Four problematic feminist utopias of the 1970s and the 1980s

The current interest in human security during intra-state conflicts is challenging the principle of non-intervention. Citizens sometimes need protection from autocratic leaders, from chaos when central government administration collapses, and from atrocities during intra-state conflict. When these conflicts affect neighboring states, there is pressure on them to take action in order to restore regional stability and, perhaps incidentally, to protect human rights. This study documents how the loss of political control and authority and the spill-over effects of intra-state conflicts threatened West African peace and stability during the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The chaos arising from the collapse of central government administration, the fear of conflict spill over, and concern about the violation of basic human rights encouraged West African states to override the principle of non-intervention in sovereign states. The Nigerian-led ECOWAS/ECOMOG military intervention brought together states with diverse political, strategic and humanitarian goals which, combined with logistical shortcomings, resulted in severe challenges to the organization and deployment of the peace keeping and enforcement operations. These shortcomings led to prolonged misery in the region and exposed the vulnerabilities of sub-regional organizations in conflict management. This is significant given the reluctance of the USA and other major powers to intervene unless their national interests are threatened. Sub-regional organizations such as ECOWAS have limited resources to undertake conflict management and may be prone to regional rivalries and issues of leadership.