Liberians (in Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Ghana, and Sierra Leone)
Without assistance from UNHCR, an estimated 62,000 Liberian refugees in West Africa remain in protracted displacement. While they are mostly not in need of emergency relief anymore, having established themselves in exile years ago, they struggle to access livelihood opportunities, medical care, and education.
During twenty years of civil war in Liberia, violence was indiscriminate and so extreme that virtually all of the country's three million people were displaced at some point. Established as a state for freed slaves, for decades Liberia was ruled exclusively by an Americo-Liberian elite. In 1979-80, civil unrest emerged and a coup d'état was staged by indigenous Liberians. Authoritarian rule and further discrimination spurred discontent, and in December 1989, Charles Taylor launched a military campaign aiming to overthrow the regime. This marked the beginning of a brutal and bloody civil war, in which numerous rebel groups fought each other to gain control over the country's rich natural resources. Government troops and rebels alike terrorised civilians and looted whatever they could find, causing displacement on a massive scale. After a brief period of relative peace in which Taylor was elected president, the Second Liberal Civil War began in 1999 when several groups launched armed insurrections. In 2003, the rebels had reached the capital and Taylor resigned from the presidency under intense international pressure, having been indicted for crimes against humanity in the Sierra Leonean civil war. Since then, peace has returned to the country, and the 2005 elections were considered the most free and fair in Liberian history.
Since 2004, UNHCR has assisted with the repatriation of about 170,000 Liberians from West Africa. In view of the fundamental changes in Liberia since the end of the conflict, the cessation clauses have been recommended to take effect on 30 June 2012. At the end of June 2012, Liberians' refugee status will cease. The remaining refugees are expected to voluntarily repatriate or opt for local integration in the countries of asylum.
Online Resources
- Agblorti, S. (2011) 'Refugee integration in Ghana: the host community's perspective' New Issues in Refugee Research No. 203, UNHCR.
- Dick, S. (2003) 'FMO Research Guide: Liberia'.
- Dick, S. (2002) 'Liberians in Ghana: Living Without Humanitarian Assistance'.
- Dick, S. (2002) 'Responding to protracted refugee situations, A case study of Liberian refugees in Ghana', evaluation report, UNHCR.
- Kaiser, T. (2001) 'A Beneficiary-Based Evaluation of UNHCR's Programme in Guinea, West Africa'.
- Kuhlman, T. (2002), 'Responding to protracted refugee situations, A case study of Liberian refugees in Côte d'Ivoire', evaluation report, UNHCR.
