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The Forth Day of the TRC Public Hearings Proceedings
held on Thursday March 6, 2008 at the Zwedru
City Hall, Grand Gedeh
County. 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 his testimony.
Twenty-fifth Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Zwedru City Grand Gedeh County
Jessie Tuilar
(First Primary Witness of day four)
The First Primary Witness of the
day was called to the stand and she 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: we want to thank you for
coming to the TRC Public Hearings, what you have come to do is pact of the
peace and reconciliation process we are trying to achieve. So we want to
appreciate you coming this morning to tell your story.
What is your name again?
Primary Witness: My name is Jessie
Tuilar.
What is your date of birth?
Primary Witness: I don't know my birth
date.
Primary Witness: I tell your thank you.
One woman had dream about my man. She said in her dream she see my husband was
standing over her with leaves in his mouth. That why they called my husband to
the town chief. When they called him and asked about it he said he didn't know
anything about it. But they started beating him plenty. That was in Putu. They
tied him. They carried in front of the town chief and came for my children and
myself. In front of us they fired him and told us to laugh. Then we started
laughing. The way they buried him I don't know anything about it. All the
Tchienpo District got together and had meeting and asked the woman who had the
dream my man died from why she had this kind of dream that resulted to the death
of the High Priest in the town. To tell your the truth, since it happened my
heart has been cutting whenever I hear someone talking. [witness weeps].
Questions from the Commissioners:
Vice Chairman: Sorry for
what happened to you and your children. We the TRC commissioners say sorry. The
talk where you talked here today is not for you alone, but for others like you
and your husband can't talk now. So we say sorry. Commissioners will now ask
you questions to know clearly what happened.
Commissioner Bull: Ma, I
want to join the Boss lady to tell you sorry. The talk where you talked here
today, you've got to cry. Me and my colleagues say today the victory day for
because the people did it and told your to laugh. These people's names will be
called and it will be written on paper and it will be on radio. Do you know the
people who did that to you?
Primary
Witness: That Gio people killed my husband.
But you said some
of your own people assisted the killers. What were their names?
Primary
Witness: Jacob Wesseh
Commissioner
Washington: Ma Jessie, sorry for what happened to you. I know it is
hard to understand what happened to your husband because we want to get to the
bottom of the story. Was there fighting in the areas, and what group was
fighting?
Primary
Witness: Yes, they were called freedom fighters - NPFL.
Can you remember
what year?
Primary
Witness: It stayed long now I can't remember
It happened at
the beginning of the war, in the middle of the war or at the end?
Primary
Witness: At the beginning of the war.
Who was the
commander at the time they killed your husband?
Primary
Witness: David
Who all carried
your husband to the commander following the dream?
Primary
Witness: The town people took my man to the town chief.
How long was it between
the time the judged your husband and the time they executed him?
Primary
Witness: Three days
Were they doing
similar thing to other people in the town or to him alone?
Primary
Witness: They accused other people, too.
They killed the
other people, too?
Primary
Witness: No they just gave them sassy wood
Do you know
where David and Noriega are now?
Primary
Witness: No, I don't know where they are.
Commissioner
Coleman: What was the duty of the High Priest of that village?
Primary
Witness: The medicine house they build that the place he was.
Was he going to
church?
Primary
Witness: Yes, but that was after the high priest business before he
joined.
What church?
Primary
Witness: AG Church.
What was the
culture in which the high priest was a member?
Primary
Witness: That was Grebo culture.
Commissioner
Syllah: Ma Jessie, thank you for coming to the TRC and sorry for the
death of your husband and of your suffering. What was the name of the boy they
beat until he developed sore?
Primary Witness: Timothy
What did he do?
Primary Witness: Because
he said the should carry his pa to the big town instead of to the town chief
Commissioner Konneh: when
they took your husband to the town chief did you go there?
Primary Witness: No, I did
not go there
But how then you know that it was
the town chief that gave the orders?
Primary Witness: Because
my husband was in the hand of the town chief until the fighters killed him.
But was it the sassy wood that
got him or he was shot?
Primary Witness: They sassy
wood did not caught him, but they shot him.
The woman who had the dream that
resulted to your husband's death is still alive?
Primary Witness: Yes she
is still alive.
What is the rapport between you
and here?
Primary Witness: We
married to the same family we can eat together now
Vice chairman: thanked you
for coming any last word?
Is there any last word that you
have for the commission and the people of Liberia before you leave?
Primary Witness: I thank
you for coming to settle between the people who did bad and the people that did
the bad to let the peace come for we in the county.
