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The First day of the TRC Public Hearings Proceedings
held on Monday April 28, 2008 at the C.H Dewey Auditorium, Bomi County.
The Hearings session started with the Commissioners of the TRC being ushered
into their seats followed by the singing of the national anthem by the
audience. This was followed by the handing over of the keys of the city after
which the traditional council members came fourth to present chicken and kola
nuts which are symbols of welcome to the TRC team in the county. The TRC County
Coordinator for the county was called upon to introduce members of the TRC and
the County Authority present at the occasion. This was followed by a speech from the Superintendent
of the county. The Chairman rounded it up with his welcome speech and
introduced the Commissioners of the TRC to the audience after which he declared
open the Hearings Process.
First Primary Witnesses of the TRC Public
Hearings in
Tubmanburg, Bomi County
Moses Bridge
(First Primary Witness of day one)
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: Good morning and
welcome top the TRC we are happy to receive you and want to welcome you to the
Public Hearings here in the county. This is a national process and your
contribution will help in bringing peace and stability to this country.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in
Vai Town One
What do you do on a daily basis?
Primary Witness: I am
doing nothing
What is your date of birth?
Primary Witness: I was
born 1931 July 17th
Primary Witness: I will
start from 2002, it was on a Thursday when the government troops came3 to
attack and my little nephew went on the other side the forced him to take armor
and the LURD forces came ands killed four of them men and my nephew came and
the NP commander Solo caught him and said he connived with the people. As such
my name and some other people names were called and they came and caught us.
When they came for me they caught me and carried me and I explained and told
them I knew nothing about what was going on and they freed me and they took my
nephew and they went and killed him.
The next day when there was no
enough amour the retreated and the government troops came in and started firing
and there was no answer. The next day on a Saturday the said we the civilians
should go to the gas station and hey were dividing many things. Io was the
first person who the journalist came to investigate and I told them we were
happy with them. The next day they said the commander wanted to see us and at
5:00 o'clock Benjamin Yeaten came and said he had a piece of job for us to do
at the Mahir Bridge for 15 minutes and he took a lot of people and carried them
to the bridge and they killed them and when the truck came back it was empty
and some people spy blood in the truck so my uncle said they na killed my
people. The truck carried the second group and it came back empty. They went
and killed them and the third round was us and when they carried us I saw the
blood at the bridge and I told my wife that something happened here.
When we got there my wife was the
first person the called and they said you old man get on this side. Then my
wife told me I am going to doe and we promise not to divorce so you should be
careful because I am going to die. While she was talking they shot her and she
died, then the man asked if he should shot again but they said no so he use the
knife to juke her. Then I was called to come down and he said you know how we
treated that woman and I said it is my wife you just killed so he said I was
good to go. I told him let us pray and
he said we are not here for prayer so I was going to die and I had my bible
with the picture of my wife and myself inside. The man who was to killed me
came close to me but the gun could not shot so they push me in the water and
that is how I managed to swim and I went under the water and down to the bridge
where I was and hearing them killing a lot of people on the bridge.
Young children, women and older
people were all killed there that night. I was there washing all that was going
on. I slept there and the next morning one of my friends called Jallaba came
and I called him and asked for his tribe and he said he was a Gola and I told
him we should cross the road and go to where my sisters had their village at
the other side. When we went there we ate pineapple and it was troubling us, we
were in the bush for eight days and the ninth day I told him I could no be in
the bush so I left and we came to ray hill we slept there and the next day we
started moving. On our way God was with us and we could not get hungry, snake
bate my friend and nothing happened to him, and when we got on the road the
boys caught us and said we were rebels and I told him I was not a rebel I was
going to Bomi and he said I must go to Mahir and he started hitting me for
eight time. He beat me so much that today I can't stand, my own farm I can't go
there because of the way that young man beat me. So I insulted him and said that
he should kill me instead of putting pains in me and so his friend said he
should leave me and that is how they left me.
