William Phillip Anderson, the National Chairman and Commander of the disbanded Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), is sounding the alarm over the government’s failure to uphold the rights of former AFL soldiers, accusing the government of serious violations that have left thousands of veterans without proper support.
Anderson and other AFL leaders recently met with ECOWAS Ambassador, Her Excellency Josephine N’Krumah, to voice their frustrations about the unconstitutional disbandment of the AFL and the on-going neglect of its retired soldiers.
In 2003, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), along with the United Nations (UN) and other international stakeholders, helped broker the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
But Anderson, who leads the group of ex-soldiers, claims that the agreement was misapplied when the AFL was completely dissolved, which he said violated the very spirit of the peace deal.
According to him, instead of restructuring the army as agreed, the government disbanded it entirely, destroyed all weapons, and sent soldiers home, stripping them of their livelihoods.
“The government didn’t restructure the AFL as promised. They disbanded it, destroyed our weapons, and turned soldiers into civilians without any proper compensation,” Anderson said. “This is a clear violation of the CPA, and it’s costing us everything—our dignity, our future, and our rights.”
According to him, one of the most glaring issues the veterans face is the meager US$30 monthly stipend given to them by the government. Anderson strongly criticized the amount, saying it was an insult to the former soldiers who served their country during the civil war.
“This amount is not even enough to feed one person properly, let alone support a family,” he said. “It’s a slap in the face to every soldier who risked their life to defend this nation.”
Angered by the government’s disregard for the welfare of the AFL veterans, Anderson announced a plan to take legal action. He said they will challenge the unconstitutional disbandment of the AFL at the Supreme Court.
He further disclosed a plan to bring the issue before an international human rights commission to hold the government accountable for what they believe are human rights violations committed against the veterans.
“We don’t want to be forced to take 17,800 ex-soldiers to the streets of Monrovia to demand justice. We don’t want to cause chaos in our country, but we also can’t keep quiet while we are being treated like this,” Anderson stated.
“We are calling for a judicial process to determine if this US$30 stipend is truly our rightful pension. If it’s not, the government owes us 20 years of back pay.”
He challenged Liberians to think about the broader implications of the government’s treatment of veterans. “If the government owes us, let them pay what they owe. This isn’t just about money; it’s about justice for those who served this country and sacrificed so much,” he said.
He also called on the government to fix the situation before it escalates any further. “We don’t want another war in Liberia, but we can’t let this injustice go on. It’s a matter of the country’s future, and how we treat those who fought for peace will determine the kind of Liberia our children inherit,” Anderson added.
