UPSC Prelims 2004 Q80: Current Affairs – International Conflicts & Security
Liberia was in the international news in the recent times for
- (a) Harbouring terrorists associated with religious fundamentalism
- (b) Supplying raw uranium to North Korea
- (c) Its long - running civil war killing or displacing thousands of people
- (d) Cultivation of drug - yielding crops and smuggling of drugs
Answer: (c) Its long - running civil war killing or displacing thousands of people
Explanation
Liberia in the news
| Option | Link with Liberia |
|---|---|
| Long-running civil war | Yes — civil war from 1989 to 2003 killed and displaced thousands |
| Harbouring religious terrorists | No |
| Supplying uranium to North Korea | No |
| Drug crops and smuggling | No |
Liberia was in the news for its long-running civil war that killed or displaced thousands of people; Charles Taylor resigned in 2003.
Answer: (c) Its long-running civil war killing or displacing thousands of people.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Liberia was not known for religious terrorism.
- (b) Incorrect. Liberia did not supply uranium to North Korea.
- (c) CORRECT. Liberia's civil war made headlines.
- (d) Incorrect. Drug crops are not Liberia's issue.
Key point
Liberia: civil wars 1989-96 and 1999-2003; Charles Taylor; UN mission UNMIL.
Remember
Liberia's long civil war ended in 2003.
Common mistakes
- Linking Liberia with Afghanistan-type terrorism.
- Mixing it up with neighbouring Sierra Leone.
- Forgetting Charles Taylor's resignation.
Exam tip
Liberia: founded by freed American slaves, capital Monrovia.
Sources
- United Nations Security Council — Resolution 1509 (2003) establishing the United Nations Mission in Liberia
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Charles Taylor