The 4th poorest nation in the world, Liberia has a history ridden with both irony and human disaster. Liberia was originally a slave port. Many slaves sold to the Spanish, British, and American slavers originated there. So when the Back to Africa movement hit North America, it seemed only natural to send freed slaves back to the land and rename it Liberia (freedom) and name the former slave port Monrovia (after James Monroe). The freed slaves quickly established plantations and enslaved the native African population on them. This lasted for a century. That is irony 101. American slavery was not unique to America. It also existed in Africa long after it ended here. Finally a leader arose in the 1960s to end the abusive form of plantation slavery and create a country based on his concept of American ideals. By 1970, the first African native was elected as president. Progress was beginning. Unfortunately, from there the country descended into tribalism and civil wars. The peace gave way to the typical central African corruption and violence of the 1980s and 1990s. Now 2014, Liberia is suffering 80% unemployment. 70% of women in the capital have reported being raped. Most people in the country have eaten human flesh and almost every male has killed someone. Many live in sewage ponds surrounded by trash, prostitution, and a vibrant drug culture. It is worse than most of us can even imagine.
Posted on: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 04:05:37 +0000
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