THE VICE GUIDE TO LIBERIA IS HERE!
January 20, 2010
by VBS STAFF
Look, if you’re not keeping up to date with the the latest and worst of the news cycle coming out of Liberia, you’re not to blame. Don’t beat yourselves up over it, guy! Until today the best you could hope for is a sanitized pickup from the news wire speaking to the mud-like drip that is the Charles Taylor’s trial at the Hague, an occasional mention of some blood diamond the former leader offered up to that enormous lady Naomi Campbell, or the odd conspicuously pro-State reportage that relies entirely on unchecked police commentary for research. Few reporters actually venture into the terminally tortured region to mingle among the cannibals and junkies and partake of its disease-infested slums. So we went ahead and did that.
We’re pleased to finally present to you The Vice Guide to Liberia. In it you will find many things to keep you mortified: cross-dressing cannibals and teenage prostitution, heroin dens and child soldiers, murderer and general depravity. Enjoy, and make sure to look for Part 2 tomorrow and new parts every day after that until we’ve had our fill… about 8 days or so.
More from Liberia:
DOODLES OF WAR – Bloodthirsty Child Soldiers Tag Liberia
LIBERIAN BOYS AND GIRLS – Have Better Vintage T-Shirts than You
THE HUNTER AND HIS DOGS – Liberian fiction by Saah Millimono
GENERAL BUTT NAKED VERSUS THE TUPAC ARMY – West Africa has Gone Mad and it Looks Fantastic!
LIBERIA – DEPT OF LET BYGONE BE BYGONES (Gen. Butt Naked’s capture)
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kennedy6900: oh i forgot one thing, new world, you're going to hate me for this, being canadian just makes us half european, half european, i'm irish italian, u?
about 1 month ago
kennedy6900: Anico and New world, great debate so far, i like how you've kept it clean and relatively intellegent. I am canadian, who was born in toronto, raised in edmonton, and currently resides in Victoria. I've spent months in the Yukon, summers in northern Ontario and Quebec (Oui je parle francais aussi, un canadienne propre) I have seen a polar bear walk into a town (Churchill manitoba) And, I've been to Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, I'm sad to admit it was mostly touristy areas. New world, I am a proud canadian, and i couldn't name a single answer in your quiz, i'm guessing you can name all of our prime ministers too! Anico: Africa is a shockingly beautiful country, and everyone i met was extremely kind and hospitable, amazing how different it is from Canada Eh? To Both of you: There are lowlifes and deadbeats, fearmongerers and bornagains no matter where you go on this earth. The majority of people are truly good hearted, and politicians are always self serving. Again great debate, just wanted to be a part of it. P.S. If you want to be forever happy in Canada, Don't cheer for a hockey Team, pick a few junior players that you like, and follow their carreers, it's good to have players you like, and players you dislike on a variety of teams. This year, i'm saying go Hank and Dank, aka the sisters, aka the alien twins.
about 1 month ago
anico: @Kennedy6900...LOLOLOL....i'll take your advise about following a junior player's career...cuz as u know, sometimes, our favorite teams let us down...
about 1 month ago
Jack_Napier: Awesome doc guys, you all have some serious cajones to be meeting with warlords in the slums of Liberia. What can WE do to help the situation?
about 1 month ago
guz4106: @ anico....... Are u serious? Charles Taylor had an issue with Nigerian president (btw it's Obasanjo not babangida) and yet he sought refuge in Nigeria when no other country would take him in. Research Calabar, u'll see the mansion built for him there before the hague. I don't think u really know ur facts that well. The fact is in every bunch, there's a bad seed. But you cannot blame the deeds of a couple soldiers on the whole ecomog soldiers. They helped out alot and God will bless them for it even if Liberians do not appreciate it. @ 8legs ......wow!!! Your disdainment for Nigeria is uummm beyond words. Well, If u can't beat em, join em. Nigeria is a powerful force in Africa and we will continue to be that way, with the exception of south Africa, we r the wealthiest nation in Africa. too bad u guys r envious of that. So hate all u want.
about 1 month ago
anico: guz, i am talking about the beginning of the war in 1990...read the history....babangida was president at the time...if u care, pls read the book called the mask of Anarchy (and this book has tons of footnotes showing its sources)....and btw, we thank obasanjo for pursuading taylor to leave liberia, and also for not standing in the way when taylor was arrested...i know my history man...
