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The West African nation of Liberia needs a functioning judicial system badly for many reasons, including for settling land disputes. During the country’s 14-year civil war, which ended in 2003, many Liberians fled their country. In the past few years many people have returned home, and some have found other people living on their land. The World’s Jason Margolis has the story.Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
There’s an expression people use in Liberia: Monkey work, baboon draws. While that might make no sense to an outsider, the meaning is crystal clear in Liberia: If I do the work, somebody else should not take the credit. Proverbs are an often-used and powerful form of communication throughout Liberia, as the World’s Jason Margolis found out. Download MP3
A police officer walks through the cars stuck in Monrovia’s horrendous mid-day traffic. He spots John Patrick Van Rensburg, taps on his car window, and asks for his papers. Van Rensburg, a tall, white South African with long brown hair, greets the cop but ignores the request for his license. The officer solicits for a bribe and Van Rensburg simply ignores him. This back and forth is part of the daily game. Reporter Jason Margolis, who was riding in the car with Van Rensburg, has the story.
(Photos: Jason Margolis)
Have you ever met somebody who says they went to a certain university, then you begin the name game. “Shot in the dark, but do you know so-and-so?” Well, imagine playing the name game for a whole country, and only using somebody’s first name. Well, if you’re in Liberia and you meet a businessman or a politician and ask them, “Oh, do you know Joe?” Chances are good they’ll say yes. Chances are even better that they’ll also have an interesting story to share about Joseph Richards.
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The West African nation of Liberia suffered through an on-again, off-again civil war for 14 years from 1989 to 2003. As many as 250,000 people were killed. The country was economically devastated: Roads were destroyed, sewage and water largely ceased functioning, and electricity was knocked out throughout the entire country. On this podcast, we look at how a nation economically rebuilds from 14 years of civil war.
The Ducor hotel in the Liberian capital of Monrovia was once considered one of the finest hotels in all of Africa. The hotel shut its doors shortly after civil war erupted in Liberia in 1989. During the war, the Ducor became home to thousands of squatters. A Libyan company now has plans to revamp the old hotel.
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A new sewing factory in Monrovia is producing t-shirts bound for the United States. It’s staffed by 32 Liberian women, and an American boss who has returned to his native country. The enterprise is trying to become one of the first start-up factories in the world, and the very first in Africa, to manufacture “fair trade certified” apparel. The women receive a fair wage, health insurance, and a monthly bag of rice. The World’s Jason Margolis reports. (Photo: Jason Margolis) Download MP3
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Liberia’s capital city, Monrovia, is swarming with young men who were former child soldiers in Liberia’s civil war. Most of the young men are uneducated and have few job skills. Many have short attention spans, trouble saving money, and are prone to petty crime and violence. A team of American researchers and Liberian social workers are researching how, and whether, this culture can be transformed. The World’s Jason Margolis has the story. (Photo: Jason Margolis) Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
The problem with a good stretch of beach is that once word gets out, the word is out. You have to fight for waves or a patch of sand. That won’t happen for a while in Liberia. The West African nation was torn apart by 14 years of Civil War. The country has been peaceful since UN peacekeepers arrived in 2003. But before Liberia descended into war, the country was a West African travel hotspot: five-star hotels, beautiful beaches, and a rich cultural history. Today, tourism dollars would certainly help that country with its economic recovery. But is Liberia ready to re-open for tourists? The World’s Jason Margolis had a look. Download MP3
The West African nation of Liberia suffered through an on-again, off-again civil war for 14 years from 1989 to 2003. The country was economically devastated: Roads were destroyed, sewage and water largely ceased functioning, and electricity was knocked out throughout the entire country. A generation of young people, many of whom were child soldiers, never received a formal education. Many were psychologically traumatized by a brutal and at-times bizarre war. The World’s Jason Margolis spent two weeks in Liberia to examine the challenges of rebuilding a war-torn nation.
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For many years Liberia was mostly infamous for its brutal civil war but now surfing fans are discovering the beaches of the West African nation. In the Geo Quiz we’re looking for Liberia’s surfing capital, New York Times’ Diplomatic Correspondent Helene Cooper grew up in Liberia and knows where to find it. Download MP3
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Today on The World: Former Liberian president Charles Taylor testifies at his own war crimes trial, the first in a series of reports on the rise, fall, and resurgence of the Taliban and the musical soundscapes of Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi. >>>Listen
