Civil war and collective intervention in Liberia

Sesay, Max A

doi:10.1080/03056249608704176

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Review of African Political Economy

Volume 23, Issue 67

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Civil war and collective intervention in Liberia

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Author(s): Max A Sesay ^a

Publication date (Print): March 1996

Journal: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

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Abstract

In December 1989 civil war in Liberia broke out having profound implications for that country and its neighbours. The horrific conflict devastated Liberia's natural, human and material resources; large numbers of Liberian refugees poured into other West African states, and human rights abuses by all parties to the conflict were widely reported. Despite this grotesque picture, the wider international community, especially the United Nations and United States, failed to intervene to stop the conflict. It then fell on Liberia's sub‐regional partners to halt her total disintegration. After an initial failure to accomplish this through diplomatic and political means, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) decided in August 1990 to intervene with a military Monitoring Group (ECOMOG).

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): crea20

Journal ID (archive): CREA

Title: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

ISSN (Print): 0305-6244

ISSN (Electronic): 1740-1720

Publication date (Print): March 1996

Volume: 23

Issue: 67

Pages: 35-52

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^a University of Staffordshire , Stoke‐on‐Trent, UK

Article

Publisher ID: 8704176 Coden ID: Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 23, No. 67, March 1996, pp. 35-52

DOI: 10.1080/03056249608704176

SO-VID: 6e947a67-480d-47dc-b14b-a8918c389dd0

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

History

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Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 47, Pages: 18