about 1 month ago
anico: @newworld...again,pls read carefully, i said SOME born and raised Canadians I HAVE COME ACROSS... anyways, you and i could go back and forth with this and quite frankly, it would take away from my choice to watch this documentary...as a "literate" person (and certainly not ignorant as you've said) i do agree with some of your points because they are valid...BUT i stand by what i have said previously as i've experienced it ALL...yes, its an embarrassment for me to share as a naturalized Canadian citizen-- but its the truth...just like watching this documentary tears at me as I am Liberian by blood, but these are accounts that did happen...why are we so afraid to hear the truth???..or afraid of looking bad??? u seem like a smart person, so lets agree to disagree--- no society is perfect Newworld....anyways, its been a pleasure hearing your points as i enjoy a good debate...enjoy the rest of the documentary..and u are right, i do live here in YOUR great country because...well i love hockey and i am especially looking forward to the Olympics next month....deuces!
about 1 month ago
NewWorld: I understand exactly what you are saying and honestly do not totally disagree with you… just the generalization you made. We all suffer from judging a society and even individuals based on bad experiences (mostly influenced by some so called news media). I guess we shouldn't look at each other as different nationalities, races, cultures, sex and religions but as all part of the human race (bleeding heart showing)… sometimes I need to quit being so patriotic, I am guilty of that at times. Let's not generalize based on bad experiences… even if they watch American Pop-Culture crap. P.S. this country is good… but wouldn't go so far to say it's great and it's not MY Country but everyones, I'm only Canadian by fate, just as you are half Liberian and European by fate.
about 1 month ago
guz4106: @ Anico......... they say the great gets blame for most atrocities like the man who said the heroin was coming from Nigeria, America gets blamed for alot so Nigeria would always take africa's blame even if the person involved is not Nigerian.WTF??? even if a dealer wanted to sell drugs, Liberia is the last place on earth that would come to mind. If you can't even afford food, how the hell can you afford drugs. The little kid gives head to tourist for drugs and then you blame it on Nigeria for bringing the drugs to liberia. Watch the documentary of child sex slaves in liberia on the discovery channel, you will see what I am saying. Those drugs are going in by boat not air.
about 1 month ago
8legs2fangs: @ guz - as a photojournalist who has worked in the Liberia and Sierra Leone, you're biased and it shows. Nigeria is THE WORST offenders to the people of West Africa. The ECOMOG soldiers are just as brutal as the rebels! Yes, they help, and that IS good...but how about what else they do??? They run drugs and weapons, promote prostituiton, and make up the major organized crime sydicates throughout West Africa.
about 1 month ago
guz4106: VBS....... please quit with all the hype until all parts of the series are released. This is very discouraging. I came here hoping to see all the parts available only to have to wait who knows maybe a month to see all of it. @ anico...... U r a fucking ingrate for calling out a fellow African country when they along with the Americans rescued your country from the worst that could have happened. It is easy to call out names now that u r in canada, but go to Lagos and hear what alot of your refugees are saying. Africa is made up of about 25 countries but 70% of ecomog soldiers are from Nigeria, why the fuck isn't the rest helping out? Nigeria should have acted like the south africans did and just allow your shit hole country to rot.
about 1 month ago
anico: @Guz4106...ingrate?really??? LOL...Read the history of Ecomog in Liberia and the issues your president Babagida had with Taylor (and vice versa)...that certainly made the war worse...and living through the events which occured in Liberia at the time, I would have preferered if Ecomog did not interfere at all... and with your comments with regards to drugs, you are right, i dont understand why a dealer would want to sell drugs in liberia---but it seems you certainly know more from the discovery channel about it than i do....Gunz, this is not a matter of pointing the finger at Nigeria (since its obvious that you are Nigerian)...this about the disappointing choices some of our people make... @8legs2fangs...i agree.
