Immigrant - Host Relationship: A Review Of Anti-Lebanese Attitudes In Twentieth Century West Africa

A Black Republic: Citizenship and naturalisation requirements in Liberia

“…The majority of Lebanese moved to the U.S. and Latin America, in particular Brazil (Winder, 1962), while a much smaller, but significant group migrated to (West) Africa. 8 Most scholars (Akyeampong, 2006;Bierwirth, 1999;Obi, 2008;Winder, 1962) concluded that Lebanese migrants' preferred destination was the U.S., and their arrival in (West) Africa can be traced to a number of factors; it was considerably cheaper and easier in that there were no or few hurdles (e.g., health requirements, immigration controls) to overcome (Obi, 2008;Winder, 1962). Winder (1962) also suggested that some Lebanese migrants ended up in West Africa due to "unscrupulous Marseilles shipping agent[s]" (p. 297) who put the hopeful future Americans instead on a ship to a coastal city in West Africa rather than to New York or São Paulo (see also, Leighton, 1979).…”

“…Winder, 1962). Due to their status as a middleman minority, Lebanese, like other middleman minorities across the globe (e.g., Chinese in Southeast Asia, South Asians in Eastern and Southern Africa, and Jews earlier in much of Europe (Stanley, 2005)), are easily vilified (Beydoun, 2013;Bierwirth, 1999;Bigo, 1993;Grossman, 2010;Obi, 2008;Winder, 1962) but also have had greater opportunities to be economically successful. While many Liberians who were hostile toward Lebanese have argued Lebanese' financial success is due to them being unscrupulous traders and exploiters of the indigenous Africans (see for example, Akyeampong, 2006;Beydoun, 2013;Falola, 2004;Kaj, 2012;Khuri, 1968), scholars have pointed out a number of other factors.…”

“…Second, Lebanese immigrant traders and their descendants could perfect their skill because others, such as the Krios 12 in Sierra Leone and Americo Liberians, did not venture into the hinterland, but needed somebody to conduct trade on their behalf (Leighton, 1974;Liebenow, 1969). At the same time colonial powers, such as the Americo Liberians, French, and British, gave preference to Lebanese traders (Levitt, 2005;Liebenow, 1969;Obi, 2008), which in turn enabled the Lebanese in West Africa to establish a trade monopoly (Beydoun, 2013;Winder, 1962). This monopoly was strengthened by the political leaders in the different countries in West Africa, exemplified by President Tubman.…”

“…The percentage is even higher, up to 90 percent, in the commercial real estate market in Monrovia (Harmon, 2013) (see also, Grossman, 2010;Pailey, 2012). In light of these figures it is understandable why Mr. Garsuah Janjay, 13 a Liberian immigrant in Staten Island concluded that, "the Lebanese rule the economy of the Republic of Liberia as it is" (see also, Akyeampong, 2006;Beydoun, 2013;Bierwirth, 1999;Harmon, 2013;Kaj, 2012;Obi, 2008;Winder, 1962). Many Liberians are convinced that if Lebanese were to be allowed to become Liberian citizens, and thus eligible to vote and to serve in political positions of authority, their influence and power would be limitless.…”

“…A point also observed by Mariner (2003), "citizenship has often been restricted along racial or ethnic lines, with certain groups being excluded from the citizenry" (p. 65). It is thus not surprising, that race, ethnicity, and descent play important roles in a number of nationality and naturalisation laws across the globe (Abdullah, 2003;Beydoun, 2013;Kaj, 2012;Mariner, 2003;Obi, 2008). Citizenship based on jus sanguinis -Latin for "right of blood"-is perhaps one of the most extreme versions of how nation, nationality, and race can be linked or can be construed as being linked (see also, Kaj, 2012).…”