Back to List of Transcripts
The Third Day of the TRC Public Hearings Proceedings
held on Wednesday May 21st, 2008 at the Administrative Building
Gbarnga City.
The Hearings session started with the Commissioners of the TRC being ushered
into their seats, followed by a welcome remarks form the Chairman of the TRC
Cllr. Jerome Verdier who then called on the Hearings Officer Pastor John Teayah
to invite the first Primary Witness to give her testimony.
Sixteenth Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Lorpu
George
(First Primary Witness of day three)
The First Primary Witness of the
day was called to the stand and he was accompanied by the psychosocial officer
and the protections officer of the TRC. The Primary Witness was then sworn to
tell the truth and nothing but the truth by the TRC Hearings Officer. She was
accompanied by an interpreter.
Chairman: Thanks for coming, the way you have come, you
have come for us to find a solution to the problems; with this, we will be able
to make recommendation to the government so that we cannot have war in Liberia again.
Please tell us your name again.
Primary Witness: My name is Lorpu George.
What is your age?
Primary Witness: I do not know my age.
Which president you saw?
Primary Witness: I saw President Tubman but I was
small at the time.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live Gbarlatua.
What do you do for living?
Primary Witness: I am a Gardener.
Primary Witness: In the year 1990, we were
harvesting our rice on the farm and the fighters arrived in the town and at the
time, my uncle was the Town Chief of the town and they put him on gun point and
said that he was keeping Doe soldiers and Mandingo people, so they tied and
executed him right away.
After they killed my uncle, we
all ran in the bushes and we stayed the longest in the bushes. One day, my
first born went to play football in another village and while he was coming
back to the our village, the fighters arrested him and put him on gun point
again; when they put him on gun point, he started running away and they shut
him dead. After that, my husband advice us to leave the area where we were;
while we were going to another village, we met the fighters again and they
arrested my husband and put their loads on his head and they carried him
different direction and they asked to go different direction. I side we went, I
managed and went to Ganta and I stayed there for long time suffering. When the
suffering was getting too much for me, I came back to Gbarlatua and later my
daughter followed me from Ganta with a serious stomach problem.
The other children are not in
school, my daughter is also not well and since that time, I have not seen my
husband from 1990; these are the things that are worrying me.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Commissioner Syllah: Sorry for what happened to; do you remember
the man who carried your husband name?
Primary Witness: Yes, his name is Moses Weakleler.
Which faction this man was
fighting for?
Primary Witness: When this thing happened, I was
not to myself but I think it was the Charles Taylor people.
What is the name of your husband?
Primary Witness: His name was Yarkpawolo Kweitay.
What was the age of your husband at
the time?
Primary Witness: He was older than at the time.
How old was your daughter at the
time?
Primary Witness: She was a teenager, she was
growing breast.
How is your daughter feeling now?
Primary Witness: She is still facing the stomach
problem.
How long your daughter stayed
with the people in Nimba
County?
Primary Witness: They carried her in 1990 and she
came back in 1994.
How many children you have?
Primary Witness: We born 11 children and they
killed one, so I have 10 living children now.
Commissioner Stewart: Who killed your uncle and how he was killed?
Primary Witness: It was Moses Werkeler the
commander at the time who arrested my uncle and said that he was keeping Doe
soldier and Mandingo people and he killed him with knife.
Was your uncle buried?
Primary Witness: No, we were not brave to stand
there and we ran in the bush for safety.
NPFL looted in your town when
they came there?
Primary Witness: Yes, when we left, they took all
that we had.
They forced your husband to carry
him?
Primary Witness: Yes, when we met them, they forced
him to take their loads and they carried him.
They forced any young girl and
carried them besides your daughter?
Primary Witness: Yes, they used to force any young
girl they saw.
What are the names of the girls
they forced and carried?
Primary Witness: Kebben my daughter, Krubah,
Yassah, Yenkorler and Gbeahker.
How big were the girls?
Primary Witness: They were all having tay-tay and
in the size of my daughter.
Have some of the girls returned?
Primary Witness: I have not seen anyone of them
besides my daughter, maybe, they might be with their parents.
They forced young boys?
Primary Witness: I did not witness any boy been
forced because I ran in the bush as soon as they killed my uncle.
They raped any women?
Primary Witness: We ran in the bush, so I cannot
say whether they raped or not.
They burnt any houses in the
town?
Primary Witness: I do not know because as I said, I
ran in the bush.
Beside the 1990 war, you were
affected during the ULIMO war?
Primary Witness: I do not have personal experience
with ULIMO because I was also running away whenever I heard war.
What's about the LURD war?
Primary Witness: I have no experience with LURD, I
was at the Manmu Displace Camp and the government troops used to take care of
us.
What is the name of your uncle
that was killed?
Primary Witness: His name was Sumo Gwehgweh.
Commissioner Dolopei: Sorry for all that happened to you during the
war. The fighters did anything to the elderly women besides the young girls?
Primary Witness: We ran away that night and we went
to the displace camp; besides the killing of my uncle, nothing else.
Commissioner Konneh: It is painful to see the child you suffered
been killed in that manner; we urge you to take courage and know that God who
gave him to you and those who were not authorized to take away his life will
face judgment. What is the name and age of your son?
Primary Witness: His name was Daniel Oldman Kwaitay
and he was 25 years old.
What is the name of your
daughter?
Primary Witness: Her name is Keppeh Kwaitay.
Who killed your son and from
which fighting group?
Primary Witness: It was the first group that
entered in 1990 to fight the Doe government troop killed my son, my uncle and
since they carried my husband in 1990, I have not seen him up to now.
