Madam Karin Landgren’s Tough Love

Madam Karin Landgren, former UN Secretary General Special Representative (SRSG) to Liberia has left, but the echoes of her voice remains and must be heard by many Liberians. In them lie few sober truths. She veered outside the norm, and spoke from her heart, in the process she expressed her fears and hope for Liberia. In a diplomatic candor she showed that truly she cares for the outcome of a process to which she has committed her service.  That process is Liberia in its search for long term peace, stability and inclusive sustainable development.

The departing UN Envoy made an address on June 30, 2015 at the Monrovia City Hall under the title ‘Today’s Choices, Tomorrow’s Liberia’.

She spoke of three ‘lingering issues’ that have potential to ‘drive, revive conflict no matter how capable the national security sector’. She described the three issues as‘the burden of Liberia’s cleavages’, ‘changing the rules of the game: accountability and transparency’ and ‘hard choices in terms of where to invest’.

Speaking about the ‘burden of Liberia’s cleavages’ the outgoing SRSG spoke of ‘complex layers of exclusions and incomplete reconciliation’ in Liberia happening in a context where ‘Liberia’s privileged elite has broadened considerably but the situation of perceived exclusion has not gone away.’ Madam Landgren said the grip of the past must be released through the opening of more spaces for dialogue on difficult issues. Said she, ‘without this process, I fear that this country’s exercise in building a national foundation of trust and shared values will remain incomplete’.

Speaking about the rule of the game with regards to accountability and transparency, Madam Landgren opined that ‘Liberia’s elite class may have changed, but the ground rules have not’. Here she addressed what she termed the ‘cost-benefit calculations of compromised accountability in Liberia’ fueled by ‘centuries of weak governance, rules being adjusted to suit individuals and groups, an entrenched patronage system, and rarely a price to pay for stealing.’ This message is particularly poignant for Liberia as it heads for elections in 2017. Individuals may change as the result of the elections, but new individuals applying old rules will not lead to a different outcome in terms of corruption fight. Liberians now must invest in integrity and reward it and in the process develop new rules of the game based on transparent and accountable institutions and the application of the rule of law.

On the third issue, the hard choices in terms of where to invest, Madam Landgren indicated that Liberia’s model of development relies on extractive industries which is not sustainable and conflict prone. She said evidence has shown concessions are sites of social tension, where simmering discontent often boils over. Her message here is that Liberia needs to transition from the old model. A good starting point is to invest in capacity building of people and quality education as a way not to be stuck with this model.

It was in her reference to communities that her most hopeful and heart lifting part of the message was felt. Madam Landgren indicated ‘pending but hiding in plain sight: the word that recurs most often to me in these remarks is communities.’ She urged Liberia to capitalize on community togetherness, which was one of the positive outcomes of the tragic Ebola crisis. ‘With more attention, engagement and support to communities, I have every reason to believe that the Liberian project will prosper’.

Madam Landgren’s words must be heard by many and heeded. They are not a harbinger of bad news. She addressed both the time and spatial factors fundamental to Liberia’s peace and long term stability. On the former, there exist incomplete and pending matters – reconciliation being one. On the latter, she emphasized the need for more not fewer spaces for dialogue about difficult issues, so that the past’s grip on the present and even the future can be released. Perhaps more importantly are the communities –existing both in time and space – that showed as in the case with the Ebola crisis, they can be the game changing force for Liberia’s peaceful progress.

And it is in communities that Madam Landgren’s hope and Liberia’s people hope for a better life converges.  A shared vision of a peaceful and stable society made possible because of real investment in people and communities: where all people have a shared benefit in the peace dividends; and new rule of the game favors integrity, inclusion and hard work.