Monrovia – Anew survey conducted by Afrobarometer on Liberia reveals that, two-thirds of Liberians want the exclusive black citizenship law to be maintained. The same proportion say only Liberian citizens should be allowed to own land.
Henry Karmo [email protected]
Findings from the report are expected to be launched Wednesday, October 24, and might bring together actors from the diplomatic cycle and officials from the Liberian Government.
In his first state of the nation’s address, President George Weah described these citizenship and land ownership laws as “unnecessary, racist, and inappropriate for the 21st century,” and advocated strongly for the Land Rights Act.
The Act, which was passed in September 2018, allows non-Liberian missionary, educational, and other benevolent institutions to own property as long as it is used for the purpose acquired.
The survey also found that a majority of Liberians would grant citizenship rights to persons born in Liberia of one Liberian parent and one non-Liberian parent as well as to persons from other countries who have worked in Liberia and want to stay and to persons born in Liberia of two non-Liberian parents.
The least deserving to be Liberian citizens, according to the respondents, are husbands of Liberian women and persons who wish to hold dual citizenship. The study also shows that majorities perceive widespread discrimination against native Liberians, Muslims, people of Congolese descent, Christians, and their own ethnic groups.
Survey findings
The survey also shows that two-thirds (68%) of Liberians “agreed” or “agreed very strongly” that the law stating that only black people or persons of negro descent should be allowed to acquire Liberian citizenship should be maintained. About a third (32%) say the law is discriminatory and should be abolished.
The same proportion (68%) “agreed” or “agreed very strongly” that the law stating that only Liberian citizens can own land and property in the country should be maintained.
Large majorities say persons born in Liberia of one Liberian parent and one non-Liberian parent (74%) and persons from other countries who have worked in Liberia and want to stay (59%) have the right to be Liberian citizens. About half wants that right given to persons born in Liberia of two non-Liberian parents (53%) and to wives of Liberians, even if they were born outside Liberia (46%).
Liberians perceive widespread discrimination against native Liberians or country people (68%), their own ethnic group (65%), Muslims (63%), settlers or Congo people (58%), and Christians (57%) (Figure 4).
About Afro-barometer
Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan research network that conducts public attitude surveys on democracy, governance, economic conditions, and related issues in Africa. Six rounds of surveys were conducted in 37 African countries between 1999 and 2015. Afrobarometer conducts face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice with nationally representative samples. The Afrobarometer team in Liberia, led by The Khana Group, interviewed 1,200 adult Liberians in June 2018.