about 1 month ago
NewWorld: To The New User, Anico: First being Canadian I have taken insult with your small minded generalized comment about Canadians… your comments would be like me saying everyone under Forty is selfish, greedy, only into themselves and know nothing about the world other than the newest technology (maybe that's the problem, you weren't talking to Canadians, you were talking to your peers). I would hazard to guess you would know nothing of Canada's contributions to the world and I would like to see if you could answer a few questions and show your outstanding knowledge of the world (no cheating and using Google). Which Canadian is a Chinese hero? Who was the Canadian that brought the world's attention to Rwanda in the 1990's? Which Canadian won a Noble Peace Prize for creating the peace keeping force in the UN? Which Canadian news broadcast was the first to bring the worlds attention to the famine in Ethiopia in the early 80's (you know the one that got all the European musicians into the cause of helping Africa to this day)? 4 very small examples of us ignorant Canadians. You say you are half European? I guess that most likely would make one of your parents a remnant of some European Colonialist… and I see European Colonists have a history of being very helpful to all Africans, of course, only after they used the services of the people and raped the lands of what they needed. Answer me this being Half African, do you fill up at Shell? I would be hard pressed to find a "born and raised" Canadian that would say what you obviously made up, but then again I guess I had a gentlemen in England asked me if polar bears come into my town, an American in South Carolina ask me if we use snowmobiles all year… most born and raised Canadians know ignorance first hand from the English, French and Americans (most Germans and Scandinavians seem to have a great deal of knowledge about Canada) and we are very sensitive to our own knowledge about the world around us. But of course I am also generalizing too… we have our idiots, but most of them are leading the country.
about 1 month ago
anico: @NewWorld...what I wrote are my experiences....clearly you have read my comments and misunderstood this as a "race" issue...IT IS NOT.....I know what Canada is made of, hell, I live in it...the operative word was SOME/ MOST born and raised Canadians i came across knew little about Africa...and this included Canadians of all religion, race, etc.... trust me, if i meant "white" canadians, I would have said so...If you are going to attack me for sharing my experiences, you should at least read what i say properly...or get someone to read it to you...
about 1 month ago
NewWorld: Anico, not once did I mention race, where did I say "white" - I didn't even judge your comments as being about "colour" or anything else other than "Born and Raised" Canadians. It's the generalization of "born and raised" Canadians as being illiterate to the world around us that I beg to differ. The majority of Canadians/Canadiens/Quebecois are far from being unworldly… sure we have our share of ignorant people, just like just like every other nation in the world. But your comment about "Born and Raised" Canadians as being illiterate to the world you are saying that the majority of Canadians don't know anything about the world around us or in particular Africa and it's people. Yet it's has been "Born and Raised"" Canadians that has brought attention to many of Africas plights… must I list them all and name them? I can guarantee that 99.99% of Canadians do not think Africans are cannibals, 99.99999% would not think Africans would have Giraffes as pets… and 99.9% know that malaria is transmitted through mosquitos. What luck for you to meet that infinitely small number of Canadians that do. You have judged an entire nation ("the born and raised cdns, anyway) as being "illiterate", that's the way you start a fight, not educate.
about 1 month ago
NewWorld: BTW… Anico, it is your ignorance about the Country you are currently residing that is shining brightly through in your comments, not Canadians Ignorance about the world around them.
about 1 month ago
AndrewEze: quite disgruntled at how theres only 3 of the 8 parts of this series!
about 1 month ago
stormranger6: agree. where is the rest of the "transparent journalism" and "unique" approach? this could very well be an HBO special.
about 1 month ago
jmk: Third to that point, but will wait for the rest. Hands down, this is a great series. I have found it interesting how we, as the developed world, feel that we provide such great help for the less fortunate in the world. I wonder if we will ever figure out how to help each other... probably not.
about 1 month ago
lunachick: you guys are so brave to venture anywhere near that place.... id need a shot of heroin myself if i were to go anywhere near it.
about 1 month ago
dutchman: When you see what the fuck is going on over there, it makes all your problems in the cushy west seem so trivial. Heart-eating hit-man children armed to the teeth.. The bicycle stealing junkies which plague Amsterdam are so no big deal after seeing this. Corruption in its finest form and rampant poverty, crime and disease everywhere. Hell on Earth. Awesome. I'm impressed. Great story.
