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| Liberians stand up to be counted | Liberians stand up to be counted |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Liberia is conducting its first census since 1984, after years of civil war, and a public holiday has been declared. | |
| Public adverts and pop songs have been reminding people to stay at home to be counted, while dispelling fears that the census would mean extra taxes. | |
| Government officials hope the census will provide accurate statistics, vital for development planning. | Government officials hope the census will provide accurate statistics, vital for development planning. |
| President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf came to power in 2006 after elections supposed to end the 14-year conflict. | President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf came to power in 2006 after elections supposed to end the 14-year conflict. |
| It is for development, not for taxes Lyrics from the census song | |
| Constitutionally a census should be held every 10 years. Last year, the UN estimated the population was about 3.8 million. | Constitutionally a census should be held every 10 years. Last year, the UN estimated the population was about 3.8 million. |
| The count will last several days. | |
| Pop song | |
| The BBC's Jonathan Paye-Layleh in the capital, Monrovia, says years of civil war have led to a poverty-stricken and mostly illiterate population. | |
| Schools have been closed for the head count | |
| There has been a vigorous campaign to educate people on the purpose of the census. | |
| To try and dispel any suspicions, the government commissioned one of the country's top pop stars to compose a song. | |
| Our correspondent say it has been translated into Liberia's 16 languages and is playing daily on the radio, urging Liberians to "stand up and be counted". | |
| "It is for development, not for taxes," the lyrics say. | |
| A national housing authority official told the BBC that the census statistics were vital to help with planning. | |
| Census workers have already discovered that numerous villages that existed on the 1984 map are now deserted because of the war, AP news agency reports. | |
| Around 250,000 people were killed in Liberia's civil war and many thousands more fled the fighting. | |
| The UN maintains some 15,000 peacekeepers in Liberia. |