The skills and connections of a former Ohio University doctoral student might prove to be beneficial for the troubled country of Liberia.
Liberian presidential candidate and former OU doctoral student Marcus Dahn could bring outside connections for development and technical expertise to a country in desperate need of stabilization. Steve Howard, director of African studies at OU, said the situation in Liberia could only improve after maligned former president Charles Taylor's resignation Monday.
Dahn, who received his master's degree and doctorate from OU, announced his candidacy for president of Liberia last October at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. Dahn was one of the founders of the Unite People's Party in Liberia and has been a part of several resistance and opposition groups in Liberia, Howard said.
"I think it would be a refreshing change for Liberia," Howard said. "If he could get elected president, it would be the country's first exposure to a technocrat."
Liberia's recent history has been riddled with violence and chaos. A coup in 1990 led to the execution of then-president Samuel Doe, who a decade before had overthrown the "First Republic" of Liberia. A governing body took over and maintained some order until Charles Taylor was elected in 1997. After Taylor's promised Monday resignation, Moses Blah took over as Liberia's chief. Violence has dominated in the past weeks as rebels have tried to oust Taylor and a breakdown of political control and lack of food and services has led to looting in the capital's ports.
Liberia's history also is not one highlighting democracy, Howard said. Even though ex-slaves from the United States founded the country with democratic roots, no real system for a democratic election exists in the country. Election education for Liberia's mostly poor and uneducated population is a must if democracy is to blossom, he said.
"They (Liberian citizens) haven't had much exposure to the democratic process," he said. "They could use vivid voter education."
Although he said he heard of possible elections in October, Howard could not confirm the information.
Howard said help from the United States and other outside nations is needed if democracy is to thrive in the country, but U.S. aid has not been up to snuff in terms of good faith actions.
"The U.S. has not gone very far in keeping its moral commitments to a country that stood by it for more than 150 years," he said.
But Howard said limited U.S. political pressure has been a factor in Taylor's resignation, as evidenced in Taylor's resignation speech. U.S. warships have been stationed off the Liberian coast and U.S. helicopters have patrolled around the capital of Monrovia after pressure from the international community influenced U.S. officials to act.
"Whatever pressure the U.S. has applied seems to have worked," he said.
But connections in the world development community, connections Dahn has, could bring Liberia out of a chaotic existence and stabilize the middle-African country, Howard said.
"He has the technical experience to turn the country around," he said. "I'm not sure about his political experience but he has been an opposition figure there. It's a refreshing approach that Liberia hasn't tried before.
17 Archives
Benjamin Roode