What is the name of the person
that took your daughter to Nimba?
Primary Witness: His name is Col Crab.
Has Col Crab visited you since
your daughter came to know how she is feeling?
Primary Witness: No.
Has your daughter told you where
Col Crab can be found?
Primary Witness:
Yes, she said they were in Louguatuo, and maybe he is still
in the Louguatuo.
Chairman: Thanks very much; your testimony has shown us
how women were treated during the war and we are to pay special attention to
women and children. Has your daughter explain to you what happened to her
during the 4 years?
Primary Witness: She only told me that Col. Crab
used to beat her and stepped in her stomach and that is the reason why she
escaped.
Have you got any information from
your husband as to what happened to him, if he was killed, and did he reach
where they were going?
Primary Witness: The only message I heard was that
he was killed while they were going.
Did you hear about any General
One-Man-One?
Primary Witness: Yes, I saw General One-Man-One
with my eyes the very day they carried my husband.
Was Moses superior to
One-Man-One?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Was One-Man-One part of the group
that carried your husband?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Do you know any name besides the
One-Man-One?
Primary Witness: No.
We heard that Gen. One-Man-One
used to be very bad to women and children; did he do any bad to women and
children in your presence?
Primary Witness: I did not witness him do any bad
things because as soon as they killed my uncle, I ran in the bush.
Can you please describe General
One-Man-One?
Primary Witness: He is huge, tall, light-skinny and
hairy.
Please accept our sympathy for
the death your son, uncle and husband who is yet to be seen; how these people
died will be written in the history. Is there anything that you want to tell us
before you leave?
Primary Witness: Yes, the main thing that was
really burning my soul is that my daughter that has this stomach problem, who
will help her get better and as well as my children that are in school, who is
going to sent them to school?
Okay, you can tell your daughter
to come and meet us, we are here from now to Friday the whole day; if she has telephone
number, you can give it ti us.
Seventeenth Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Anonymous
(Second Primary Witness of day three)
The Second Primary Witness of the
day was called to the stand and he was accompanied by the psychosocial officer
and the protections officer of the TRC. The Primary Witness was then sworn to
tell the truth and nothing but the truth by the TRC Hearings Officer.
Chairman:
Welcome to TRC we want to say thanks for coming and to participate
in this national hearings process. As you requested we have yield to it, no
photo, no vied recording and no cameral will take your photos. The idea you
have said this and it is at your wish with that we want you to relax in
confidence. We were commission just to do that to the mandate of the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission healing process.
Primary
Witness: 1990, my brothers were not in militia but fighters
recruited them to become single barriers boys. So they remain there ULIMO came.
They went to the gate and give them cutlass, and some thing they can cut palm
nuts with. Then the ULIMO fighters came and killed three men at the gate and
all the civilians in the town left and went to the near by town call Gbapolu.
So we were captured by ULIMO and they took my brother and others and they later
carry then and they tied them and they were bleeding all over. And they agree
to become come part of ULIMO and ULIMO J and K was fighting they kill my
brothers. My brothers use to help me to work. They were working with the
company. When we were here, ULIMO was leaving from Lofa, we escaped. There was
a town call Kpalokplay there were they raped me. they told my husband to be
present and he said no and they killed him. When I got up, I was not to my
self. The people who did this, they left me there and one lady came and took me
to the town and treated me with some traditional herbs. We were there for two
weeks. We went Ganta. I went to the hospital and they give me treatment. When I
was coming to myself, we cross the river, we went Guinea. When we went Guinea,
we went to the refugee camp and they say every one should have ticket but
because I did not have card food business was very hard and so, my son die and
again the second one die. If I tell you about my brothers and leave I will not
feel good. This is the hard time I am in today. I invested in one of the boy
and he in 9th grade but I can't continue because no hand.
Questions
from the Commissioners:
Chairman:
We say sorry for what happen.
Commissioner
Syllah: You talked about your three brothers; can you give their
names to us?
Primary
Witness: Sumo
Chairman:
We will not ask questions related to her brothers.
Primary
Witness: I am telling you people that our children die during the
time we went in the refugee camp and there was no food because I never had my
card because I was not able to move around from hunger. And when they attack
the first night, they kill my brothers in UNLIMO J and K attack.
How was that
night when you went to bed?
Primary
Witness: We were in the refugee came and I did not have ticket so my
two children die by hunger.
Commissioner
Stewart: Can you remember any of the fighters or name of commanders?
Primary
Witness: I don't know because it was during the night time. But when
ULIMO came they escaped but it was NPFL Bides.
You know
weather it was the same group who operated in Sanoyes?
Primary
Witness: Yes.
What kind of
experience you had with LPC?
Primary
Witness: When LPC was coming, we only heard the lunching sound. And
they say LPC entered Folopa and kill.
Besides you,
was there any thing like rape for other young girls or looting by NPFL?
Primary
Witness: The time they were coming, the only group was Jack the
rebel and took the men from among us and they toot their ammunitions.
When you went Guinea,
you came back before LURD war?
Primary
Witness: After election before war, war three started.
What was your
experience war, war three?
Primary
Witness: When I came we went displaced came in Zeazue and they rape
me and I got pregnant but the child died.
Have you
received any medical attention?
Primary
Witness: Yes, IRC came and sent us to hospital once or twice
How long was
the treatment?
Primary
Witness: We were not admitted but twice for treatment.
But do you feel
pains anywhere in your stomach or any where?
Primary
Witness: Well, some times my back can be very weak and I can't able
to stand up.
Have you at any
time, seen any of those people around?