about 1 month ago
anico: I am half European and half Liberian – I lived through the war and the footage I’ve seen so far is nothing new to me...truth be told, I remember every horrible detail as if it happened yesterday... Anyways, I was pleasantly surprised to see your documentary; but I have mixed feelings about it: On one hand, I am grateful to you for showing the world some of the atrocities committed in Liberia by charles taylor and all the other goons [which include and not limited to, Ulimo K, Ulimo J, Prince Johnson’s group, Ecomog (Nigeria in particular), AFL, LURD, etc - the list is too damn long to name them all]…..So for that, I thank you. Now on the flip side, I fear that the “illiterates” whom I come across living in Canada would see all Liberians (and Africans) as cannibals, criminals, warlords, etc…You see, I moved to Canada in 1997 and what shocked me then (and still shocks me today) is how very little some Canadians know of Africa [or other parts of the world for that matter – with the exception of the USA – American Idol and Paris Hilton’s underwear (or the lack there of) tend to make the nightly news] – Most 'born and raised' Canadians I have had the displeasure of holding a conversation with believe Africa is a country and malaria is contagious… I hold a university degree from a Canadian institution where during school I met people whom after they realized I was not Spanish or East Indian, but in fact African; would ask me if “Africans ate humans or had Giraffes for pets”…. Now all I ask of your audience is that you please educate those who don’t read – Africa has a rich history, culture, heritage, etc…. There are always two sides to the coin :)
about 1 month ago
stormranger6: its both amazing that you went to school with such illiterates and kind of ironic that you hold a degree from such an institution wouldnt you say?Its certain that many of us in the west need to be educated, including myself. i found these "Guides" both eye opening and extremely disturbing and i want to know more but from the safe location of my workstation. cross dressing cannibals? child soldiers high heroin? open sewers and 1 dollar prostitutes? it sounds like an Xbox360 game. we definitely have it easy.
about 1 month ago
NewWorld: Stormranger6, yep ironic. First you need to take what Anico says with a grain of salt. He/she seems to be holier than thou… he states "shocked by how little" Canadians know about Africa… that may be true but like I said earlier, Anico seems to lack any knowledge about "Born and Raised" Canadians contributions to the world, if he did he wouldn't have said what he said about Canadians. Canada is made up of Nations from around the world… my neighbours are from every corner of the world, my friends are from around the world… every city in Canada celebrates Heritage day, celebrating the cultures of all the nations that make up the world… we probably better than any other nation embrace other cultures, we even change the way we do things to embrace other cultures… hence why the RCMP uniform allows for adaptation to embrace different cultures and religions (i.e. Sikh Turbans and Kirpans are allowed to be part of the uniform). Can he say that about any other nation? No, we are not perfect, and may be ignorant at times… but we are definitely not "illiterate" to the world around us.
about 1 month ago
NewWorld: I also would like to point out that Anico is part of the problem… insulting others or treating others as inferior to yourself is what causes these wars whether that intolerance comes from religions, status, education, nationality or poverty and does nothing in the way of educating the "illiterates", except making them intolerant of you.
about 1 month ago
Gardiloo: A little about dangerous occupations... Tiger Trainers - Nuts Snake Charmers - Crazy Bomb Defusers - Insane Leader of any African country - IN-FUCKING-SANE!!! WHY?! WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT TO YOURSELF? WHAT'S THE REASON?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?!
about 1 month ago
Gardiloo: That would have made more sens if it put the spaces where I wanted them to go... Tiger Trainers are nuts. Snake Charmers are crazy. Bomb Defusers are insane. Leader of any African country...IN-FUCKING-SANE!!! WHY?! WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT TO YOURSELF? WHAT'S THE REASON?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?!
about 1 month ago
notsofriendlyuser: You've failed once, no need to fuck up again champ.
about 1 month ago
lunachick: agreed....
about 1 month ago
notsofriendlyuser: > Make documentary > Create a shit load of hype > Make people wait for a month > Release it in 8, 4min pieces > Piss everyone off...
about 1 month ago
RantMasterFlash: Actually its not here, the part EVERYONE has already seen is here. WTH? Usually a release of a trailer is not done twice guys.
about 1 month ago
chinchilla: just saw it. really crazy stuff that people need to see!
about 1 month ago
tabriz: as raw as it is, i have surprisingly not been able to turn away. cant wait for part2
about 1 month ago
nicowen: fuck i need more of this
about 1 month ago
drenched: just watched part one. so far, so good. i can't wait to get into the juicy stuff but the quick recap is needed for people like me that don't know the back story. also, the footage was a little more graphic than i expected from stuff that old.
about 1 month ago
SearsPoncho: I have an inkling this will be better than North Korea. I already knew most of the stuff about NK but I know next to nothing about Liberia. I'm likely not the only one in this boat.
about 1 month ago
tabriz: yeah, and it is a sad notion too. we really don't get news like this. thanks VICE!
about 1 month ago
heinderman: finally!
about 1 month ago