Internationally known human rights and environmental lawyer Jerome Verdier has been traveling the United States since February, spreading the word about Liberia’s struggle to find peace after suffering 14 years of civil war and government exploitation.
The latest stop on Verdier’s campaign was the University’s Knight Law Center on
Thursday evening, where he talked about his current work to bring justice to former
Liberian President Charles Taylor and promoted accountability and transparency in the Liberian government.
Verdier, who is from Liberia, spoke optimistically to a crowd of close to 70 about the country’s past and present conflicts in his lecture, “Fighting for Human Rights and the Environment.” The lecture, partly sponsored by Eugene-based Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, emphasized the ties Liberia has with the United States.
Verdier recalled the interesting history between the United States and Liberia in his argument that the U.S. government should use its power to put more pressure on the Liberian government to bring Taylor to justice.
Not only did Liberia fashion its constitution, flag and government based on the United States, but the capital city, Monrovia, pays homage to former U.S. President James Monroe, Verdier said. The country was founded by ex-slaves from the United States, Congo and Caribbean.
Verdier emphasized that the whole world, not just Liberia, must be involved in this issue. “How long will we have to go this alone?” he asked. “Where is the consciousness of this great democracy?”
The road toward a fair democracy in Liberia has been violent, but as the October elections near, Verdier said he is hopeful that “a new day will dawn in Liberia.”
The violence started on April 14, 1979, a day Liberians recall as Black Saturday, when the government brutally crushed a civilian riot.
In 1986, then-president Samuel Doe was reappointed in an election that Verdier said was one of the most unfair and corrupt elections in history.
“Ten times more votes were cast than the number of people qualified to vote,” Verdier said.
On Dec. 24, 1989, Taylor took over Liberia with plans to bring peace and democracy. The result was 14 years of civil war, mass killings, government corruption and human rights and environmental violations, Verdier said.
During this time more than 200,000 Liberians were killed and half a million were displaced to other areas in West Africa, he said.
The government benefited from exploitation of the rich natural resources of the country; for example, with most Liberians living without access to water and electricity, Taylor bought himself a $360,000 bulletproof Hummer, Verdier said.
Because of a long-standing concession between Firestone Tire and Rubber Company and the Liberian government, Liberia is now home to the largest rubber plantation in the world, Verdier said. The raw materials are extracted and waste dumped into the Farmington River, while everything is processed overseas, leaving the people with no benefits and the Farmington River severely polluted.
Green Advocates, a Liberian group Verdier is a member of, was formed in 2001 by Verdier’s colleague Alfred L. Brownell to challenge the corruption caused by profiting from natural resource exploitation, represent the community victimized by government abuses and exercise the rule of law, Verdier said.
E-LAW has been instrumental in helping Green Advocates, the only public interest environmental law organization in Liberia, to draft a comprehensive environmental policy for sustainable management of the environment and natural resources and give the country one of the best environmental law statutes in the world, Verdier said.
Maggie Keenan, communications director at E-LAW, said the group is important in combating “brain drain” by providing support to those who decide to stay in their countries.
“E-LAW has been our window to the rest of the world in these dark days,” Verdier said.
Despite relative peace under a two-year transitional government, Verdier is still concerned about the stability of the country. There are ex-militia and ex-combatants with arms living; hunting; and mining gold, diamonds and timber in Sapo National Park, Liberia’s only national park.
“Where is all the money going?” Verdier asked. He fears the money is being used to build a new army and buy arms.
Verdier said the most Green Advocates can do is heighten public awareness. Green Advocates has already approached the United Nations with its concerns, but nothing substantial has been done, Verdier said.
Despite some of his disappointment caused by the lack of worldwide support, Verdier said he is “going back home with a renewed sense of conviction that we are not alone.”

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