Bibliography

Africa Watch. . April. 1989 . “‘Nine Years of Doe's Rule: Africa Watch Assess the Record’. ”. April. ,
Africa Watch. . June. 1993 . “‘Liberia: Waging War to keep the Peace — The ECOMOG Intervention and Human Rights’. ”. Vol. Vol. 5. , June. ,
Berkeley B. . 1992. . ‘Liberia: Between Repression and Slaughter’. . The Atlantic Monthly . , December;: 52––64. .
Blunt E. . 1990a. . “‘Liberia: State of Siege’. ”. In From Our Own Correspondent . p. 149––52. . London :
Blunt E. . 1990b. . “‘The Death of Civil War & Collective Intervention in Liberia 51 President Doe’. ”. In From Our Own Correspondent . , p. 153––5. . London : : BBC. .
Dobbie C. . 1994. . ‘A Concept for Post‐Cold War Peacekeeping’. . Survival . , Vol. 36((3)) Autumn;: 121––48. .
Durch W J and Blechman B M. . 1992. . Keeping the Peace: The United Nations in the Emerging World Order . , The Henry L. Stimson Center. .
ECOWAS. . 6–7 August. 1990a . “‘Final Communique of the Economic Community of West African States First Session of the Community Standing Mediation Committee’. ”. 6–7 August. , Banjul :
ECOWAS. . 27–28 November. 1990b . “‘Final Communique of ECOWAS First Extraordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government’. ”. 27–28 November. , Bamako :
ECOWAS. . 28 November. 1990c . “‘Joint Declaration on Cessation of Hostilities and Peaceful Settlement of Conflict’. ”. 28 November. , Bamako :
Farer T. . 1993. . “‘A Paradigm of Legitimate Intervention’. ”. In Enforcing Restraint: Collective Intervention in Internal Conflicts . , Edited by: Damrosch L F. . New York : : Council on Foreign Relations Press. .
Fisher D. . 1994. . “The Ethics of Intervention’. . Survival . , Vol. 36((1)) Spring;: 51––9. .
General Assembly. . 19 November. 1993 . “‘Financing of the UNOMIL: Report of the Secretary General’. ”. 19 November. ,
Greenwood C. . 1993. . ‘Is There a Right of Humanitarian Intervention?’. . The World Today . , Vol. 49((2)) February;
Harbeson J W and Rothchild D. , eds. 1995. . Africa in World Politics: Post‐Cold War Challenges . , Boulder : : Westview Press. .
Homer‐Dixon T F. . 1994. . ‘Environmental Scarcities and Violent Conflict’. . International Security . , Vol. 19((1)): 5––40. .
April. 1995 . International Peacekeeping News . , April. , University of Bradford. .
James A. . 1990. . Peacekeeping in International Relations . , London : : Macmillan. .
Kaplan R A. . 1994. . “The Coming Anarchy’. . The Atlantic Monthly . , February;: 44––76. .
Liebenow J G. . 1987. . Liberia: The Quest for Democracy . , Bloomington : : Indiana University Press. .
Lowenkopf M. . 1976. . Politics in Liberia . , Stanford , California : : Hoover Institution Press. .
Mayall J. . 1992. . ‘Nationalism and International Security After the Cold War’. . Survival . , Spring;: 19––35. .
McCormick S H. . 1995. . “The Lessons of Intervention in Africa’. . Current History . , April;: 162––66. .
Nelson H D. . 1984. . Liberia: A Country Study . , Washington , DC : : American University Foreign Area Studies. .
Nelson B. . 1993. . “The Liberian Conflict, What Keeps it Going: Prospects for a Lasting Solution’. In: . A lecture delivered at the Ninth Charles Gbenyon Memorial Lecture Series; . June 18– 1993 ; . Monrovia , Liberia : : USIS Library. .
Nwokedi E. . “‘Regional Integration and Regional Security: ECOMOG, Nigeria and the Liberian Crisis’. ”. In Travaux et Documents . , France: : Centre d'Etude d'Afrique Noire, Domaine Universitaire. .
O'Neill W. . 1993. . ‘Liberia: An Avoidable Tragedy’. . Current History . , May;: 213––7. .
Ofuatey‐Kodjoe W. . 1994. . ‘Regional Organizations and the Resolution of Internal Conflict: The ECOWAS Intervention in Liberia’. . International Peacekeeping . , Vol. 1((3)): 261––302. .
Oladimeji O A. . 1993. . ‘Behold, African Peacekeepers’. . Proceedings/Naval Review . , March;: 64––66. .
Parker T W. . 1991. . ‘Operation Sharp Edge’. . Proceedings/Naval Review . , May;: 103––6. .
Reno W. . 1995. . ‘Reinvention of an African Patrimonial State: Charles Taylor's Liberia’. . Third World Quarterly . , Vol. 16((1)): 109––20. .
Riley S P. . 1993. . ‘Intervention in Liberia: Too Little, Too Partisan’. . The World Today . , Vol. 49((3)) March;: 42––3. .
Roberts A. . 1993. . ‘The United Nations and International Security’. . Survival . , Vol. 35((2)) Summer;: 3––30. .
Ruiz H. . 1992. . Uprooted Liberians: Casualties of a Brutal War . , Washington , DC : : US Committee for Refugees. .
Sawyer A. . 1992. . The Emergence of Autocracy in Liberia: Tragedy and Challenge . , San Francisco : : Institute of Contemporary Studies. .
Sesay M A. . 1995. . ‘Collective Security or Collective Disaster: Regional Peackeeping in West Africa’. . Security Dialogue . , Vol. 26((2)) June;: 205––222. .
1996. . ‘Politics and Society in Post‐War Liberia: Challenges of the Twenty‐First Century’. . Survival . ,
Sheriff A M. . ‘Articles and Information Covering Aspects of Humanitarian Assistance: a Bibliographical List, Version 2’ . , International Studies Programme, University of Limerick. .
UNDP. . 1994. . Human Development Report . , New York : : UNDP. .
UNOMIL. . 31 December. 1993 . “‘SRSG Welcomes Expanded ECOMOG’. ”. In UN Brief . , Vol. Vol. No.2. , 31 December. , Public Information Division. .
UNOMIL. . 29 April. 1994 . “‘Extension of UNOMIL's Mandate’. ”. In UN Brief . , Vol. Vol. No. 18. , 29 April. , Public Information Division. .
Vogt M. , ed. 1992. . The Liberian Crisis and ECOMOG: A Bold Attempt at Regional Peacekeeping . , Lagos : : Gabumo Publishing Co.. .
Weller M. , ed. 1994. . Regional Peacekeeping and International Enforcement: The Liberian Crisis . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .
WHO. . 1994. . WHO Newsletter: Liberia . , Vol. 1((l))
Williams A. . 1992. . “‘Regional Peacekeeping: ECOWAS and the Liberian Civil War’. ”. In The Diplomatic Record, 1990–1991 . , Edited by: Newson D D. . p. 213––31. . Boulder : : Westview Press. .
Wippman D. . 1993. . “‘Enforcing the Peace: ECOWAS and the Liberian Civil War’. ”. In Enforcing Restraint: Collective Intervention in Internal Conflicts . , Edited by: Damrosch L F. . p. 157––203. . New York : : Council on Foreign Relations Press. .
Zimmerman R F. . 1993. . Dollars, Diplomacy and Dependency: Dilemmas of US Economic Aid . , p. 120––4. . Boulder : : Lynne Rienner Publishers. .