While we were going I saw one of
my friends and I said what is the situation at the combat gate and he said
there was no problem so we went there and when we reach there one boy said
papie do you thing you can make it and I said yes. There was one soldier who
was Gola who told his wife if she cooks she should leave food for me but I
could not eat and the next day I left and I got in the town here at 9 o'clock.
When I came here I was at our quarters for three months and they thought I was
dead and later one of my daughter came with the soldier car and took me to Monrovia. That is what
happened to me in the war, I will not go back to other things, but the killing
of my wife is what is the worse problem I have and I am suffering a lot because
of her. I am always thinking about and I have no body to help me since she
died.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Chairman: Thanks for
sharing your testimony with us.
Commissioner Bull: Mr.
Bridge, we want to say sorry for what happen to you. The same God you call upon
that save you is the one who will judge and will come to your call. And hope
you will find some solutions to these wrongs, and give some recommendations to
the Liberian people. The Mohair
River you talk about, you
could give recommendations so that the name will change. Thanks for coming
Commissioner Konneh: We
join our colleagues in expressing our condolences to you and many others for no
reasons but for malaise. It is painful that the one you love dearly should be
taken away. From the beginning you said, you wouldn't like to go from 1990 but
would you please give us summary of what you witness to include that in our
report and record to the Liberian people. My question is what was your
experience during the war after or before?
Primary Witness: Taylor came 1990, we were
doing things normally. ULIMO came and say they want to free us and then they
split and doing damage. I had two machines and six houses and everything was damage.
So those are things. Only ULIMO did that by taken property. Taylor people were my best friends we used to
do my work cane juice and sometimes I even give them some. ULIMO came people
used to eat lazar, frog and some got sick and die from it. Those were things,
but blood was not wasted in my town.
Which group split?
Primary Witness: ULIMO K
and ULIMO J
When they split, where were they?
Primary Witness: ULIMO J
was in Lofa.
When the Mohair issue took place,
were you the last group?
Primary Witness: No, the
third group.
How many?
Primary Witness: About
five
How many in your group?
Primary Witness: Many
Do you know who was the hard
doing the killing?
Primary Witness: No.
Commissioner Dolopei: Good
morning Mr. Bridge. I join my colleagues in expressing our sympathy also for
coming. You took courage just to come and conquer impunity. So we want to
encourage you to find faith in God.
Commissioner Washington: Sorry
for the lost of your wife and other relatives.
You said you don't know the name
of any of those people?
Primary Witness: Yes.
You never hard any of their
names?
Primary Witness: No
You mentioned Benjamin Yetan?
Primary Witness: Yes
Where was he?
Primary Witness: To a
house there
He was there?
Primary Witness: Yes
So he was the head?
Primary Witness: Yes, he
gave order.
You said you don't know another
person?
Primary Witness: Yes.
You said he use to take his
relatives from the group?
Primary Witness: Yes.
The killing was plan and
selective?
Primary Witness: Yes, we
didn't have any one they kill our people.
After the killing, you run in the
bush?
Primary Witness: Yes.
You know what was done with your
wife body?
Primary Witness: Yes, they
put her in the water, her body was given to fish that?s what hurting me because
I was not even able to bury her bones.
Can you estimate the bodies?
Primary Witness: No, when
I tell you, I lie.
How long they were carrying
people to kill?
Primary Witness: From 6:30
after 12:00 they were killing.
Commissioner Stewart: Can
you tell us who some of those were?
Primary Witness: Some are
here now, we who survived one Mandingo and one James about five
Is that all?
Primary Witness: Yes,
about those that I know. I know about six survivals.
Were you able to get the count
about those killed?
Primary Witness: No.
Before your time, how many
pick-up they carried?
Primary Witness: I was the
third
We just want to have the idea
about the amount- Stewart
Did you come back to Trumansburg?
Primary Witness: I came
back Bomi, ten days I live here from July to August.
When you got back, did you meet
people?
