People's Redemption Council
Encyclopedia
The People's Redemption Council was a military regime that governed Liberia
during the early 1980s. It was established after the military coup of April 12, 1980, in which Samuel Doe
, who served as chairman of the Council, seized power. Apart from Doe, the Council consisted of 17 soldiers. It marked the first time that Liberia was governed by members of the native African majority and not the Americo-Liberian
elite. Mass executions of members of the former government of William R. Tolbert, Jr.
followed. It also was marked the first multi-party elections in Liberia.
In August 1981, Thomas Weh Syen and four other members of the Council were arrested and executed for allegedly plotting to assassinate Doe. The Council was dissolved after the approval of the 1984 constitution and replaced by the Interim National Assembly (INA) to pave the way for Liberian elections. Doe, controversially, won the elections and claimed the post of civilian president in 1985. In 1990, Doe was killed by the INPFL led by Prince Johnson
.
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
during the early 1980s. It was established after the military coup of April 12, 1980, in which Samuel Doe
Samuel Doe
Samuel Kanyon Doe was the 21st President of Liberia, serving from 1986 until his assassination in 1990. He had previously served as Chairman of the People's Redemption Council from 1980 to 1986. He was the first indigenous head of state in Liberian history.Doe was a part of a rural tribe in inland...
, who served as chairman of the Council, seized power. Apart from Doe, the Council consisted of 17 soldiers. It marked the first time that Liberia was governed by members of the native African majority and not the Americo-Liberian
Americo-Liberian
Americo-Liberians are a Liberian ethnicity of African American descent. The sister ethnic group of Americo Liberians are the Sierra Leone Creole people who are of African American, West Indian, and liberated African descent...
elite. Mass executions of members of the former government of William R. Tolbert, Jr.
William R. Tolbert, Jr.
William Richard Tolbert, Jr. was the 20th President of Liberia from 1971 to 1980.Trained as a civil servant, he entered the country's House of Representatives in 1955 for the True Whig Party, then the only established party in the country...
followed. It also was marked the first multi-party elections in Liberia.
In August 1981, Thomas Weh Syen and four other members of the Council were arrested and executed for allegedly plotting to assassinate Doe. The Council was dissolved after the approval of the 1984 constitution and replaced by the Interim National Assembly (INA) to pave the way for Liberian elections. Doe, controversially, won the elections and claimed the post of civilian president in 1985. In 1990, Doe was killed by the INPFL led by Prince Johnson
Prince Johnson
Prince Yormie Johnson is a Liberian politician and the current Senior Senator from Nimba County."Prince" is a common given name for males in Liberia, rather than a royal title...
.