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Africa Watch. . April. 1989 . “‘Nine Years of Doe's Rule: Africa Watch Assess the Record’. ”. April. ,

[2] Africa Watch. . June. 1993 . “‘Liberia: Waging War to keep the Peace — The ECOMOG Intervention and Human Rights’. ”. Vol. Vol. 5. , June. ,

[3] Berkeley B. . 1992. . ‘Liberia: Between Repression and Slaughter’. . The Atlantic Monthly . , December;: 52––64. .

[4] Blunt E. . 1990a. . “‘Liberia: State of Siege’. ”. In From Our Own Correspondent . p. 149––52. . London :

[5] Blunt E. . 1990b. . “‘The Death of Civil War & Collective Intervention in Liberia 51 President Doe’. ”. In From Our Own Correspondent . , p. 153––5. . London : : BBC. .

[6] Dobbie C. . 1994. . ‘A Concept for Post‐Cold War Peacekeeping’. . Survival . , Vol. 36((3)) Autumn;: 121––48. .

[7] Durch W J and Blechman B M. . 1992. . Keeping the Peace: The United Nations in the Emerging World Order . , The Henry L. Stimson Center. .

[8] ECOWAS. . 6–7 August. 1990a . “‘Final Communique of the Economic Community of West African States First Session of the Community Standing Mediation Committee’. ”. 6–7 August. , Banjul :

[9] ECOWAS. . 27–28 November. 1990b . “‘Final Communique of ECOWAS First Extraordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government’. ”. 27–28 November. , Bamako :

[10] ECOWAS. . 28 November. 1990c . “‘Joint Declaration on Cessation of Hostilities and Peaceful Settlement of Conflict’. ”. 28 November. , Bamako :

[11] Farer T. . 1993. . “‘A Paradigm of Legitimate Intervention’. ”. In Enforcing Restraint: Collective Intervention in Internal Conflicts . , Edited by: Damrosch L F. . New York : : Council on Foreign Relations Press. .

[12] Fisher D. . 1994. . “The Ethics of Intervention’. . Survival . , Vol. 36((1)) Spring;: 51––9. .

[13] General Assembly. . 19 November. 1993 . “‘Financing of the UNOMIL: Report of the Secretary General’. ”. 19 November. ,

[14] Greenwood C. . 1993. . ‘Is There a Right of Humanitarian Intervention?’. . The World Today . , Vol. 49((2)) February;

[15] Harbeson J W and Rothchild D. , eds. 1995. . Africa in World Politics: Post‐Cold War Challenges . , Boulder : : Westview Press. .

[16] Homer‐Dixon T F. . 1994. . ‘Environmental Scarcities and Violent Conflict’. . International Security . , Vol. 19((1)): 5––40. .

[17] April. 1995 . International Peacekeeping News . , April. , University of Bradford. .

[18] James A. . 1990. . Peacekeeping in International Relations . , London : : Macmillan. .

[19] Kaplan R A. . 1994. . “The Coming Anarchy’. . The Atlantic Monthly . , February;: 44––76. .

[20] Liebenow J G. . 1987. . Liberia: The Quest for Democracy . , Bloomington : : Indiana University Press. .

[21] Lowenkopf M. . 1976. . Politics in Liberia . , Stanford , California : : Hoover Institution Press. .

[22] Mayall J. . 1992. . ‘Nationalism and International Security After the Cold War’. . Survival . , Spring;: 19––35. .

[23] McCormick S H. . 1995. . “The Lessons of Intervention in Africa’. . Current History . , April;: 162––66. .

[24] Nelson H D. . 1984. . Liberia: A Country Study . , Washington , DC : : American University Foreign Area Studies. .