Twenty-sixth Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Zwedru City Grand Gedeh County
Kowa Bah
(Second Primary Witness of day four)
The Second Primary Witness of the
day was called to the stand and she 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: good morning and welcome to the TRC public
hearings and for taking up your time to come to the hearings to tell your story
to the people of Liberia, Grand Gedeh
County and the
Commissioners of the TRC.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: In Zwedru
What is your name?
Primary Witness: Kowa Bah
What is your age?
Primary Witness: 70 years
What are you doing for living?
Primary Witness: Farming
cassava and rice
Primary Witness: I thank
you, what I here for war time. I was in Monrovia
with my father and mother was in the bush, so I told my husband that was going
to my parents in the bush. Before I came they said that parents are in the
bush. So went to the village behind them. It not even pass one week self.
General Gonda was killing our people. That everybody the gather and brought
them to this Zwedru here. So my father and myself and all the oldma them, ran
in the bush. I say I came from Monrovia,
my pa and ma ran in the bush. So I went after them. So when I went the there we
make 5 to 6 days, then everybody them they go Ivory Coast. Then my pa get plenty
papay and oldma them. Some of them can't
see, some of them crippled. Yes, so we went in the bush. When I went in the
bush, then nobody was in Zwedru. Then Gonda, Gonda he is the big man he just
gave order then they started walking in all the villages. So the place where we
were egh near Dueh river that the place my pa village egh. So we were there, every man they make 5 day
then they say the United Nation people here they say the war end oh. So let go
to Zwedru oh. So the other men where behind my pa they ran away they go to Ivory Coast.
So my pa and myself and the oldma them that all we were there, so what I will
do my people? I can't leave my people and go to Ivory Coast. Some of them crippled
they can't see. So we were there. When day brake now I say papay hurry let's go
in town. The place where you and your people will sit down that the place we
will still before the war could that the place we were egh me and the oldma. We
were there when they bring my pa in town
When my pa was in the bush, then
one girl there she ran away from Koma town way then they say, then her pa bring
her among us. We were there, as soon the girl there and they brought my pa in
town now, then they say this man that fighter he get gun to the village. So my
pa say since I am in jail and you want lie on me that I have gun, I na no
hunter. So pa when they leave there, they put pa in jail now. About six (6) men
they came with the girl, they say we come to your all the things them, my valise
and everything they started putting them outside. So while we see them with
arms what we will do, so they carried them. When they go now, my pa was get
some kind of tank fix with tarpaulin. They take the papay where can see where
can't walk they put them in one house. Then they say, all of them they say let
go behind there. I say what you want do to me? Then they lit matches on top of
the tarpaulin. All the papay them that were in the house there everybody they
burned them. None of them move from there. I say alright the thing where you
find they started raping me. When they finished they sent me behind the house
then I hide myself. And they looked for me almost through out they not find me.
They checked all around and they left and they went. I was to that village they
passing there asking people that get gun, I say I don't get and the people were
going to Ivory Coast.
I was in the bush when I heard
that they killed my pa then I left and went to Ivory Coast. I go Ivory Coast,
that the place we were I was now all the things everything they take them and
carried them. In the night round 6:00 in the morning when Yellow Jacket come,
they tell the people that they say he said I want buy goat, I want buy goats.
When we go look now in the morning 7 o'clock, when they come home now that
Yellow Jacket that Genaral Gonda. I say oh I thought they people were our
people, but before 7 o'clock then they started carrying our goats. When they
carried them, they carried everything to Zwedru and then the other men them come
and we started running away in the bush. So we told each other and we say the
people them, the war coming back oh. So one woman her house on the center of
the road. See the woman she not get no where to go. And the man went in the
house with the woman the woman was crying, my people your come for me oh, I
will die oh, I will die oh, when the people ready to go they go so that what
happened. So we were there, when we make farm me and my children make farm so
that we will eat and I want money to send them to school. That all I hear
business I come to your. And that it we talk, and that it we came?
Questions from the Commissioners:
Chairman: thank you for
the story and we are very sorry for what happened to you and your family. What
year it took place
Primary Witness: 1991
Do you know the people, the
commander of the force?
Primary Witness: Gonda was
the commander
What group was fighting for?
Primary Witness: It was
not Model, it was Charles Taylor's people
How many people they burned?
Primary Witness: oldman
Weah, oldma Matha, oldma Sarah, oldman Vahn and oldman Saweh
What was the town's name?
Primary Witness: Solo Town
Commissioner Konneh: You
know the fighting that took place here, three groups were involved, the Charles
Taylor- NPFL, George Borley- LPC and MODEL.
