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The Production of Insecurity by African Security Forces: Insights from Liberia and the Central African Republic

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  • Mehler, Andreas

Abstract

Little attention has been paid to the factual effect of the state's security forces on the security of African citizens. Reports about security forces - contribution to widespread insecurity are frequent: the protectors become violators and their appearance causes fear, not security. In many African crisis countries the realization of better security forces appears to be an elusive goal, either because violent conflicts are not definitively settled and therefore do not allow for decent reform or because a lack of capacity as a result of material constraints is not easy to remedy. The self-help mechanisms used to compensate for the lack of state-sponsored security need more attention. However, it has to be acknowledged that the ideal of a neutral and effective force loyal to the state is shared by a great majority of the population. This contribution compares the experiences of Liberia and the Central African Republic, two extreme cases of strong and weak international involvement, respectively, in post-conflict security-sector reform.

Suggested Citation

  • Mehler, Andreas, 2009. "The Production of Insecurity by African Security Forces: Insights from Liberia and the Central African Republic," GIGA Working Papers 114, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:gigawp:114
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bruce Baker, 2006. "Beyond the state police in urban Uganda and Sierra Leone," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 41(1), pages 55-76.
    2. Mehler, Andreas, 2008. "Breaking the "Insecurity Trap"? How Violence and Counter-violence are Perpetuated in Elite Power Struggles," GIGA Working Papers 87, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
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    Cited by:

    1. David Ngochi Ngari & Maria Nzomo & Pontian Godfrey Okoth, 2023. "Defence Diplomacy Activities Engendering States’ Cooperation: Addressing Contemporary Global Security Threats in Africa," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(7), pages 1715-1732, July.
    2. Maggie Dwyer, 2015. "Tactical Communication: Mutiny as a Dialogue in West and Central Africa," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 50(1), pages 5-23.

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