It's Terminal Either Way: Analysis of Conflict in Liberia, 1989-96
| Review of African Political Economy - Vol. 24 No. 73 It's Terminal Either Way: Analysis of Conflict in Liberia, 1989-96 |
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| Abstract of Article |
| Title: | 'It's Terminal Either Way' : An Analysis of Armed Conflict in Liberia, 1989-1996 |
| Author: | Quentin Outram |
| Location: | Vol.24 No.73 (September 1997), pp355-371 |
| The wars which have wracked Liberia since the end of 1989 have reduced a country which was once regarded as one of the more fortunate in Africa to a state of long-term aid dependency. Perhaps 150,000 or more have been killed and at many points over the last seven years a third of the country's pre-war population has been living as refugees in neighbouring states and another third has been internally displaced by the conflict. The continuing warfare has made it difficult to address the large-scale humanitarian problems inevitable in such circumstances: rates of undernutrition have sometimes reached very high levels and on at least one occasion have reached heights which rival the worst recorded in any part of the world. This article seeks to advance our understanding of the causes of this suffering. It does so not primarily by examining the experiences of the victims, important though this is, but by investigating the political economy of the Liberian wars including the circumstances and the actions of the warring factions. In this I follow Keen's call to understand the actions of oppressor groups involved in humanitarian emergencies, as well as those of their victims. |
Related Materials | |
 | Contents Page: "Neo-Colonialism/Military: Ghana/Zaïre/Liberia" Vol.6 No.14 of the Review of African Political Economy (Spring 1979) |
| Towards a Political Economy of Liberia Briefing by Kadallah Khafre from Vol.5 No.12 of the Review of African Political Economy (Summer 1978: pp105-113) |
| Neo-colonialism and Military Rule: Ghana, Zaïre and Liberia Editorial from Vol.6 No.14 of the Review of African Political Economy (Spring 1979: pp1-2) |
| Labour in Liberia Article by Dew Tuan-Wleh Mayson and Amos Sawyer from Vol.6 No.14 of the Review of African Political Economy (Spring 1979: pp3-15) |
| The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here (an analysis of the development of the settler state in 19th century Liberia) Article by Magdalene S David from Vol.11 No.31 of the Review of African Political Economy (Winter 1984: pp57-70) |
| Current Political Situation in Liberia (issued by Dr Togbanah Tipoteh, President of Moja-Liberia, 19 Oct 1984) Briefing from Vol.12 No.32 of the Review of African Political Economy (Spring 1985: pp89-92) |
| Democratic not Colonial Management for Liberia Briefing by Tobga-Nah Tipoteh from Vol.14 No.39 of the Review of African Political Economy (Summer 1987: pp73-75) |
| Civil War and Collective Intervention in Liberia Article by Max A Sesay from Vol.23 No.67 of the Review of African Political Economy (March 1996: pp35-52) |
| What Does the 'Militariat' Do When it Rules? Military Regimes: The Gambia, Sierra Leone and Liberia Article by Jimmy D Kandeh from Vol.23 No.69 of the Review of African Political Economy (September 1996: pp387-404) |
| Liberia: After Abuja Briefing by Stephen Riley and Max Sesay from Vol.23 No.69 of the Review of African Political Economy (September 1996: pp429-437) |
| The Benefits of Famine: a Political Economy of Famine and Relief in Southwestern Sudan, 1983-1939 Book by D Keen, published Princeton, US, 1994 by Princeton University Press |
| See also | |
| Country Profile: Liberia Short profile and selection of resources for Republic of Liberia |
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