Liberia civil wars facts for kids

The country of Liberia in West Africa experienced two difficult civil wars. These wars lasted from 1989 to 2003. A civil war is when groups within the same country fight each other. In Liberia, different ethnic groups and powerful leaders, called warlords, fought for control and influence. They also wanted to control the country's natural resources. Sadly, many young people, known as child soldiers, were forced to fight in these wars.

What Were the Liberian Civil Wars?

The Liberian Civil Wars were a long period of fighting between different groups in the country. These groups had different ideas about who should lead Liberia. They also wanted to control the country's wealth, like its valuable resources.

The First War: A Fight for Power

The first war began in 1989 and lasted until 1996. It started when a leader named Charles Taylor led an armed group against the president at the time, Samuel Doe.

Key Figures and Early Conflict

President Doe was quickly captured. One of Charles Taylor's allies, Yormie Johnson, was involved in his death. After this, Johnson and Taylor had a disagreement and Johnson started his own group. Supporters of President Doe also formed their own fighting groups. This led to many different sides fighting each other.

All the groups involved in the war were very harsh towards ordinary people, called civilians. A young warlord named Joshua Milton Blahyi was known for his cruelty. He used child soldiers and caused much suffering. Because of the fighting, the UN placed a ban, called an embargo, on Liberia. This meant certain goods could not be sent to or from the country.

Connection to Sierra Leone

While the war was happening in Liberia, there was also a civil war in the neighboring country of Sierra Leone. Charles Taylor supported a rebel group in Sierra Leone. He was said to have traded diamonds illegally to help fund these rebels. These were sometimes called "blood diamonds" because they helped pay for wars.

End of the First War

The first war finally ended in 1996. In 1997, Charles Taylor was elected president of Liberia. He won a large number of votes, and the elections were considered fair.

The Second War: Continued Conflict

Even after the elections, some of Taylor's former enemies did not accept the results. They started the second war in 1999.

The War Continues

By 2003, the government only controlled about one-third of Liberia. Rebel groups controlled the other two-thirds of the country. In 2003, Charles Taylor was accused of serious crimes related to his support for rebels in Sierra Leone. An international order was issued for his arrest.

The War Ends

To bring peace, Charles Taylor agreed to step down as president and leave Liberia. His departure helped to end the long and difficult war.

The Impact of the Wars

The civil wars had a very sad impact on Liberia and its people. About 250,000 people lost their lives. More than a million people became refugees, meaning they had to leave their homes. Some stayed in camps within Liberia, while others fled to nearby countries.

The wars also greatly affected Liberia's economy. Even today, the country faces challenges. In some parts of Liberia, a very high number of adults, up to 85%, do not have jobs.