Liberia at a Crossroads:
Human Rights Challenges for the New Government

A Human Rights Watch Briefing Paper

September 30, 2005

Summary

Background

Human Rights Challenges for the New Government

The Need for a Human Rights Agenda

Reports of Charles Taylor’s Interference in the Political Affairs of Liberia

Alleged Human Rights Abusers and the Elections

Accountability for Past Abuses

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Prosecutions

The Case of Charles Taylor

Building the Rule of Law

Liberian National Police

The Liberian Army

Judiciary

Reintegration of Ex-Combatants

Corruption

Conclusion

Recommendations

To the new Government of Liberia

To donor governments

To the United Nations Mission in Liberia

To DynCorp

To the U.N. Sanctions Committee for Liberia

To ECOWAS and the African Union

To the Government of Nigeria