Liberia: Whether members of the United People's Party (UPP) are targeted by the government of Charles Taylor (July 2001)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 19 July 2001 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LBR37372.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Liberia: Whether members of the United People's Party (UPP) are targeted by the government of Charles Taylor (July 2001), 19 July 2001, LBR37372.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be5d2c.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Information on whether members of the United People's Party (UPP) are targeted by the government of Charles Taylor could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
However, a 1 May 2001 Amnesty International report described the recent disappearance of one prominent member of UPP in the following terms.
On 6 April 2001, Milton Teahjay, an executive of the United People's Party (UPP) and former Deputy Information Minister and Presidential Media Consultant, ''disappeared'' after he tried to leave the country fearing for his safety. On 6 April he travelled by car to a Nimba County border post where he was denied exit by immigration officers. He drove back to Monrovia and a few hours afterwards he was seen being taken away in a car by men in plain clothes, believed to be members of the security forces. The Liberian authorities gave contradictory statements on Milton Teahjay's arrest, before categorically denying it. At the end of April 2001, his whereabouts and fate remained unclear.
Milton Teahjay, had been dismissed two weeks earlier as media consultant to President Taylor for what the government reportedly called ''acts inimical to the security of the State''. He had publicly criticised exploitation of forest resources in Sinoe County, southeastern Liberia, by logging companies without benefits to the locals, as a result of which citizens' peaceful protests spread in the county. Revenues from Liberian timber exports are believed by many, including the UN, to have been used by the Liberian government for the acquisition of weapons. In January 2001, Milton Teahjay had also accused private militias working for one of the logging company of flogging and harassment of civilians. A few days before Milton Teahjay tried to leave Liberia, members of the SOD stormed his house and his vehicle was confiscated.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Amnesty International (AI). 1 May 2001. Liberia: War in Lofa Country Does Not Justify Killing, Torture and Abdication (AI Index: AFR 34/003/2001). London: Amnesty International.
Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Confidential 2000-2001.
Africa Research Bulletin 2000-2001.
Country Reports 2000. 2001. Electronic Version.
Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent 2001.
IRB databases.
Keesing's Record of World Events. 2000-2001.
LEXIS/NEXIS.
West Africa.
World News Connection (WNC).
Resource Centre country file. Liberia. 2000-2001.
Internet Sites, including:
Amnesty International Online.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Online.
FIDH.
International Crisis Group (ICG).
MISNA.
Panafrican News Agency (PANA).
Search Engines, including:
Fast.
Lycos.