Primary
Witness: When it happened I came back after election 97, I saw him
in Namah. I don't know weather he?s alive.
Commissioner
Coleman: Where your parents, are were they affected from the war?
Primary
Witness: No, they are no longer alive. They died during they war
when they kill my brothers that was the frustration kill my mother.
Commissioner
Konneh
I want to say
to you never mind.
Chairman:
We say thank you for coming to TRC you have added a great help to
our work. There are some questions that are left but because of your request,
we will meet you.
Any thing else
you want to say in this public manner?
Primary
Witness: I have nothing else in my heart but the way I am sorry
full, I want for government to help me.
Eighteenth Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Esther Gbelee
(Third Primary Witness of day three)
The Third Primary Witness of the
day was called to the stand and he was accompanied by the psychosocial officer
and the protections officer of the TRC. The Primary Witness was then sworn to
tell the truth and nothing but the truth by the TRC Hearings Officer.
Co chair: we want to thank
you for coming here to talk to us. They ask us to go from county to county to
hear all of the bad things during the war. And after listening to you, we will
ask you some questions. So we say thank you for coming, because it will help us
to do our work and to bring peace in Liberia. What is your name again?
Primary Witness: My name
is Esther Gbelee.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in
Dargan.
When were you born?
Primary Witness: I am 45
years old.
What do you do for living?
Primary Witness: I am a
farmer.
Primary Witness: The thing
where happen to me, 1994, the time the war was here. We were in our town, so we
heard the gun sound, so we run away in the bush. So my husband was the town
chief, I was pregnant, and I had 2 years old child and other small, small
children them with me. So my husband say, the way the children plenty on us let
this, let go in our farm in the bush. So we were there, one man run away with
us, in the bush, he say he want to go for his snuff in the town. So my husband
say that one where you coming do na, that they bad one there, if you run away
from the soldier them, it na good for your to go back for them to see your
again oh. The man say I will take time so he left. That time there we finished
cooking our dry rice, we finish eating, we were in the bush, we just see the
man coming with plenty people behind him. Then my husband was wanted to run,
they say your must not run, we are the Liberian Peace Council, LPC people we
are here to rescue your from all the bad things. So it will not be good for
your to be here in the town with these children. So your come lets go in the
town. But when I want to take my baby tub, they will say no, the place we
carrying your, we get everything there. We just want to drive the soldiers them
when we be going we will give your everything you want. Not knowing they were
just fooling us. So when we follow them now, because we were having three boys
them with us, that them was the first they kill. Then they ask where the town
chief? Then that man that went to the town show him so they kill my husband,
but they say that your where can bring the soldier them here to come fight us.
So my husband was begging them say please your don't kill me, lets go on my
sugarcane farm, I get money there, lets go let me give it to your. They say no,
and then they kill him. The other three boys, they cut their head with cutlass,
but my husband own, they tie him, and naked him and they started beating him.
The thing where make it self they na do any thing to me, because they na show
me say here his wife here. So that the thing where happen to me.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Co chair: we want to thank
you for coming and we say sorry. God spear your life so that today you will be
able to come and tell us. Did they kill other people in the town apart from the
3 people?
Primary Witness: No, but
the burn the town.
How many houses were there?
Primary Witness: They were
about 300 houses.
Commissioner Syllah: thank
you very much for coming to share your story with us.
What is your husband name?
Primary Witness: His name
is Augustine Gbelee.
Do you remember the names of the
others that were with you?
Primary Witness: they were Joseph Tarpee, Yarkpawolo Gbanyan,
and Moses.
Can you remember any of their
ages?
Primary Witness: No, only
my husband.
What was his age?
Primary Witness: He was 50
years old.
How many children do you have?
Primary Witness:
Altogether, I have 9 children.
How old is the smallest one?
Primary Witness: He was
born 1997.
Commissioner Steward: we
want to say thank you for coming and sorry for the death of your husband. This
Yarkpawolo Gbanyan, was he among the people they kill?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Was he living in the town?
Primary Witness: No, he
was a stranger.
What is the name of your town?
Primary Witness: The name
of the town is Dargan.
In what district?
Primary Witness: It is
near Zoweanta.
That was LPC?
Primary Witness: Yes.
How many were they?
Primary Witness: They were
many.
Did they burn the whole town?
Primary Witness: Yes, they
burn the whole town.
How many people did they kill
that time?
Primary Witness: That only
the 4 men.
Were they wearing uniform?
Primary Witness: Yes, but
some of them were naked.
Can you remember any of their
names?
Primary Witness: No, I
can't remember.
From there which way did they go?
Primary Witness: From
there, they were going to Gbarnga way.
Commissioner Konneh: we
want to express our sympathy to you for the death of your husband. The man who
came to town and carry the LPC people, where is he?
Primary Witness: I don't
know.
Did they kill him?
Primary Witness: No.
Why do you think they were
looking for him?
Primary Witness: I don't
know oh.
Co chair: thank you for
coming, and as I said, you help us to do our work. During this war, people kill
people for no reason. So we say sorry. Before you leave, is there anything you
want to tell the TRC?
Primary Witness: Yes, I am
just asking the government to help my children go to school.
What are their ages?
Primary Witness: I have
one that was born 1987, 1990, and 1993.
Are they going to school?
Primary Witness: That only
two my sister took and they are going to school. And secondly, I don't have
house, this heavy rain come, we can get up and stand. So I want your to please
help me.
