Talk:1980 Liberian coup d'état

History
The root causes of the coup in liberia 41.191.107.57 (talk) 18:43, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

History
UNITED DAWAH UMMAH HIGH SCHOOL

Grade 8 notes: period III

PREPARED BY: CHRIS UNDISPUTED BEYAN

Topic The Birth of the 2nd Republic

After Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe ended the 133 Years of Americo-Liberian rule in 1980, Liberia came under a Military Junta's rules. The People's Redemption Council under the chairmanship of Samuel Doe,  suspended the constitution and led Liberia for 5 years until the constitution was restore on January 6, 1986. Although the election of 1985 in which Doe won was term as fraudulent, but it was a step towards Democracy.

The Coup d'etat of 1980

The Coup d'etat of 1980, was staged by 17 Men of the Armed Forces of Liberia. Why they overthrew the government is generally known and understood. On April 14, 1980, Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe, head of the new government, The People's Redemption Council, made his first radio broadcast to the nation. He summerized as reasons for overthrowing the New Elite as following:

1. Rampant Corruption characterized by conflict of interest and use of position for private gain.

2. Failure of government to effectively respond to the problems of the Liberian People.

3. Violation of Civil, human and constitutional rights of the Liberian People including illegal detention and illegal search and seizure.

4. Concentration of power and wealth in the hand of a few and prevention of full participation by the masses in the political process.

5. Erosion of the participatory system of checks and balances in government.

Structure of the P.R.C

THE COUNCIL

The council constituted the 17 original members who staged the Coup d'etat. It was headed by a chairman who was also the head of state. The chairman was assisted by a co-chairman who was vice head of state. The council was the highest policy making body, and exercised both legislative and executive powers. Legislation of the council was called decrees.

THE CABINET

Members of the cabinet consisted of civilians and Military officers. From the inception, each Ministry was supervised by a member of the council. The arrangement was later abandoned as it created more problems than it solved. The Chairman of the council was the Chief of the executive and exercise all the powers of a civilian president.

THE PEOPLE'S SUPREME COURT

This was the highest civilian court. It consisted of a chief Justice and four Associate Justices. The court exercise basically the same powers exercised by the Supreme court in the first Republic.

THE PEOPLE'S SPECIAL MILITARY TRIBUNAL

This court was constituted to try military personnel and all those who committed major crimes against the state during the Tolbert Administration. It was headed by a chairman and accountable to the council.

After the P.R.C had rule Liberia for four years plus, in 1985 Doe decided to go for election. Before the election, many of Doe opposition members were brutalized, arrested and killed. At the end, Die won the election and was sworn into power on January 6, 1986. On this day, The new government decided to rule in accordance with the constitution rather than Military decrees, the Second Republic begins.

In the light of the second Republic, Doe government was terror towards citizens, giving preferences to his krahn ethnic group, that of which heated up tribalism. In 1983, Supporters if Doe wage a war in the Gio and Mini in Nimba county. This is called the Nimba raid. The Nimba raid brought intense hatred between the Nimbians and the Krahn of Grand Gedeh county.

On July 29, 1999, approximately 600 people were killed at the church in sinkor ( St. Peter's Lutheran church) by approximately 30 government soldiers loyal to President Doe. The perpetrators were if Doe's Krahn tribe while most of the victim were from the Gio and Mano tribes. This is called the Lutheran Massacre 41.57.95.86 (talk) 19:38, 11 January 2023 (UTC)

CAUSES OF THE 1980 LIBERIAN COUP
DETAILED ANALYSIS 196.0.107.58 (talk) 08:47, 16 July 2024 (UTC)