Civil Society and Security Sector Reform in Post-conflict Liberia: Painting a Moving Train without Brushes

摘要

This article describes the activities related to civil society's engagement with the question of security sector reform (SSR) in Liberia since the signing of the Accra Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) in August 2003, identifies the challenges it faces and draws lessons learned from this engagement; particularly the need to develop local capacity, networks of support and national ownership. Consideration is given to the specifics of the rapidly evolving post-conflict context in which such reforms are taking place and their connection to the field of transitional justice as a means of addressing a history of human rights abuses. The discussion also covers the scope of potential engagement for civil society in the new political landscape in Liberia that has been created by the deployment of one of the world's largest peacekeeping forces and the arrest of former president Charles Taylor.