Primary Witness: Yes, they
even say I was spirit one Kissi man brought me clothes.
Was there a general state of fear
with the people?
Primary Witness: No.
Did they come to take people
away?
Primary Witness: No
Who was the commander?
Primary Witness: I don't
know their names
Any government authority came to
find out the reason why?
Primary Witness: One
Kpalla boy came and said it was not good for killing our people.
Has there been any time where
they have had ceremonies?
Primary Witness: Yes, one
fat woman and we went to father Garray.
Is it 15th of July?
Primary Witness: No, July
20th.
Commissioner Syllah: We
say sorry for the death of your wife. What is the name of your wife?
Primary Witness: Tamue Bridge
Were any of your children
present?
Primary Witness: No.
Where are they?
Primary Witness: Some are
marry
What is the name of your friend
that the snake bit?
Primary Witness: Ama
Jabbah
What is the name of your Nephew?
Primary Witness: Kolubah
Sumo Dakar
How did you get medication for
your wound on your back?
Primary Witness: No
medicine.
Do you know any body by name at
the time they were distributing the food to your?
Primary Witness: No, I
don't know but a lady, and they kill her.
Benjamin Yeaten did he kill?
Primary Witness: No, he
only gave instruction.
Did Rolland Due give instruction?
Primary Witness: Yes, he
knew what was happening.
Commissioner Dolopei: The
woman who was sharing the food, where is she?
Primary Witness: Only her
sister.
Chairman: Do you have any
thing last to say?
Primary Witness: I thank
TRC to come. I thank your very, very much. Not only I alone, but other people
children are suffering so your help us. Some widows don't have husbands and they
are suffering. No medicine, I bed your must help us. Two boys who they kill,
there father is living and no body to help him.
Second Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Tubmanburg, Bomi County
Watta Kanneh
(Second Primary Witness of day one)
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 and thanks for coming, we are happy
that you came because this is what we are doing all over Liberia; we are doing this so that we will not
have war in Liberia
again. Please tell us your name.
Primary Witness: My name is Watta Kpannah.
What are you doing for living?
Primary Witness: Sell small, small things.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in Morley Town, Inside New Road.
What is your age?
Primary Witness: I do not know but I was born and I
saw President Tubman.
You can now tell us your story.
Primary Witness: When the war started, we went in
the bushes and the Government Troops came and took us to town. Another time, we
heard that LURD was coming. One day LURD and Government troops fought and we
went in the bush. But the government troops followed us and said that their big
man wants to see us. They brought us in town and put us in one house. Later
around 5:00 pm, they said that were carrying us to a camp for us to live there.
They separated us, put the men one side, the women one side and the young boys
another. They cooked dry rice and they gave us, but me and my children refused
to eat.
In the night, they used to come
for us, sometimes 5 persons, 10 persons and they say they have finished fixing
a camp for us to live; they came again and carried my children. After few
minutes in the night, they came for us and we knew now that they were killing
the people they were carrying. When we reached, the soldiers said that the tire
has spoiled and they started putting people down and killing them one by one.
One of the soldiers came and
called, when I got down from the car, I stepped in the blood and it got all on
my clothes and the soldier hurt me with the knife and the big man showed the
flash light and saw the blood and said that I was finished and he told the boy
to leave be because I was finished and the boy pushed me in the river; as god
would have it, I managed and left the water. When day broke, I started walking
in the bushes and looking for old roads to follow. I went and I got on a farm
and saw a new fence and I knew that there were people around the area. I looked
and later, I saw two girls washing clothes and when they saw me, they wanted to
run away because I had blood all over my body. I told them that all my children
were killed and I am running away. They asked me for my tribe and I told them
that I was a Kpelleh woman; they took me to one Kpelleh woman in the area and
she gave me some clothes and asked that I remain there until the war can finish.
