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Liberian History: 1945-present

  • Liberia attends first conference of independent African nations.

  • President William V.S. Tubman dies in office

  • Rally against increases in rice prices leads to rioting

  • Samuel K. Doe leads a military coup, ending Liberia's republic

    The republic had ruled continuously since 1847.
  • Civilian rule returns to Liberia as Second Republic

    Samuel Doe won these heavily rigged elections by 51%.
    "Doe had the ballots taken to a secret location and 50 of his own handpicked staff counted them. Also, prior to the election he had more than 50 of his political opponents murdered. It is also alleged that he changed his official birth date from 1951 to 1950 in order to meet the new constitution's requirement that the president be at least 35 years old. Doe was formally sworn in on January 6, 1986."
  • Period: to

    First Liberan Civil War

    Charles Taylor and his army the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) invaded Liberia. Breaking into many factions there was no ceasefire until the Abuja Accords in Niger
  • Rebel forces execute Samuel K. Doe

  • Period: to

    UN peacekeeping force UNOMIL deployed into Liberia

  • Charles Taylor elected president of third republic of Liberia

  • Period: to

    Second Liberian Civil War

  • Charles Taylor indicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone

    He was indited on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity during his role in a Sierra Leone conflict.
  • Taylor flees Liberia, seeks asylum in Nigeria

    The Liberian overnment agrees to hold him, but they will extradite him upon a request from the Liberian President herself
  • Taylor appears at the Hague on trial for his war crimes

  • Charles Taylor declared guilty on all 11 charges

    Found guilty on 5 counts of war crimes, 5 counts of crimes against humanity, and 1 count of a serious violation of international humanitarian law
  • Taylor sentenced to 50 years in prison for war crimes