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Post conflict reconstruction

Peacekeeping and post-conflict criminality. Challenges to the (re-) establishment of rule of law in Liberia

Peacekeeping and post-conflict criminality: assessing the Liberian experience

Authors: T. Mbadlanyana; F. C. Onuoha
Publisher: Institute for Security Studies, South Africa, 2009

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This paper explores the scope and nature of criminality in Liberia, and assesses the UN’s peacekeeping operations in the country. The authors detail that the research is framed around the theme of criminality and its relationship with the restoration of durable peace, as most writings on peacekeeping draw on perspectives from the discipline of international relations with little, if any, consideration for other fields such as criminology. It also gives more detailed information on topics such as:

  • Criminology, post-conflict reconstruction and peacekeeping which explains the link between criminality and peacekeeping in post-conflict societies
  • Post-conflict criminology in Liberia which examines the nature, causes and trends of different types of crimes
  • Regional crime comparison with other West Africa countries
  • Post-conflict criminality in Liberia stressing the response of peacekeeping missions.
The authors state that the conflict in Liberia has contributed to high-levels of crime. Firstly, the war gave rise to a way of life in which violence and looting have become common. Secondly, it deprived young people of positive role models. Thirdly, the war led to the general collapse of Liberian governance institutions, and the criminal justice institutions in particular, resulting in impunity for those engaging in delinquent behaviour.

The authors give a number of recommendations for the Liberian government, the UN mission and the international community:

  • The Liberian government should channel most of its resources towards institutional capacity building
  • In order to prevent criminality from flourishing, the Liberian government needs strong parliamentary and civilian oversight mechanisms, based on transparency and accountability
  • The UN mission should revisit sector reform disequilibrium and there is a need to strike a good balance between peace and justice
  • The international community should provide funding for post-conflict reconstruction programmes.