I left there until the war went down and later I went on the Camp on Ricks. But
the soldier took the small girl to Congo town. When LURD came and the
war finished, I went to look for the girl, but when the war finished all
together, I went to Monrovia
and I brought here. The other boy, they killed his mother and father, he is
there, another, they killed his mother, father and brother, someone took him
and he is in the camp that what happened to me in the war.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Chairman: Thanks for
coming and telling your story. How many people died from you?
Primary Witness: Nine (9) persons
Can you please call their names
to us?
Primary Witness: Sumo Ballah - son, Edward Ballah -
son, Mcgill Ballah - grand son, Yassiah - Ballah - son, Ansu Dorley, Junior
Ballah - son, Korpo Ballah - daughter, Rebecca Ballah - daughter, Marlon Ballah
- daughter.
Your means everybody were killed
at the Mahead Bridge?
Primary Witness: Yes.
They carried you and your
children on the same car?
Primary Witness: No, they were in the car in front
of us and we were behind them.
Who they killed first?
Primary Witness: My children.
How many children you have living
and their names?
Primary Witness: I have two children and they are
Kpannah and Fatu.
You hear names of any big person
that were killing the people?
Primary Witness: Yes, the name I used to hear was
Benjamin Yanten.
What's about the man who was
driving the car?
Primary Witness: I do not know him.
Commissioner Syllah: Sorry
for what happened to you. I have no questions for you.
Commissioner Coleman: You
say they killed those people?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Where were your two daughters
that survived?
Primary Witness: They were there, at the time, Fatu
was small but very beautiful and the soldiers said they wanted her, so they
took her from among us; the other girl was pregnant for 7 months and they gave
her to one of the soldiers to carry her and kill her. While they were going,
she started crying in Kpelleh and luckily for her, the soldier who was going to
kill her was a Kpelleh man; when they got there, the soldier felt sorry for her
and told her that she must sit in the water and he will shot three times in the
air so that he can tell his bosses that he has killed her. They went through
this and he save the girl and later, she went on the camp. When she got in the
camp, she started looking for and we met.
What is the name of the soldier
man who carried the girl?
Primary Witness: I do not know.
Have you seen the soldiers who
save your daughter?
Primary Witness: No.
Some people were still behind
when they carried your?
Primary Witness: Yes, but I hear say they fired all
the people in the house because they were tired to carry people way to the
bridge.
That's in the night they carried
your?
Primary Witness: Yes, it was around 5:00 pm, they
waited until in the night, then they will come and say, your friends finished
reached, so lets go.
Do you know some people who were
killed besides your children?
Primary Witness: Yes, they killed plenty but I do
not know them; we had some Gbandi people, Lorma people and several others. In
fact, we had one Freetown
boy as a soldier who was minding us in the house for us not to leave.
Commissioner Dolopei: Thanks for coming; God got his reason why he
save you, we say never mind, some of us cannot go through what you went
through, God will always be with you.
Commissioner Coleman: I
join my friends to say very sorry for all that you went through.
Commissioner Konneh: I want to join my fellow colleagues to say
never mind; people born children so that they will make their parents famous in
the community; for you to see the children you born, you went through all the
pains to be killed in such a manner, it was very bad. You went through all these
things but yet you have the courage to talk to us. Can you identify anyone of
the people who did that killing?
Primary Witness: No, the only boy I could remember
has died.
Have you been to the hospital for
injection?
Primary Witness: Yes, it was my uncle I met in the
Camp and he took me to the hospital for treatment.
Now all your children are killed,
besides these two, who is taking care of you?
Primary Witness: Sometimes, I can sell my potatoes
grains and that Kpannah can help me.
Are the other two children going
to school?
Primary Witness: Yes, the other boy is crippled and
going to school
What class is he in?
Primary Witness: That only ABC he can write.
Was he crippled before the war?
Primary Witness: Yes, he got sick in our hands and
got crippled. When the soldiers carried us to kill us, they just said that
there was no use to spoil their shots and they threw him in the bush. it was
other people who took him on the camp.
They destroyed your house?
