Over the last decade natural disasters have left parts of India, Samoa, the United States, and nearly the entire island of Haiti in ruins; while civil wars, wars on terrorism, and the ancient battle of the religions are only adding to the global body count. As a privileged (in comparison to non-American societies) American adult, the first event to hit home was 911, but as I divulge myself deeper into my profession I find myself inadvertently affected by travesties around the world.
With the national attention Haiti is receiving, I am compelled to enlighten Americans on the disturbing conditions of one of the poorest countries in the world Liberia. Unbeknown to many (based on my research); Liberia is a former United States colony, founded by African-American former American slaves.
According to Wikipedia, Liberia is one of the two states in the world to be founded by “citizens of a political power as a settlement for former slaves from the same political power”. In 1847 it became an independent nation and for some odd 140 years the same slave trade structure learned in the US was replicated in the so called Free State. This Western practice ignited century’s of conflict between the indigenous people and the newly “freed” inhabitants, better known as Americo-Liberians.
Although it has been documented that the US has offered assistance against rebel forces, by providing weaponry and millions of dollars in loans that (at this rate) will never be repaid, European influence and American abandonment has left the rubber (used as collateral during World War II) rich country in disarray.
Liberia has been at civil war (off and on) since the 1980′s. Corruption has been the sole driving force since the abolishment of the Americo-Liberian regime. Senate member Prince Johnson and former President Charles Taylor’s (who was indicted in 2003, by the Special Court of Sierra Leone for his documented “crimes against humanity”) political parties, Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia, (INPFL) and the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), respectively, are known for using heinous war tactics. In addition to the widely publicized videotaped torture and murder of President Charles Taylor’s precedent Samuel Doe, the Taylor/Prince union, recruited young boys, tortured and raped women and children, addicted most of the population to cocaine and heroin, and even promoted and have been rumored to have partaken in cannibalism.
Based on recent video footage from VICE media, a Brooklyn based independent media company and web site; Liberians are stating that they are in “World War III”. Much of present day Liberia looks like Port-au-Prince after the earthquake. Slums, like that of West Point, have open sewer systems, Malaria and AID’s, prostitution worth less than One USD, and widespread pubescent cocaine and heroin abuse only attribute to the defamation of the deteriorated country.
As a political project of the United States, what is left of Liberia’s sanity seems to be in its beautiful beaches, innocent children, and immigrants who have deserted their mother land in search of a better life.Thanks to American censorship, may people are unaware of state of Liberia. Thanks to independent outlets like VICE media and Limité Magazine international issues can remain in the forefront.