Nineteenth Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Norwah Sumo
(Fourth Primary Witness of day three)
The fourth Primary Witness of the
day was called to the stand and he was accompanied by the psychosocial officer
and the protections officer of the TRC. The Primary Witness was then sworn to
tell the truth and nothing but the truth by the TRC Hearings Officer.
Co-Chair: Thanks for coming to the TRC today, the way
you have come, you have come to do plenty things, you are going to tell us all
the ugly things that happened t you during the war. Please tell us your name
again for the record.
Primary Witness: My name is Norwah Sumo.
What is your age?
Primary Witness: I do not know my age but I saw
President Tubman.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in Fani Town,
Kpaihi District.
What do you do for living?
Primary Witness: I am a Farmer.
Please tell us your story.
Primary Witness: When the war came, they grabbed me
and asked me to show where our things was and I told them that they had carried
all our things and so we had nothing again; when I said that, they took my two
years old child from my back and killed him; after that, they asked my husband
again for our belongings and he said that he had nothing, and as soon as he
said that, they grabbed him and they asked me to witness his execution and they
executed him in my presence.
When they killed by son and
husband, they again grabbed my father and killed him too; I had four children,
they killed one and I am having three living with me now. I can make farm
before sending m children to school; that's what happened to me during the war.
The way you come, it has been
shown to us how innocent people were killed; they said that they were coming to
fight a particular group, but instead, they started killing innocent people and
suffering the poor people.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Commissioner Konneh: Please accept our sympathy for the death of
your people. What is the name of your husband?
Primary Witness: His name was Moses Jorlonqui.
What is the name of your son?
Primary Witness: His name was Patience Jorlonqui.
What is the name of your father?
Primary Witness: His name was Supo Fai.
How these people were killed?
Primary Witness: They killed all of them with
cutlass.
What is the name of the group
that killed these people?
Primary Witness: It was the NPFL fighters.
What was the name of the
commanders of the fighters that did the killing?
Primary Witness: I was not to myself when they
killed these people so I couldn't remember any one of them.
Did you hear about any J.Y.?
Primary Witness: Yes, I used to hear that this is
J. Y's group, but I was not to myself.
Commissioner Stewart: Sorry for the death of your people. You say
your husband was killed by NPFL fighters?
Primary Witness: Yes, these three persons were
killed by NPFL.
Who was their commander?
Primary Witness: I do not know, at the time they
did the killing, I was only thinking about committing suicide, I was not to
myself.
Your buried the bodies?
Primary Witness: There was no time, their bones
left scattered in the town and when the people came back in town, they threw
the bones away.
Where were you at the time?
Primary Witness: I was not there but I came back,
my mother me the information.
How long is it from Fani to
Sanoyea?
Primary Witness: Fanti town is way near Zowenta.
What else the fighters did
besides the killing of your people, did they lot?
Primary Witness: Yes.
What are the things they looted?
Primary Witness: They looted several things but I
can remember them taking our 5 bundles of zinc and our steel mill.
Who was the commander of the
group?
Primary Witness: As I told you from the beginning,
I was not to myself and so I do not know their names.
Were there NPFL fighters in your
area before they did the killing?
Primary Witness: No, before the incidence, they
were not around there, the very day they came, it was when they killed my
people.
Commissioner Syllah: I join my colleagues to extend our sympathy
for the death of your people. What are the names of the other children that are
living?
Primary Witness: I have Laihai, Quita and God's
Gift.
Are the children in school?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Co-Chair: Which town they killed your husband?
Primary Witness: They killed him in Melee's Town.
They told you any reason for
killing him?
Primary Witness: Yes, they asked him for our steel
mill and he did not give it to them, so that was the crime he committed and
they killed him.
Now that you have completed your
testimony, is there anything else you wan to tell us before you leave?
Primary Witness: Yes, I want your to please help me
with my children schooling.
Twentieth Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Deputy Gamaliel
(Fifth Primary Witness of day three)
The Fifth Primary Witness of the
day was called to the stand and he was accompanied by the psychosocial officer
and the protections officer of the TRC. The Primary Witness was then sworn to
tell the truth and nothing but the truth by the TRC Hearings Officer.
Co-chairman:
Mr. Jorkor, good after noon and we want to say thank you for coming
and this is were we come to tell all those bad, bad things that happened to us.
So we say welcome to tell you story to the TRC.
What is your
name?
Primary
Witness: My name is Deputy Gamaliel Jokor.
When were you
born?
Primary
Witness: I was born May 10, 1976.
Where do you
live?
Primary
Witness: I live Zowata.
What are you
doing for a living?
Primary
Witness: I am selling during the time 1994, when Gbarnga fall in the
hands of the correlations, from the 12th we saw group of arm men
retrieving from Grand
Bassa County.
But when they came at that time, my brother who is William K. Jorkor he was a
grand commander in Zoway town. And at time, I was living Zowoe town my home
town right side Zowon town. Then we saw a group of arm men arm in wheel berry and
some people tooting it on their shoulders. They came we all were scared and we
went in the bush. While in the bush, the people were just busting people door
and taking people properties, beating people. So we got afraid we were trying
to take our family to Nimba county lower Nimba. While in the process my grand
father the late who is Jorkor Takpah and his son Isaac Jorkor we all were in
the bush and we were the boy children that could help our mothers to help them
in the bush for safety zoom. While in the process on the 19th of
September, we left that morning for Nimba, the old man and his son with some
relatives James Wonmah we left from the kitchen and say we gone to come back.
