It is exactly 33 years since Liberia’s military dictator Samuel Doe met his painful death in the hands of rebels. His torture remains a symbol of Liberia’s dark history.
Doe was a master sergeant in Liberia’s military when he staged a bloody coup in 1980 that ousted William Tolbert as the country’s President.
By so doing, Doe became the first non- Americo- Liberian to serve as the country’s President. But while in power, he became ruthless with his reign having one of the worst human rights records in Liberia’s history.
Doe’s reign was characterized by totalitarianism, corruption and his favouritism towards the ethnic Krahns, his tribe. This led to growing opposition to his regime within Liberia and USA. And so, his fall was just a matter of time.
The first Liberian war would begin in 1989 when the anti- Doe rebel forces led by Charles Taylor attacked the country from the neighboring Ivory Coast to overthrow Doe.
He was captured, tortured, mutilated, skinned alive in full glare of TV cameras as the world watched in disbelief one of the most tragic episodes in Liberia’s history.
Doe’s captors accused him of crimes committeed during his reign, including widespread human rights abuses.
The death of Samuel Doe and the events surrounding it are a dark chapter in Liberia’s history, reflecting the deep divisions and violence that plagued the country for very many years.
Doe was succeeded by Taylor, who himself presided over one of the most abusive regimes in the history of Africa. He was tried and convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court ( ICC ).
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