Beyond Squatters' Rights

Durable Solutions and Development-induced Monrovia, Liberia

Abstract

In the wake of its protracted civil war, Liberia continues to grapple with many of the legacies of conflict and displacement even as it seeks to move forward in reforming governance, establishing the rule of law and promoting sustainable development. One of the areas in which both the linkages and tensions between addressing the past and shaping a better future are most clearly evident is the issue of development-induced displacement in the capital city, Monrovia. The linkages lie in the fact that many, if not most of the slum-dwellers threatened with eviction as the city recovers from the war were originally displaced to Monrovia by conflict and are actively pursuing local integration as a durable solution. The tensions lie in the fact that informal settlements continue to be seen as an obstacle to development even as slum dwellers argue – with much justification – that they have contributed significantly to reconstruction through both their labor and the sweat equity represented by the neighborhoods they have built.