How things will
be if it will be aright we will come back for the old man. While going, we saw
another guy he said my man the gun sound that we heard in your area was not
easy. The gun fire was too much and the next morning, we saw the James Womah
man I am talking about he said, my man the people hold us they tie us but we
escape from them but he said they kill the old man and his son. Then that next
morning, my brother Harris we came we went there, when we went there, the cut
off the old man head, then Isaac they fired him with gun. But he run away in
the bush but he die in the bush. One time in the process, in December, because
it was in September so in December now when the people say we should come back
now, to harvest our rice, the same Navy division, they were headed by general
Gonda. When we came now, the guy who did the act they call him JR when they
came in the time now, J. Wamah he was able to identify the man he say oh my man
this man then that say we should come in the town, that this men them kill the
old man that they the one was in the bush. But we run away form them. That this
men. They were assigned right to our town in Zoyea town. I can still picture
the man, I know his structure but I don't know where he is living now. They
were with us there the people they used to force us to do what we are not to do
like, taking car engine from Zoyea town to sell. Even one time we brought a
load in Zoyea town, where the general at that time, Genera Gonda he was at the
clinic side when we brought the load, he said we should carry to the chief,
when we went we saw some things there I my self I was afraid, they has bodies.
They open the body and take the intestine.
When I was observing
I my self I was too scared. We came and after they have left then, one time,
J.Y then has come there. After the Navy division has left. General JY he
started his same behavior because he was a delta force commander forcing us to
go pick cocoa in the bush to hunt for them and started brining it. One time we
went for cocoa to Zoyea town, at that time my friend took me, they had left the
clinic. And he said the guys were doing terrible things here when we went we
saw the shot drums with human grease in side certain short cut there to the
hospital with the train trick, while going to the right hand side, I saw the
human skull there. I say oh, that what this men them were doing here? I say
even they kill my people in the bush and they were in town here eating people?
That what happen that 1994, when Taylor left in Ghana, that
what happen and that what I saw with my eyes.
2003, when Taylor
left, because he was called by the war crime court in Sierra Leone after he has
left, we saw group of arm men calling themselves LURD forces again. When they
came they started running behind people. They throw one of my little pinking
they came with knife he was running away. After that they grab people one 17
years old girl, her name is baby girl they took her in the town and make her as
his wife. His name was called Yanmayanma the commander they all went Zowee town
way while we left in Zoryah. After taken
our properties they told us that they were just citizen like us they just came
to laborite us. But what we want to do, if any thing belonging to your in the
bushes, we want your to go and bring it in the village because our soldiers we
sent them on patrol, Seku Damate Konneh who is our director say the only thing
we should leave with you people is your life, but nothing is belonging to you
people. So when we brought our little thing again they came and took every
thing from us again. When we went we talk it they say we told your only your
life belong to you people. They started beating some people in my present even
the little wheelbarrow I had they took it and use to put cattle in side. When
they use to come, I use to say me I respect my body, so anything they use to
tell me I will do it. So I don't have any mark on my body they never beat me
they only took my property. The only thing I saw is they kill my grand father
and my uncle that what happen to me in the war that what I experience.
Questions
from the Commissioners:
Vice
chairman: Thanks for your testimony. You talked about one 17 years
old girl they took, can you tell us her name?
Primary
Witness: Her name is Baby Nyhnor
Has she come
back?
Primary
Witness: No, in Monrovia
and has not come back.
Is she still
with him?
Primary
Witness: No
Commissioner
Konneh: You said some fighters?
Primary
Witness: Yes, NPFL but they use to call themselves Malasis division.
What is the
name of your uncle?
Primary
Witness: Jorkor Takpah
What is the
name of your grand father?
Primary
Witness: Isaac Jorkor
Can you
remember other names that were killed?
Primary
Witness: One Freemam Satae, they took him and carry to Nimba kill
him and took his heart.
Was there
looting?
Primary
Witness: Yes, they took things and they burn houses
How many
houses?
Primary
Witness: Three houses
They boy they
hurt?
Primary
Witness: Yes, he was hurt by Yamayama the commander.
Which tribe?
Primary
Witness: Mandingo
He spoke
English?
Primary
Witness: Not too well.
Commissioner
Stewart: When the group was retrieving which group was in control?
Primary
Witness: They use to call them E and P.
Was there
battle?
Primary Witness:
No, they never fought; they said it was the same Charles Taylor
soldiers.
When they left?
Primary
Witness: Gondar
left in charge
Did you see
them?
Primary
Witness: No. they said they took 7 men and kill them on the train
trick
Was houses
burn?
Primary
Witness: Yes.
By whom?
Primary
Witness: Gonda
Have you seen
him?
Primary
Witness: They said in 95, he was commander in Zedweh.
Any experience
of LPC?
Primary
Witness: I only heard about them I can't tell
Was Zota
looted?
Primary
Witness: Yes
Nancy Gonga,
they rape her?
Primary
Witness: Yes.
Was there any killing?
Primary
Witness: It was serious.
Was there
looting?
Primary
Witness: Yes, they loot things and burn houses.
How many
houses?
Primary
Witness: Three houses
The boy who was
hurt?
Primary
Witness: Yes, he was hurt by the commander Yamayama
What tribe was
he from?
Primary
Witness: He was a Mandingo boy
What language
did he speak?
Primary
Witness: He spoke English not too well.
How long did
they stay there for?
Primary
Witness: They came September and retrieved December.
How many
persons you think they killed?
Primary
Witness: More then 50 or 100 they started from Kokoya to Gbadah
Did you bury
your father?
Primary
Witness: Yes, the bone.
Commissioner
Syllah: You said some body stomach open chest out?
Are you aware
weather they were eating human heart or not?
Primary
Witness: Yes, but I was not present but the shot drum they use to
cook it in the bone was there.