Which of these groups that came
to your town?
Primary Witness: It was
the Charles Taylor group
How did they kill them?
Primary Witness: They put
them in one house and the put fire on it
Do you know the names of other
villages that they burned?
Primary Witness: Sayee
village, Dweh village and Doe village
Do you know other people that
were burned too?
Primary Witness: John bah
was burned with.
Was John bar was among the people
that were burned?
Primary Witness: No, he
was not there
When MODEL came what happened?
Primary Witness: Model
killed all our goats and chicken
Yellow Jacket what group they
were
Primary Witness: I don't
know what group the come from'
They force your children to join
them?
Primary Witness: No
They grabbed girls for their
wives?
Primary Witness: No
Do they force your to tote their
loads?
Primary Witness: yes
What about LPC
Primary Witness: I was in Ivory Coast, I
was not here.
Commissioner Syllah: thank
you very much for telling your story. We
say sorry for what happened to you and your people. The burning of the people
that can't see and the people that can't walk, even the oldmas and the oldpas was
very bad and sorry once more.
Do you know why they killed them
that way the burned them?
Primary Witness: I don't
know
The place the burned what have
you done about that place?
Primary Witness: Nothing
was done
Where are their children?
Primary Witness: they are
living, but no hand
Who killed your father in the
village?
Primary Witness: it was General
Gonda
Commissioner Coleman:
thank you for you to join the others to come and tell your story to the TRC. From
what I understand, my husband was he killed in 1991 by Gonda, is it true?
Primary Witness: Yes
What reasons they did this?
Primary Witness: I don't
know
Do you know that they were
looking for tribal people the Krahn people alone?
Primary Witness: No,
Anybody else died?
Primary Witness: My mother
and my pa
Commissioner Dolopei: Do
you come with your children?
Primary Witness: No, my
brother carried them to Ivory
Coast
Where is your husband?
Primary Witness: He died
to Freeport
with Doe
Which year?
Primary Witness: I think
1990
What is his name?
Primary Witness: General
David K. Wright
At the time your husband died,
were you in Monrovia?
Primary Witness: No, I was
there
Commissioner Washington: What
was his rank?
Primary Witness: he was
General
Do you know any other thing about
his death?
Primary Witness: No, my
brother and others died alone with Doe
What were your brothers doing in
the Mansion, were they soldier people?
Primary Witness: they were
soldiers
What is your tribe?
Primary Witness: I am
Krahn
How many of your brothers,
besides your husband that died alone with Doe?
Primary Witness: 5
brothers
Was it September 9, (1990) right?
Primary Witness: Yes
Has anybody from the AFL or the
government has come you to sympathy with you or to console you?
Primary Witness: No
Who was the commander at the Freeport that killed your
husband and your brothers?
Primary Witness: that
Prince Johnson
Do you know anybody from the Freeport incident who
survived?
Primary Witness: No
How many children do you have?
Primary Witness: 7
children
When they were born or their
ages?
Primary Witness: The first
one was born 1975, the other one was born 82, the other one born 84, the other
born 86, and the last one born 1990,
Can you name your five brothers
that were killed alone with Doe?
Primary Witness: James Nyuanwlu,
Moses Bah, Isaac Kanna, Dennis Freeman, Marvin Win-yon
What was their rank?
Primary Witness: Jame Nyuanwlu
was 1st leut, Dennis Freeman was Warrant Officer, Marvin Win-yon was
2nd leut, Isaac Kanna was 1st sgt and Moses Bah
was Private
Did you go to the barrack about
their death?
Primary Witness: No,
Do you manage to contact anyone?
Primary Witness: No
Who was their overall commander
of the AFL at the time your husband brothers were killed?
Primary Witness: General
Alfred Glaye
Do you know whether he (Alfred
Glaye) alive?
Primary Witness: No, He
died
Have you had memory service for
them?
Primary Witness: No,
No counseling from any program,
NGO, or other groups?
Primary Witness: No
Commissioner Bull: when
you said 70 that thought that you were born 1970, but when you said that your
children was born 1975, then I know that you were older. You have given us the correct names and this
will help us a lot in the historic of Liberia. Now we have got some of
the names of those that die alone with the late President Doe. Sorry once again
for the death of your brothers and husband.
Please say you name loud again
Primary Witness: My name
Kawu Bah
What is the name of your husband?
Primary Witness: General
David K. Wright my husband
Commissioner Dolopei: I
want for you to cry the reason I want for you to cry is that you will receive
inner healing. There all the other
widows in Monrovia
going and receiving their late husband death pay. But you are here left alone
no one to help you with even the children's school fee and even a home as you
mentioned earlier. I want for you to cry out all your grieves and let the pain
go away from you. Sorry once again.
