Category Archives: Ritual Killings

Convicted war criminal Guus Kouwenhoven on the run!

Posted on 7 May 2017 by Dr. Fred P.M. van der Kraaij

Kouwenhoven found guilty It was an historic day, April 21, 2017. I had travelled to ‘s-Hertogenbosch, colloquially known as Den Bosch, the Netherlands, for the final stage of a trial that had lasted for too long: since 2005, when the Dutch … Continue reading →

Posted in 2017 presidential elections, African Studies Centre Leiden, Alhaji Kromah, Alieu Kosiah, Appeal Court of 's-Hertogenbosch, arms trade, Belgium, Central Revolutionary Council, Charles Taylor, Chuck Taylor, Civil War(s) Liberia, Congo-Brazzaville, CRC, Dieneke de Vos, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, European Convention on Extradition, extradition, extradition treaty, Foya, General Butt Naked, Global Witness, Guinea, Guinea Conakry, Guus Kouwenhoven, Human Rights, human rights violations, impunity, Impunity in Africa, Inez Weski, INPFL, Justice, Kolahun, Krahn, Liberia, Liberia" From the Love of Liberty to Paradise Lost, Liberian History, Lofa County, LPC, Martina Johnson, Merchant of Death, Mr Gus, Nobel Peace Prize, NPFL, OTC, Prince Y. Johnson, Public Prosecutor, Quote 500, Republic of Congo, Republic of South Africa, Ritual Killings, Royal Timber Corporation, RTC, Samuel Kanyon Doe, Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Special Court, Supreme Court, Switzerland, Tajikistan, terrorism, the Netherlands, Tom Woewiyu, Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC), ULIMO-K, UN arms embargo, United Nations (UN), USA, Viktor Bout, Voinjama, war crimes, weapons, Zorzor | Comments Off on Convicted war criminal Guus Kouwenhoven on the run!

Paul Julien in Liberia in 1932 – Part II

Posted on 19 July 2014 by Dr. Fred P.M. van der Kraaij

Today starts in the National Museum in Monrovia an exhibition portraying  Paul Julien and his work. Paul Julien was a Dutch photographer and amateur-anthropologist, who travelled in the interior of Liberia in 1932. He wrote many books on his travels in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alhaji Kromah, Americo-Liberians, Andrea Stultiens, Barclay, Campfires along the equator, Christy Report, Daily Observer, Dutch Eyes, Firestone, Hendruk Muller, Kampvuren langs de evenaar, Kenneth Best, Kru, League of Nations, Leopard men, Liberia, Liberian History, Monrovia, Moratorium Act, National Museum Monrovia, Netherlands Foto Museum Rotterdam, OAC, Oost Afrikaansche Compagnie, Ordinary Liberians, Paul Julien, Poro Society, President Charles King, President Charles King resignation, President Edwin Barclay, Ritual Killings, Sasstown, Slavery Scandal, Vice President Allen Yancy, Vice President Allen Yancy resignation | Comments Off on Paul Julien in Liberia in 1932 – Part II

The mystery of the Kru or Grebo rings – Part II

Posted on 25 April 2014 by Dr. Fred P.M. van der Kraaij

In my April 7 post I drew attention to the lost history of the Kru or Grebo rings (‘nitien‘) that originate from eastern Liberia and, probably, from the adjacent western region of Ivory Coast though no such cases have ever … Continue reading →

Posted in Abe Guenther, Barclayville, Culture, George Schwab, Grand Cess Territory, Grebo, Grebo rings, Harvard University, Horatio Bridge, Ivory Coast, Kru, Kru Coast, Kru money, Kru rings, Kru/Grebo rings, Liberia, Liberian History, Liberian Studies Journal, Mark Clayton, Nathaniel Hawthorne, nitien, Peabody Museum, Ritual Killings, Ronald Davis, Sasstown, Scott Shepperd, Siegman, Sven Holsoe, The Liberian Journal | Comments Off on The mystery of the Kru or Grebo rings – Part II

The mystery of the Kru or Grebo rings – Part I

Posted on 7 April 2014 by Dr. Fred P.M. van der Kraaij

The Kru speaking peoples of eastern Liberia The official number of tribes in Liberia is 16 but an estimated 31 different languages are spoken in the country. They usually are subdivided into three language groups: the West Atlantic or Mel … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, Barclayville, Culture, Grand Cess Territory, Grebo, Grebo rings, Horatio Bridge, Krahn, Kru, Kru Coast, Kru money, Kru rings, Kru/Grebo rings, Language groups, Liberia, Liberian Studies Journal, Malagueta Coast, Mark Clayton, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pepper Coast, Portugal, Portuguese traders, Ritual Killings, Ronald Davis, Sapo, Scott Shepperd, Siegman, Sven Holsoe, Vai | Comments Off on The mystery of the Kru or Grebo rings – Part I

Liberia revisited (3)

Posted on 19 May 2012 by Dr. Fred P.M. van der Kraaij

Monrovia, Saturday, May 19 Much has changed, much is the same. This is my major observation when revisiting Monrovia, after 32 years. I left in the wake of the 1980 coup of master-sergeant Samuel Doe, I left a country where … Continue reading →

Posted in Africulture, Alhaji Kromah, Amos Sawyer, Barclay, Blamoh Nelson, Charles Taylor, Chuck Taylor, Civil War(s) Liberia, Debt relief, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Famous Liberians, George Boley, INPFL, Justice, Kimmie Weeks, LeRoye Urey, Liberia, Liberia Education, Liberian Demography, Liberian Economy, Liberian History, LPC, Monrovia, national budget, Prince Y. Johnson, Reconciliation, Ritual Killings, Samuel Kanyon Doe, Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Special Court, Tipoteh, Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC), ULIMO, University of Liberia, UNMIL, Varney Sherman, William R. Tolbert Jr., William V.S. Tubman | Comments Off on Liberia revisited (3)

Ritualistic Murders, Voodoo and the Rule of Law

Posted on 4 April 2010 by Dr. Fred P.M. van der Kraaij

Eleven days ago, March 24, I wrote about ritual killings in Lofa County, Liberia, as well as in a number of other countries and the involvement of high ranking people, politicians and rich businessmen. Two days later a high profile … Continue reading →

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Ritual killings. Will it ever stop?!

Posted on 24 March 2010 by Dr. Fred P.M. van der Kraaij

I was struck by a recent article: ‘Concerns of ritualistic killings: Sirleaf meets with citizens’ On March 18, more than one hundred inhabitants of Zorzor District, Lofa County, residing in Zorzor and Monrovia, staged a peaceful demonstration in the capital … Continue reading →

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Misc news from Liberia

Posted on 16 March 2008 by Dr. Fred P.M. van der Kraaij

Saturday, March 15 Many more atrocities committed by witness Marzah, ordered by Charles Taylor, according to his testimony before the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Gruesome details of atrocities both in Liberia and Sierra Leone, it surpasses one’s mind. My … Continue reading →

Posted in Charles Taylor, Civil War(s) Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Gus Kouwenhoven, Guus Kouwenhoven, Liberia, Liberian Demography, Liberian Economy, Liberian History, Ordinary Liberians, Ritual Killings, Sierra Leone | Comments Off on Misc news from Liberia