You said the
LURD forces came to the town?
Primary
Witness: Yes.
Do you remember
the month?
Primary
Witness: Yes, August 18.
Were they Taylor soldiers around?
Primary
Witness: Yes, it was funny because they use to combine.
Besides Baby
girl, they carry other girls as their wives?
Primary
Witness: That?s the one that happen in my present
Commissioner
Dolopei:
Where some of
your relatives part of the fighting force?
Primary
Witness: Yes, my brother his name is Jorkor
Commissioner
Coleman: Your parents, any thing happen to them?
Primary
Witness: We run in Nimba
Where are your
father and mother?
Primary
Witness: My father die.
From the war?
Primary
Witness: No, natural death
Co-Chairman:
Any thing you want to say?
Primary
Witness: What we want for government to do for us or TRC and the
International world is find us trade school to learn and be able to help our
children.
Twenty-First Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Oritha Morris
(Sixth Primary Witness of day three)
The Sixth Primary Witness of the
day was called to the stand and he was accompanied by the psychosocial officer
and the protections officer of the TRC. The Primary Witness was then sworn to
tell the truth and nothing but the truth by the TRC Hearings Officer.
Co-Chair: Thanks for coming; this process is intended
for us to identify the bad things that happened to people during the war.
Please tell us your name.
Primary Witness: My name is Oretha Morris.
When you were born?
Primary Witness: I was born on October 14, 1974.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in Harbel, Dolo's Town.
What do you do for living?
Primary Witness: I do small businesses for living.
Please tell us your testimony.
Primary Witness: In 1993, the war drove us from
Bong Mines and we ran to Kakata; when we got in Kakata, it was attacked and we
had to run to the Division. When we got at the Division, my mother came and
informed us about our father's death. When we heard the news and we were about
to cry, they attacked the area again and we had to traveled all the way to
CARI.
While in CARI, Gbarnga fell and we
went for refuge on the Tanzanian Troop base in CARI; while we were there, the
Tanzanians soldiers started leaving the area secretly. One of my friends came
and was telling the how the Peace Keepers we were depending on were leaving
secretly. While we were discussing, one of the Tanzanian soldiers came and
grabbed me by my hand and asked me how I got the information that they were
leaving secretly? Right away, a girl who was one of their girl-friend came and
started asking him why they are leaving secretly? After a while, ULIMO fighters
came and captured the area and they told us that they had come to liberate us
and we left and went to the Phebe school compound and we started living in some
of the classrooms. We were in the school and ULIMO started giving us food and
they told us that they were there for just 10 days. We heard that ULIMO did lot
of bad things but I did not see them doing it.
After 10 days, they started
looking for woman, one of them came to our window and told his boss man that
oh, here are two beautiful women; they took my sister and she asked them not to
do anything to me because I was her bigger sister. While we were there, I used
to rub white chalk on me and it created rashes all on my body and I used to
wear one old gown that was owned by our mother; one day one of them came and
saw the dress on me and said who this ugly old lady? They left me and went
their way. One day, we heard that NPFL was coming and the ULIMO fighters
brought a truck and asked who all wanted to go with them and those that wanted
follow them went with them. After few days, we heard that NPFL set arm bush on
the road and all those that were in the truck died on the way.
When we left there, we were
worried because there were ULIMO or NPFL fighters around the area but one day,
we saw few of the NPFL fighters coming to the compound and the entire citizens
of the community were very happy and the women spread their lappers on the
ground for the fighters to walk on. While we were rejoicing, the same NPFL
fighters that we were receiving happily started looting people things. Some of
the citizens got angry and arrested them and beat because they did not have any
ammunition in their guns. After they beaten, they took the report to their boss
man called Monamee in Seayen. When Monamee got the information, he ordered his
men and they started coming to Phebe. When I heard that they were coming, I ran
to the hospital. All the civilian men took their cutlasses and went in front of
the hospital but when Monamee and his men came, they started shooting at the
people they met in front the hospital; they started killing people; some of
them went to the back, some went to the front and others entered the hospital
and started killing people. They even killed a Doctor that was on duty that
day. It was only God that saved some of us that day.
They arrested those of us that
were not killed and took us to Senyea; when we got in Senyea, they started
forcing people to carry them to the base and I managed and escaped that same
day and went to Gbartala.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Commissioner Dolopei: Where was your father killed?
Primary Witness: I said we ran to Kakata and Kakata
was again attacked and we ran to the Division and while we were in the
division, our mother came and told us that our father has died.
What was the name of your father?
Primary Witness: His name was John Boe.
Which fighting group was
responsible for the killing of your father?
Primary Witness: I do not know because I was not
there.
Where is your mother?
Primary Witness: She is now living in Harbel.
Commissioner Syllah: How many persons died at Phebe Hospital
that day?
Primary Witness: I think they were 102 persons.
Do you know the name of anyone of
the commanders?
Primary Witness: I did not know anyone from the
beginning but one man called himself Monamee, he was boosting and calling his
name, Monamee and that nothing was going to happen to him if anyone tells Taylor.
Children died?
Primary Witness: Yes, children, the elderly and a
Doctor were killed that day.
They buried the bodies?
Primary Witness: Well, I was not there.
Commissioner Stewart: You say NPFL had their base in Senyea?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Do you remember any of the
commanders name?
Primary Witness: I said no.
How was Monamee speaking?
Primary Witness: It was war time and so no one had
time for that.
Do you know the name of the
Doctor that was killed?
Primary Witness: Yes, his name was Dr. Farnia.
A medical Doctor?