Commissioner Konneh:
Students I want today to take it as an opportunity to hear the first hand story
of what happened to others in the war. There are other students that would like
to be here but they don't have that opportunity. You are your future, so you
have to pay attention to this. What has happened to day is history that is in
the making. And you should be glad that you are part or have the opportunity to
hear or witness it. So you students must pay attention and be silent.
Chairman: anything you
want say to us before go
Primary Witness: I want
for your to help me
How many children under your
control
Primary Witness: 8
children
Highest grade
Primary Witness: 4th
grade, 10th grader in Monrovia,
the one that is here with me is not going to school now. I want TRC to help me
to send them to school. And for you to build a house for me to live in. thank
your very much.
Sorry for what has happened to
you. This is the reason why the TRC was established to look in all the bad, bad
things that has happened to people. Whether Krahn or any other tribe in fact.
It is wrong for any one to do such things to any one. It is against the Laws of
Liberia and the International Humanitarian Laws. This is also why we are going
to every county
of Liberia to hear and
even go some of the place these things have taken place. At the end of our
work, we will make our reports and in that report we will make some
recommendations from all these things we have been hearing and seeing in all
these counties....Sorry ma, you can leave now.
Twenty-seventh Primary Witnesses of the
TRC Public Hearings in
Zwedru City Grand Gedeh County
Doris Wuludea Zleh
(Third Primary Witness of day four)
The Third Primary Witness of the
day was called to the stand and she 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: good morning and welcome to the TRC public
hearings and for taking up your time to come to the hearings to tell your story
to the people of Liberia, Grand Gedeh
County and the
Commissioners of the TRC.
What is your name again?
Primary Witness: My name
is Doris Wuludea Zleh.
Where were you born?
Primary Witness: I was
born during President Tubman era.
What do you do presently?
Primary Witness: I am a
farmer.
Primary Witness: During
1990 I lived at Sherman Farm, Bomi highway. When the approached Kakata, during
that time I joined the other people to run. My husband went separate place. We
went behind the train track. Later the rebels reached to us and attacked us.
Two of my children died instantly. I had baby on my back. I ran to the other
people. Then together we ran further and the rebels asked for my tribe. I told
them I was a Bassa woman. But they paid more attention to the luggage we were
carrying and that helped to escaped unnoticed. My son was in the pool of blood.
While running we came across rebels on the road and my three sons ran away and
the rebels captured me and they brought me to town (Kakata) and told their
chief that this is the tribe woman we have captured, but Charles Taylor has
passed law that nobody must kill any Krahn man any more. Then General Isaac
Musa came and said that even though these people are Krahn but they are poor
people. The rich ones have all left so we must not kill them. They freed us
then we went to Bong Mines. There I lived until the end of the war before I
came here. They killed two of my sons in my presence and the baby I had on my
back also died of cholera and malnutrition. This is what I went through.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Chairman: Thank you for
coming to the TRC and I want to extend our deepest sympathy on behalf of the
Commission. The Commissioners will ask you a few questions just for
clarification. Since your brother went his separate way have you seen him or
heard of him?
Primary Witness: When we
were in Bong Mines area we heard that they killed my husband in Bong Mines
area, but I did not see the grave.
The two children that died on the
spot what were their names and ages?
Primary Witness: Papay
Dennis 7 yrs, Daye Dennis 5 yrs and Zaza Dennis 7 months
Commissioner Konneh: Were
you able to reconnect the two boys that got missing from you at the time the
rebels dragged their cutlass on the ground to scare you?
Primary Witness: Yes
Commissioner Syllah: Ma,
sorry for the death of your children and may God console you. Thank you.
Commissioner Coleman: How
are you managing now without your husband?
Primary Witness: I have
been managing, but ain't been easy without my husband to take care of the all
the balance children it's hard.
Chairman: We the TRC
people say sorry to you for coming to the TRC. By you coming to the TRC you
have demonstrated that the war is over. By your coming also the whole world now
knows that you are ready for forgive. The suffering that the Krahn people went
through just because they were Krahn people was wrong and against the Liberian
law. The Krahn people have to enjoy their life as citizens of Liberia.
Is there any last word that you
have to leave with us?
Primary Witness: I want
the TRC help build a house for me and help my children to go to school.
We hear it. Thank you for coming
to the TRC and shall take this request to the government.
End of day four of the TRC Public
Hearings Grand Gedeh County
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