Primary Witness: Yes, they took the roof but some
people built one room for me.
Commissioner Bull: I just hope that the TRC will look at your
case and recommend because for some one to just come and destroyed one family,
our international partners must help us if they want to see us enjoy this
peace; these people must be brought to justice before they die. Thank God for
those that went to Ghana
to put together TRC. I want you to know that your children and husband will be
mentioned in the history, and I hope that those who did the acts will come out
and state their reasons for doing such.
Chairman: All I can say is that thank you. What you have
done today is so great, it will live after you. They killed your children for
no reason; their names will be mentioned in history. You have spoken for more
than thousand people. Is there anything on your mind that you will want to
share with the TRC?
Primary Witness: Yes, I want your to help me
because I don't have anyone to help me.
Commissioner Dolopei: Today, you are a HERO, somebody who sometimes
do big things that no one can easily do, so I want all of us to stand and clap
for you.
Third Primary Witnesses of the TRC Public
Hearings in
Tubmanburg, Bomi County
John F. Kollie
(Third Primary Witness of day one)
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: we want to
welcome you to the TRC. We want you to be relax, we al are your brother and
sisters in here. The government of Liberia put us together to talk to
every one who some things happen to during the war because we need this
exercise there to help us forget the ugly past. So that tomorrow, our
children's children can read and know what happen and so they can never repeat
this ugly act.
What is your name?
Primary Witness: John
Kollie, Forkpah Kollie.
What is your date of birth?
Primary Witness: I don't
know.
Did you see President Tubman?
Primary Witness: I was
working at that time?
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in
Tubmanburg Via Town one.
What do you do?
Primary Witness: I work
with the blinds association in Bomi.
What do you do there?
Primary Witness: You know,
we who were here, until the LURD force came. When the LURD force, came, it
stay, they say food finish and no arms, so we have to go for food. And they say
food finish. So times when we be there, Taylor
people were coming to our town they can kill us. So I tell my grandson I say
look, this one na easy oh, this one that Taylor
people coming LURD na go. We were there, that day it was Friday when Taylor people enter there,
they were shooting all night, no body answer, we were there.
The next day, that was Sunday, they came, they
say all of your come, we coming enjoy. That same day self, they say the big men
want to talk to us, so all of us came. And the big man them were Benjamin
Yeaten and Roland Duo. So they bring rice, sugar, farina, and cigarette. They
say your coming to enjoy today. So they bring the second one. But the second
one was sour, then we say, oh, but how this one tasting sour so? So they say
time to carry your Monrovia
now, they full the first pick up, and they carry it. The person that was among
us that was preaching to us, they say you go with your bible. so they carry
them, when they came, I saw the blood on the side of the air, but I cant talk,
I say when I talk, they will kill me here, so I cant talk, I was just standing
there na, I was sacred. So they came again, they were carry people, one man
there; I say as soon as they call that man, I will go. So when they call that
man, I get up, I go there. They pointed to the other man, then I say me, they
say yes, you good to go. So I get in the car, and we went, but that time, I na
see the blood, that the place all the fighting coming start now oh. So we get
in the car, when we reach to the water, the place where they get the 60 air
shooting the people, I na go there oh. So one man was there, he heard me
speaking Lorma. So he put me on the arm of the bridge and he threw me in the
water. When I want to pass, the rail way was there, so I took the other side,
because if they I want come up, I was sacred, so God help me, I was just floating
in the water until I get to the end of the bridge now, that time I was tired. I
stay there until I get strength, then I get up, I started walking in the bush,
I stay in the bush for 3 weeks we were hiding. But the time I was down there,
they were killing the people. For the babies, they were not using their guns on
them, they were just throwing them in the water, some of them they will hit
them on the wall and throw them in the water. For the pregnant women, they na
get strength, so they were just kill. Even when I got on the bridge, I saw the
blood. So that the thing where happen to me.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Chairman: Mr. Kollie, we
want to thank you for sharing your story here today, and we want to say sorry
for the bad things they did to you, and all the people who die at the Mahir River.