Primary Witness: Yes, he was going to the back door
and they fired, the first shot hit him and he died.
What are some of the names of the
people that were killed?
Primary Witness: No, I cannot remember any of the
names.
You say the fighters entered the
hospital?
Primary Witness: Yes, some of them went to the
back, some went to the front and some of them entered the hospital itself.
Where was your sister?
Primary Witness: I left her and my mother at the Phebe School.
Where did you go after?
Primary Witness: When they arrested us, they took us
to Senyea.
What happened in Senyea?
Primary Witness: They were just selecting people to
go for training.
Was Dr. Gonlegarley the head of
the hospital at the time?
Primary Witness: I do not know.
Which month and year it happened?
Primary Witness: It happened in September in the
year 1994.
Gbarnga had fallen at that time?
Primary Witness: Yes.
How long you were in Senyea?
Primary Witness: Lass than one day, I left straight
for Gbartala.
Please describe Monamee.
Primary Witness: At the time, he was black and slim
but I do not know whether he was a foreigner or Liberian at the time.
Will you be able to recognize him
when you see him?
Primary Witness: No, it has taken a long time.
Commissioner Konneh: Which forces attacked Kakata?
Primary Witness: I do not know.
Which fighting group was in
control of Kakata?
Primary Witness: I cannot remember.
The Tanzanian troops left the
area and went without telling your?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Was the Doctor that was killed
dressed in his medical attire?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Co-Chair: Thanks very much for your testimony and we
once again say sorry. Is there anything that you want tell us before you leave?
Primary Witness: Yes, but I forgot something. In
2003, Armed Robbers killed my sister in Dolo's Town in Harbel.
Was fighting still on going at
the time?
Primary Witness: Yes, they shut the man and he is
presently walking with crushes and the government did nothing about it.
What was the name of your sister?
Primary Witness: Diamondwa Cooper.
What is the name of her husband?
Primary Witness: His name is John Cooper.
Have you any idea about the doers
of the act?
Primary Witness: Yes, it was Oliver and he is right
now in Monrovia;
the night he did the killing, he came and ate with my sister.
Who told you that it was this
Oliver?
Primary Witness: There was a man in his cassava
farm that night and he heard all that was going on; he was the one that told us
how they took my sister outside and she recognized Oliver and asked him to save
her and she would have given her wedding band to him; but Oliver said that he
release her, she would have expose the secret and so he shut her.
The man who claimed to have seen
the action still alive?
Primary Witness: Yes, he is living right now in
Harbel.
Was Oliver arrested?
Primary Witness: Yes, he
was arrested and detained at the Central Prison in Monrovia
but when we to find out, the people at the prison compound told that he ran
away; and right now he is in Monrovia.
Has you family taken the complained
to the police?
Primary Witness: Yes, we have been doing all we can
but in Liberia if you do not have money, there is no right for you; the police
once asked my mother to give them L$30,000.00 but she refused and said that it
was better to use the money for the children that are left behind.
Where Oliver can be found in Monrovia?
Primary Witness: He is in Monrovia
and I know someone who knows where he lives in Monrovia.
Twenty-Second Primary Witnesses of the
TRC Public Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Moses
B. Kekula
(Seventh Primary Witness of day three)
The Seventh Primary Witness of
the day was called to the stand and he was accompanied by the psychosocial
officer and the protections officer of the TRC. The Primary Witness was then
sworn to tell the truth and nothing but the truth by the TRC Hearings Officer.
Co chair: Mr. Kerkulah,
hello and welcome to the TRC and thank you for coming. We are supposed to go to
all the counties to listen to all the bad things that happen during the war and
we are also supposed to find out why the war happened. So we say you are
welcome. We will ask you few questions for the record. What is your name again?
Primary Witness: My name
is Moses Kerkulah.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in
Sanoyea District.
What is your age?
Primary Witness: I am 34
years of age.
What do you do for living?
Primary Witness: I am a
farmer now.
What you use to do first?
Primary Witness: I was going to school.
When did you stop going to
school?
Primary Witness: I stopped
going to school in 1990.
Primary Witness: During
this war, it was 1994, one of my brothers, we are 3 brothers. So one of they
call Cyrus, so when the war came, we decided to come back to our town. When the
war came, they kill my brother right in front of me. So I was scared, I say I
can't stay here, so I went in the bush because at that time the whole of
Sanoyea was not saved. Because they had
one group in Sanoyea, they use to call the Bandies. They say first that they
came to guard us. When they sent any commander there his own friend them will
kill him. So they sent one general there by the name of General Sawkpor. When
they came, they use to do all kinds of bad thing in the town. But that time,
they use to have one group call the Bandies. They use to be doing all kinds of
things there, they use to raped the women them, kill and loot people things. So
I say I can't stay in this place. So I went in the bush. After some times I
stayed in the bush that bush, one day, I tell my ma say I can't stay here; I
want to go back to the town. So I started going, me and some other people them.
When we were on our way, we were 3, as soon as we left the bush and we got on
the road, that how we met them and they halted us. So one of my sister was there,
she was having baby, so she was sacred and she ran away in the bush. So that
how they ask us where your going? We told them we going back to our town. So they took us and carry us back to the
kitchen where my ma them was air, that how we started carrying them. So when we
got there, my other sister was there, she was having baby; they rape my sister
in front of me. I was standing there. Yes, I was standing there, it was hurting
me, but that was nothing I can do. I was standing right there, I saw it. So that
the thing I get to tell the TRC.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Co chair: we want to thank
you for coming to the TRC; your testimony will help us do our work. And we are
sorry for every thing that happened to you. We want to say sorry for the death
of your brother and tell your sister sorry for what happen to her. You said
they kill your brother in front of you, do you know why?
