A House with Two Rooms - The Advocates for Human Rights

After the establishment of peace in Liberia, members of the diaspora continued to play a role in
politics back home. In 2004, Liberians in the diaspora participated in a virtual town hall meeting with
transitional government chairman Gyude Bryant. 612 Statement givers reported actively campaigning for
various candidates in the 2005 elections. Moran notes that the Liberian government issued a directive
that campaigning outside of Liberia was prohibited by Liberian election laws in response to the “very
active organizing being waged by candidates for the 2005 elections in diaspora communities.” 613
Diaspora Liberians consider themselves to have “long-term commitments and responsibilities to both
a country of origin and a country of resettlement,” effectively making them “transnationals.” 614 This
transnational identity inevitably leads to the question of a return home, a topic discussed by many
statement givers in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
the return
Concerning a return to Liberia, members of the diaspora community express many views about
whether they wish to return and under what conditions. An issue that looms large for both Liberians
in the diaspora and those back home in Liberia is the issue of dual citizenship. 615 Liberia does not
allow dual citizenship. Accordingly, those immigrants who wish to become citizens in their countries
of resettlement must give up their Liberian citizenship. Some resettled Liberians view their lack of
citizenship as tantamount to being wrongly disenfranchised. 616 Although many Liberians are seeking
citizenship in other countries, some choose not to become citizens so that they can remain Liberian
citizens. 617 For example, one Liberian living in the United Kingdom noted that he resisted taking on
British citizenship for more than a decade because “I felt that if I took on British citizenship I was
selling out.” 618
Many resettled Liberians see themselves as entitled to citizenship in Liberia and to its benefits, such as
land ownership or government jobs. “Over the years we’ve sustained them, advocated for them over
the course of the war…became the economic lifeline of the country over the course of the war.” 619 But
not everyone is in favor of allowing dual citizenship because, in one interviewee’s opinion, it “defeats
nation-building and only ensures the continuance of incompetence and corruption as dual nationals
leave the country at the first sign of trouble…” 620 Still others see the Liberian citizenship regime as
antiquated and violating human rights.
Most diaspora Liberians would appreciate and want to see dual citizenship
happen. I strongly believe that one of the main forces that kept us in the
dark is this question of only people of negro descent to own property and
have a government position. I think our constitution prior to the war was a
racist constitution because only someone of Negro descent can do certain
things…There should be no restrictions on a man who has been out of his
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