Monrovia - Culture

Liberia, its name derived from the Latin liber, meaning "free," was founded by freed American slaves in the early nineteenth century. The most important city is Monrovia and was named in honour of President Monroe, who held office at the time the Republic was officially established. Red, white, and blue mailboxes, American currency, and the widespread use of English bespeak the American influence, and it is not unlike visiting part of the U.S. in the summertime.

As a political nation, Liberia was founded by the American Colonization Society in an attempt to return freed slaves to Africa. Motives behind the society ranged from getting rid of "the negro problem" in America, to spreading religions, to sincerely returning blacks back to their native land. As a result, Liberia was heavily influenced by American culture. As you can see, the Liberian flag is very similar to the American flag. The capital city, Monrovia, was named after the fifth American President James Monroe who was a major supporter of the society. Even the Monrovia City police uniforms were modelled after ones used by the NYPD. Now Liberia is a mix of Liberians with a background in America, Americo-Liberians, and other peoples composing of many different tribal/kinship groups. Liberia has been disrupted by war that has lasted for about six years now.

Of the approximately 1.4 million children now living in Liberia, it is believed that 15,000 served as child soldiers in the civil war. The majority of fighters demobilized at the end of the war were between fifteen and twenty-eight years old. Of those aged seventeen and under, the majority – 69 percent – were fifteen to seventeen years old, and had served an average of four years. Twenty-seven percent of the remaining fighters under seventeen were between the ages of twelve and fourteen years old.

Many of these children were forced to become soldiers by combatants desperate for able bodies of any age to augment their ranks. Others volunteered, believing that joining a military faction was their best chance for survival, but rarely understanding the full consequences of their decision. Some became practiced killers, and most were exposed to atrocities on a daily basis, often encouraged to take part.

More than 4,000 children were thought to have been combatants in Liberia's final attempt to disarm and demobilize its warring factions in late 1996, and the ratio of children to adults in some camps was as high as 37 percent, according to the UNICEF report, The Disarmament, Demobilization & Reintegration of Child Soldiers in Liberia 1994-1997. The youngest combatants were six years old.

An estimated tens of thousands of children have either willingly or unwillingly joined hostilities in Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Many strive to find security amid violent chaos, where a gun is a necessary form of self-protection, regardless of age. In addition, increased ethnic conflicts and guerrilla tactics have taken the place of conventional wars, making civilians – especially children – more vulnerable as potential victims of violence and forced conscription.

The demobilization of child soldiers once peace is achieved is a complex process. Significant resources are needed to ensure that vital components of reintegration are provided to these children, including counseling, medical care, adequate food, and protection from their former commanders. If this support is lacking, reintegration is seriously undermined, as is the chance for these children to lead productive lives.

The hard-won peace in Liberia cannot be assured if its children are not encouraged to leave the ways of war behind and taught the necessary skills they need for everyday life. The plight of child soldiers in Liberia is a poignant way to commemorate this year's Day of the African Child, as an example of the continent's enormous potential and the daunting obstacles that often impede its development. After Liberia's bloodthirsty seven year civil war, the people of Monrovia welcomed the chance to vote in the country's presidential elections. Church members met on the day after the election to offer thanks and praises to God for an election day unmarred by violence. As the votes are counted and announced, supporters of presidential candidate Charles Taylor gather at his party's headquarters to celebrate his victory. Despite the significance of the election, everyday life is still a struggle for many displaced Liberians living in the former Mininstry of Foreign Affairs building