nd most of them are now suffering from "drug addiction,"- and "posttraumatic stress syndrome;" and women and girls were reported to have suffered the most: they were raped and murdered with impunity by all the warring factions. (Tellewoyan)The former government was done away with and the NPFL established the new government, the National Patriotic Reconstruction Assembly (NPRA). In 1996 an election was held and Charles Taylor came to be the president. As of now, his credibility as a trustworthy leader is in great question. Taylor claims that the civil war in Sierra Leone is not his problem but that of the British. Taylor was quoted: The war in Sierra Leone is a war over diamonds, but not because Liberia wants diamonds. This war is happening because the British want the diamonds. (Africa.com) All in all, Liberia is a country in shambles. Its economy is in utter chaos and there is not much being done to restore it. [Liberias] economy had started its downward plunge even before the war and the situation was further aggravated by the crisisillegal mining of resources went on through out the war. All the warring factions had participated in illegal mining of resources. (Alao) On top of that U.S.-Liberian relations are not doing so well either. Disputes over property rights have ignited arguments between the two governments. Last Wednesday, Clinton banned Taylor, senior members of his government and their families from visiting the United States. In retaliation, Taylor issued his own instructions Friday denying entry visas to U.S. officials. (Washington Post)Liberia has become a major criminal entrepot for diamonds, guns, moneylaundering, terror and other forms of organized crime. The astoundingly highlevels of its diamond exports bear no relationship to its own limitedresource base. By accepting Liberian exports as legitimate, theinternational diamond industry actively colludes in crimes committed orpermitted by the Liberian g...