Primary Witness: No, I
will not lie, because I just saw them put him in line and they fire them.
Was he married or had children?
Primary Witness: No, but
he had a girl friend.
What is her name?
Primary Witness: Her name
is Korlu.
Did they have children?
Primary Witness: No.
Where is she now?
Primary Witness: She is in
the bush.
Commissioner Steward: I
want to thank you for coming and sorry for what happen to you. This group that
kill your brother, who were they?
Primary Witness: They were
NPFL.
Who was their head?
Primary Witness: He was
General Monami.
Is it the same man that was at
Sinje?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Was he a Liberian?
Primary Witness: No, he
does not sound like a Liberian.
Since that time, have you seen
him?
Primary Witness: No, I
have not seen him.
You said, your sister was raped,
what happened to the baby?
Primary Witness: The baby
died the next day.
Did she die?
Primary Witness: No, but
she was feeling bad, but my mother help her.
But has she gone to the hospital?
Primary Witness: No.
Is everything ok with her?
Primary Witness: Some time
I can see her she na well.
The people who did the thing, do
you know them?
Primary Witness: No, I
can't remember them.
Besides the rape of your sister,
did they rape other people?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Did they loot?
Primary Witness: Yes, they
were looting.
Did they force boys to be
soldiers?
Primary Witness: Yes, we
were all in the bush, they force us from the bush, and brought all the boys out
side, but I was sacred, so I never came out, and when I came back my ,mother
told me they carry some boys when they came back, they were soldiers.
Did you have any experience with
ULIMO?
Primary Witness: No,
because I was too afraid, only NPFL I saw.
And you were in Yakpai town till
now?
Primary Witness: Yes.
When LURD came, did they do
anything to you?
Primary Witness: No, I was
not there.
Can you remember anything about
the Bandies, in Sanoyea?
Primary Witness: Yes.
But do you about the involvement
of Richard Flomo?
Primary Witness: Yes, I
know him.
Did you see him?
Primary Witness: No, he
lives far away from my town.
Did you hear about any killing
about the bandies in your area?
Primary Witness: The
Bandies kill, they kill in Sanoyea.
Besides this General who else do
you remember?
Primary Witness: It was
General Siafa Momo, and general Sawkpor.
Can you see any of them?
Primary Witness: Yes, they
are alive but in Monrovia.
In 2003, what were the bandies
involve in?
Primary Witness: They sent
them there to take care of the civilians. One general Abel Mulbah, he was sent
there, and this General Abel Mulbah was their head, and the bandies kill him,
and that how they started taking over Sanoyea. So we use to haul rice for them.
How did they kill him?
Primary Witness: They just
catch him and kill him, his own man them.
Commissioner Konneh: thank
you for your testimony and sorry for the death of your brother. You talk about
one general, what is his name?
Primary Witness: His name
was Gogai Gee.
How did he treat the civilians?
Primary Witness: He
treated them very bad.
Like how?
Primary Witness: Like
raping, making us to carry their load.
Besides, your sister, did they
rape any other person?
Primary Witness: Yes, one
girl call Yakpai, and one other one called Waysei, but she died.
Did you talk about any general
Saye?
Primary Witness: No.
What's about Siafa?
Primary Witness: I heard he
is in Bomi.
What about general Sawkpor?
Primary Witness: I don't
know.
Commissioner Syllah: thank
you very much. Your sister, where is she now?
She is in Monrovia.
Since that time, has she complain
about her health?
Primary Witness: Yes, she
always complains about her stomach.
Does she have children?
Primary Witness: Yes, she
had children since that time.
Co chair: do you have any
thing to say to the TRC before you leave?
Primary Witness: Yes, I
will like to tell the TRC thank you for what you are doing. In our area there,
I will like for your to help us open a trade school there so some of us can go
to school, we want to learn but what do we do? And I want to thank the council
member of the TRC and the commissioners.
Twenty-Third Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Joseph McGill
(Eighth Primary Witness of day three)
The Eighth Primary Witness of the
day was called to the stand and he was accompanied by the psychosocial officer
and the protections officer of the TRC. The Primary Witness was then sworn to
tell the truth and nothing but the truth by the TRC Hearings Officer. He was
accompanied by an interpreter
Co-Chair: We want to thank you for agreeing to share
your story. We are asked to go through all of the atrocity that were done and
to document it. What is your name?
Primary
Witness: I am Joseph McGill.
What is your
age?
Primary Witness: I am 40 years old.
Where do you
live?
Primary Witness: I presently live in Gbarnga.
What do you do
for a living?
Primary Witness: I do farming Garden, I plant
vegetables pepper and batter ball.
Primary Witness: The starting 1994, we left Gbarnga
and went to Kokoya the group call LPC came and we left again. One evening, we
saw one man and a litter boy coming on our farm he came and grabbed me and
knock me down. On the farm there was my wife one blind man and myself. They
tied me and he said he was going to kill me. And one man came and beg for me
and when he left me, he took my wife and carry her and rape her and he came
again and tie me. One boy was coming, Richard he grabbed the boy and carry him.
I was very scared now and we went to Zota but while there, my daughter was with
my mother and so we came back to look for them and when we came I find my
daughter with the old ma. Another war came, Charles Taylor group came and one
other group with Paul Kromah. My two daughters and myself went on our farm and
while there, I left them at the kitchen and went in the bush, and some man came
and ask for me and my daught
Back to List of Transcripts
|
