Pawn of pawns: USA, Africa and empire in the 21st century
President Bush’s trip to Africa poses many questions, including the nature of US influence there and elsewhere, the extent to which African states can play off the US against the EU, and the effect on weapons research. Matt Norton in this guest editorial takes a journey through some of the issues.
Paul Martin on Human Rights – Interview
Joe Schumacher interviews J. Paul Martin, executive director of the Center for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University, New York Dr. Martin, together with Professor Louis Henkin (University Professor Emeritus/Special Service Professor, Columbia University), founded the Center in 1978, and has served as its executive director ever since. Dr. Martin spent several years as a missionary and university teacher in Africa, and over the years, Dr. Martin’s primary research interest has been human rights education, especially in Africa, as well as religion and human rights. Currently his work is focused on the impact of multinational corporations on developing countries from a human rights perspective.
The New Transporters of Weapons of Mass Destruction
Small arms and light weapons move swimmingly into war torn areas across the global South. Beyond the reach of border patrols (if they are present) former Eastern European pilots swoop in to make their deliveries on behalf of private company profiteers. Hugh Griffiths provides an inside look.
The Bright Side of Africa: Its Women
On a continent renowned for its AIDS pandemic and blood-thirsty warlords, this decade is seeing some bright spots emerge. And they’re all women.
Realizing the Relevance and Power of Liberian Women: An Epiphany on the Road to Peace (1999-2005)
Horace P. Nagbe reflects on his gendered identity constructed while growing up in Liberia. He then gives an historical account of the country´s violent past which gave rise to a change in his superior male perception: the efforts of the Women in Peacebuilding Network. This group of women recognized the urgent need to bring peace to Liberia and while being suppressed and violated by the government who ignored the citizen´s call for peace, these women came together to pressure the government towards peaceful change. This group inspired the movie Pray the Devil Back to Hell and played a significant role in establishing democratic elections in Liberia.
Reparation of Victims: Seeking a Bottom-up Approach to Transitional Justice
M’bartee Locula examines the role of reparation for victims in post-conflict transitional justice initiatives, highlighting cases in Liberia and Sierra Leone. He emphasizes the need to prioritize further remuneration and justice-seeking for victims over DDR processes, which favor perpetrators, in order to foster reconciliation toward sustainable peace.
The Politics of Rice and Elections in Liberia: A Dangerous Political Seed, a Medium for Corruption and Bullet for the Demise of Governments
This article discusses the implications of the 1979 rice riot on Liberian politics, especially the increased use of rice by politicians to buy the votes of citizens. Locula argues that this practice has led to corruption of the political class and manipulation of the electorate. The author suggests that the government should pursue a policy of domestic rice production to ensure political stability and greater autonomy, and regulate the campaign behavior of political aspirants.
The Theory and Practice of Humanitarian Intervention and the Interest of Western Powers: Liberia, Darfur, Rwanda, Iraq, and Libya
After arguing for the importance and potential of humanitarian intervention to bring about a more just world, Jerry M’bartee Locula critically reviews its application (or lack thereof) by the United Nations Security Council in relation to political and economic interests, particularly those of the permanent five members — USA, UK, France, Russia, and China. As such, the discussion draws on the experiences of Liberia, Sudan (Darfur), Rwanda, Iraq, and, most recently, Libya.
Collective peace-keeping in West Africa
Linus Malu provides the background to the prospects for collective peace-keeping in West Africa. His report appraises conflict prevention and resolution methods employed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). First, it examines the operations of the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in the region and evaluates the impact of the body in conflict resolution. Second, it examines the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security established in 1999 by the ECOWAS Heads of States in Lome, Togo. In the last section Linus Malu evaluates the impact of the Mechanism on conflict prevention and resolution in West Africa.
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Promoting Gender Equality in Postconflict Liberia: Challenges and Prospects
Horace Nagbe analyzes post-conflict Liberia through a gender lens. By analyzing the post-conflict recovery and development in the country, Nagbe reveals the vast inequalities between men and women. Further, Nagbe discusses the importance of women in the Liberian economy and their efforts in post-conflict reconstruction. Finally, the author presents various suggestions for empowering the women of Liberia and improving the state of the country as a whole.