George Dweh

George Dweh (March 6, 1961 – April 4, 2020) was a Liberian politician and factional leader during the First Liberian Civil War and Second Liberian Civil War. He was a member of the Krahn ethnic group and a cousin of former president Samuel K. Doe.^[1]

During Liberia’s civil conflicts, Dweh was associated with armed factions including the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and later the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL). Reports and advocacy organizations have accused him of involvement in wartime abuses, though he was not formally convicted.^[2][3]

Following the resignation of President Charles Taylor in 2003, Dweh was elected Speaker of the National Transitional Legislative Assembly of Liberia (NTLA), the legislative body created under the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement to guide Liberia’s transition to democratic rule.^[4]

His tenure was marked by controversy. In March 2005, he was suspended by fellow legislators along with other officials over allegations of unauthorized spending and financial mismanagement.^[4][5] The suspension reflected broader tensions within the transitional government.^[6]

Dweh later appeared before Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), where issues relating to his wartime role were examined as part of national accountability efforts.^[7]

In 2016, Dweh became the subject of renewed controversy after reports emerged that he had sent communications to officials in Taiwan proposing the establishment of bilateral trade relations with Liberia. The Liberian government publicly distanced itself from the initiative, reaffirming its adherence to the “One China Policy” and stating that Dweh had no authority to represent the state.^[8][9] Dweh denied the allegations, claiming he had not written the communications attributed to him.^[10]

He died on April 4, 2020.^[11]