are being implemented by the National Women's Commission of Liberia (NAWOCOL) and funded by UNICEF. The organization offers trauma counselling; HIV testing/AIDS counselling; legal counselling to women; medical services; income generating activities for women; and short-term shelter for battered women.
- Binaifer Nowrojee
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