[25] Nelson B. . 1993. . “The Liberian Conflict, What Keeps it Going: Prospects for a Lasting Solution’. In: . A lecture delivered at the Ninth Charles Gbenyon Memorial Lecture Series; . June 18– 1993 ; . Monrovia , Liberia : : USIS Library. .

[26] Nwokedi E. . “‘Regional Integration and Regional Security: ECOMOG, Nigeria and the Liberian Crisis’. ”. In Travaux et Documents . , France: : Centre d'Etude d'Afrique Noire, Domaine Universitaire. .

[27] O'Neill W. . 1993. . ‘Liberia: An Avoidable Tragedy’. . Current History . , May;: 213––7. .

[28] Ofuatey‐Kodjoe W. . 1994. . ‘Regional Organizations and the Resolution of Internal Conflict: The ECOWAS Intervention in Liberia’. . International Peacekeeping . , Vol. 1((3)): 261––302. .

[29] Oladimeji O A. . 1993. . ‘Behold, African Peacekeepers’. . Proceedings/Naval Review . , March;: 64––66. .

[30] Parker T W. . 1991. . ‘Operation Sharp Edge’. . Proceedings/Naval Review . , May;: 103––6. .

[31] Reno W. . 1995. . ‘Reinvention of an African Patrimonial State: Charles Taylor's Liberia’. . Third World Quarterly . , Vol. 16((1)): 109––20. .

[32] Riley S P. . 1993. . ‘Intervention in Liberia: Too Little, Too Partisan’. . The World Today . , Vol. 49((3)) March;: 42––3. .

[33] Roberts A. . 1993. . ‘The United Nations and International Security’. . Survival . , Vol. 35((2)) Summer;: 3––30. .

[34] Ruiz H. . 1992. . Uprooted Liberians: Casualties of a Brutal War . , Washington , DC : : US Committee for Refugees. .

[35] Sawyer A. . 1992. . The Emergence of Autocracy in Liberia: Tragedy and Challenge . , San Francisco : : Institute of Contemporary Studies. .

[36] Sesay M A. . 1995. . ‘Collective Security or Collective Disaster: Regional Peackeeping in West Africa’. . Security Dialogue . , Vol. 26((2)) June;: 205––222. .

[37] 1996. . ‘Politics and Society in Post‐War Liberia: Challenges of the Twenty‐First Century’. . Survival . ,

[38] Sheriff A M. . ‘Articles and Information Covering Aspects of Humanitarian Assistance: a Bibliographical List, Version 2’ . , International Studies Programme, University of Limerick. .

[39] UNDP. . 1994. . Human Development Report . , New York : : UNDP. .

[40] UNOMIL. . 31 December. 1993 . “‘SRSG Welcomes Expanded ECOMOG’. ”. In UN Brief . , Vol. Vol. No.2. , 31 December. , Public Information Division. .

[41] UNOMIL. . 29 April. 1994 . “‘Extension of UNOMIL's Mandate’. ”. In UN Brief . , Vol. Vol. No. 18. , 29 April. , Public Information Division. .

[42] Vogt M. , ed. 1992. . The Liberian Crisis and ECOMOG: A Bold Attempt at Regional Peacekeeping . , Lagos : : Gabumo Publishing Co.. .

[43] Weller M. , ed. 1994. . Regional Peacekeeping and International Enforcement: The Liberian Crisis . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .

[44] WHO. . 1994. . WHO Newsletter: Liberia . , Vol. 1((l))

[45] Williams A. . 1992. . “‘Regional Peacekeeping: ECOWAS and the Liberian Civil War’. ”. In The Diplomatic Record, 1990–1991 . , Edited by: Newson D D. . p. 213––31. . Boulder : : Westview Press. .

[46] Wippman D. . 1993. . “‘Enforcing the Peace: ECOWAS and the Liberian Civil War’. ”. In Enforcing Restraint: Collective Intervention in Internal Conflicts . , Edited by: Damrosch L F. . p. 157––203. . New York : : Council on Foreign Relations Press. .

[47] Zimmerman R F. . 1993. . Dollars, Diplomacy and Dependency: Dilemmas of US Economic Aid . , p. 120––4. . Boulder : : Lynne Rienner Publishers. .

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