UN in Liberia

9-30-13

 

Common UN Vehicle in Liberia

While walking on the main road towards some stores, a United Nations vehicle stops me and the driver asks me if I want a ride. He says he is going into town which I am not planning to do, but since the shopping is better there and it is five miles away, I say “sure”.  The driver is a UN career person living in Liberia for the past ten years. He is a Cambodian lawyer by training. He is from the nearby UN barracks and airstrip which has a contingent of Bangladeshi soldiers.

He tells me about how the UN tries to integrate with the community and how it often gets blamed for local issues. He also talks about the same issues facing Peace Corps which are rich foreigners amongst very poor people. His biggest problem is with aggressive Liberian women cohabiting with UN personnel who then have a family, husband, or boyfriend suddenly appear asking for retribution,.. money.

The current crisis he is involved with is a strike by the motorcycle taxi drivers who are demanding respect and services from the government. It seems they went on a rampage about a week ago in town, ending up clubbing one bystander to death and severely injuring another. UN police are in town to reinforce the locals in maintaining quiet.

The UN Peace Keeping efforts often seem to be the political whipping boy about its usefulness and effectiveness. What I have seen is Liberia would come apart without them.