Approaches to Reducing Direct Violence in Liberia
Considering the initiatives and strategies that various parties and organizations have taken to ensure a peaceful environment in the framework of the war in Liberia, it becomes clear that they are insufficient. The first approach to solving a direct conflict is adopting a unified vision, which sometimes requires government renewal. Thereupon, in 1990, ECOWAS put forward a strategy to end violence. The strategy entailed forming a new government, which was enacted in 1993 (Shilue and Fagen 7).
Given that various armed groups have entered into a battle for power, a full-fledged peaceful atmosphere was impossible without reconciliation of all parties (Shilue and Fagen 9). Due to the insufficient involvement of all parties of the conflict as well as external organizations in coordinated activities, formal peace was not attained.
Further, the introduction of a complete ban on fire and external monitoring of compliance with this plan is essential for ensuring a peaceful situation in society. The UN has been monitoring the implementation of the peace treaty in Liberia since 2003, and strengthening this approach is vital to avoiding new conflicts (Shilue and Fagen 9). However, the situation in the country requires more attention to the control of hostilities.
The security approach is a measure to improve the situation of the country and the exclusion of new potential uprisings. Moreover, given a large number of victims, that is, more than three million people, a strategy to ensure security and adequate living conditions for victims is obligatory (Shilue and Fagen 1). For instance, a US-based humanitarian organization Hopes International has been providing orphaned Liberian children with food, water, mattresses, and school supplies since 2008 (“Humanitarian Aid in Liberia”). Humanitarian aid can have a significant impact on disadvantaged people’s lives. However, relying on external sources is not sustainable and does not help to build a resilient, self-reliant support system within the country.
The most effective approach to solving the war conflict in Liberia should be large-scale and attract all parties. The two other approaches – external supervising and ameliorating living conditions – are only auxiliary tools that may provide temporary relief but not change the situation in a long perspective. In any case, only joint coordinated actions by all parties to the conflict can ensure an end to violence.
Conflict in Liberia and Violation of Human Rights
The long civil war in Liberia led to brutal outcomes, violating many civil rights and leading to uncontrolled direct violence affecting a huge number of innocent people. Even though the war had a duration of 14 years, and officially ended in 2003, attempts to secure peace are still not successful (Shilue and Fagen 1). Therefore, Liberia, during and after the war, needs to adopt a practical approach to eliminating direct violence and agreement of all parties and coordinated control of the situation may be most effective.
The war, which took an extended period, entailed many violations of Liberian rights and uncontrolled violence. Hence, three million people died, children became victims of violence and sexual slavery, and many people fell victim to torture or lost their homes and were forced to flee the country (Shilue and Fagen 1). Such a provision indicates a critical violation of human rights, including the rights to freedom and life, the choice of a place to live, the inviolability of property, and the like.
The violation of these fundamental rights causes uprisings, which contributes to the constant threat of the intensification of military conflicts. Given that a full-fledged peace is a complex concept that includes not only social but also political and economic aspects, solely a comprehensive regulation of Liberia’s internal processes can eliminate violence (Kurtenbach 1). In this case, each party that has interests in rebuilding the country and providing its people with decent living conditions should take part in a multi-level, unified approach to the elimination of conflicts. Thus, calling on all concerned to provide the people of Liberia with their rights in social, political, and economic contexts can bring the peace that minimizes possible violence.
Works Cited
“Humanitarian Aid in Liberia.” Hope International, n.d. Web.
Kurtenbach, Sabine. “No One Size Fits All – A Global Approach to Peace (GIGA Focus Global, 5).” GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, vol. 2017, no. 5, 2017, pp.1-11. Web.
Shilue, James Shah, and Patricia Fagen. “Liberia: Links between Peacebuilding, Conflict Prevention and Durable Solutions to Displacement.” Brookings-LSE, Project on Internal Displacement, 2014, pp.1-26. Web.