The Inquirer (Monrovia)
C. Winnie Saywah and Janjay F. Campbell
4 September 2008
A Liberian Historian said tyranny in Liberia was planted by the American Colonization Society (ACS) during the formation of the modern Liberian state.
Dr. Augustine Konneh who spoke at the TRC hearings yesterday said that this system of authoritarianism which began from former President Joseph J. Roberts up to the former President Samuel K. Doe's regimes became compounded by the civil wars in the country.
He disclosed that it was similar dictatorial rule which was extended to former President William R. Tolbert's administration. According to him, it was such nature of national army troops that were ordered to "shoot and kill", indiscriminately, several innocent citizens on April 14, 1979 thus ripening the trigger for a violent regime change.
Giving what he described as some historical perspectives in understanding the Liberian conflict, the professor of history said that each past leader beginning with the administration of J.J. Roberts in 1847, each administration maintained and 'fine-tuned' the authoritarian system.
He said that the administration of Arthur Barclay in 1904 -1912 laid the basis for the institutionalizing of authoritarianism. Dr. Konneh said that President Barclay, like his predecessor, expanded oppression through the Barclay plan and that it was under such arrangement that the Frontier Force was established.
"This military organization suppressed the insurrection against the settler government and enforced tax payment compliance thereby making chiefs accountable to President Barclay. The Frontier Force became the principal instrument of coercion used initially by the settler state to suppress the rights of the indigenes," he explained.
He said that the reign of President William V. S. Tubman was referred to as the "Golden Age" of Liberia because he (Tubman) addressed for the first time the issue of gradual integration of the indigenous people into a national society.
Dr. Konneh outlined the many achievements made by former President Tubman especially in the Liberia economy in terms of trade but said that the benefits of the new economic developments continued to be distributed unequally. "This was growth without development," the historian continued.
Speaking of how Tubman extended the scope of authoritarianism in Liberia, the professor of history explained of how the former President developed an extensive security network which engaged in spying, intimidation and the imprisonment of anyone the government suspected of being opposed to the ruling class and its regime.
"Tubman denied citizens the right to organize other parties. He institutionalized the True Whig Party (TWP) and forced government employees to join and to contribute portions of their salaries to its annual budget and projects. State resources were used to pay benefits for party officials," the historian disclosed.
Dr. Konneh said that because of similar rule, when Tolbert assumed the presidency in 1971, he fluctuated between political Liberalization and dictatorship and that indecision was basically what prompted the rice demonstration.
"Tolbert used his power to suppress collective organizations and movements that were instrumental during the demonstration such as Movement for Justice in Africa and the Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL) which later became the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP)", he continued.
The historian announced that "unfortunately, former President Doe decided to continue the same pattern of government he inherited and even expended his dragnet by passing decrees that further restrained civil liberties".
He said that while violence was an undeniable contributor to the current crisis, the systems of repression established by the ACS and sustained and expanded by various Liberia governments laid the foundation for the notorious civil war in 1989.
The historian said that prior to Doe administration; Liberians were already experiencing economy and political injustices.
He then pointed out that when former President Charles Taylor launched his rebellion he appealed to the suffering population. He said that Taylor government action did not signify a transition to democracy pointing out that the human right situation remained one of "gloom and doom" for most Liberia because under Taylor the economic and social situation remained dismal.
"Amid all the suffering, however, Taylor and his advisors maintained wasteful life styles. Under Taylor's administration the transition to democracy was oblique," he said.
The professor of history said that as the nation moves towards a glimpse of stability, Liberians must first reconcile the society by healing the wounds of war.
Dr. Konneh said, secondly Liberians must recognize and reconsider some of the nation's myths. "Indeed, there is no royal road to reconciliation but reconciliation requires the full participation of all Liberians.
So through the TRC, let us now develop the strength and courage to face the past constructively for a brighter tomorrow. Together, we can rebuild and reconstruct Liberia" he concluded.
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