Today you are giving voice to them. So right now, commissioners will ask you
few questions. Did you loss any relative at Mahir bridge?
Primary Witness: No, God
just so fix it, I sent all my children to Monrovia,
that only my grandchild was with me, but I sent her back.
But do you know any other person
that was kill?
Primary Witness: Yes, one
man call Beyan Darkai.
Do they have children?
Primary Witness: Yes, that
only one boy, he was here yesterday.
Do you know how many trucks came?
Primary Witness: That was
two trucks.
So you were seeing the people?
Primary Witness: Yes, as
for the children, no shooting, they can just throw them in the water.
Pregnant women and all?
Primary Witness: Yes, they
can't even fight.
So you only know the name of the
two people, you na remember any other person's name?
Primary Witness: No, only
Benjamin Yeaten and Roland Duo.
How does he look?
Primary Witness: He na
taller than me.
Commissioner Bull: We want
to say thank you for coming today to share your story with us. Today shows that
al the people who die at that bridge did not die in vain.
Commissioner Konneh:
thanks for coming. The Lorma soldier that help you do you know his name?
Primary Witness: Gayflor.
Do you know where he is?
Primary Witness: No,
because they na staying in Monrovia.
The people that were doing that
thing, you don't remember any other person?
Primary Witness: No, but
the people that was doing the thing were Sierra Leonean, that only the driver
that was a Gio boy.
Commissioner Coleman: can
you tell me how you were saved?
Primary Witness: Because
the place where they had the 60, they na carry me there, they carry me to the
other place, that how I just jump down.
Commissioner Steward: you
say when you were on the bridge, you were speaking Lorma, what did you say in
Lorma?
Primary Witness: Nothing,
that me was speaking Lorma, but he na speak Lorma.
So, the man push you?
Primary Witness: Yes, he
put me in the water and he fire up.
So he wants to help you, or he
wanted to save you?
Primary Witness: To me, he
was helping me.
When you left the water, did you
see him?
Primary Witness: Yes.
What did he say?
Primary Witness: When we
left the water, then we come to the same Mahare bridge, he say you know me, I
say yes. He say what I do to you? I say that you who save me.
The time, you left that water,
you see any body who survive?
Primary Witness: Yes, the
old lady who just left here, and I were in the same hiding place.
You say, you spent three weeks in
the bush, where?
Primary Witness: I the
hiding place.
And you came back to Tubmanburg?
Primary Witness: Yes.
That time you came, people were
in your house?
Primary Witness: No,
nobody was there.
So the people, they kill them or
they ran away?
Primary Witness: All of
them ran away.
How many people were you that
they were guarding at Konneh hill, were you moir? then 100?
Primary Witness: Yes, we
were more then 200.
So how many people they carry
before you?
Primary Witness: They take
the first trip, but that the second trip na I see the blood on the pickup, so I
was not to my myself na, because I saw the blood.
So the time, they were carrying
your, people knew they were going to kill your?
Primary Witness: That only
one Lorma man that was saying it
Commissioner Syllah: thank
you very much for coming. Can you remember the ages of the children that were
there?
Primary Witness: Some of
them were not even up to two months.
That so so old people that was in
the car?
Primary Witness: The car,
I was in that so, so big people.
Do you know if the people that
were in Konneh yard, did you all come from here?
Primary Witness: War
brought them here, so they were citizens na.
Did you people list the names of
the people that die, the names, the families, is it possible?
Primary Witness: No, I
don't know, but the best is for you to ask the people were there for the people
who die so you can know.
Chairman: I want you to
talk for the people who die. In your car, you saw the blood, you were afraid,
were the people afraid, did they know they were going to die?
Primary Witness: That only
one man. But the others, I can't tell because I was under the water.
Who did all these killings?
Primary Witness: That the Taylor group, because LURD
forces had gone.
What were they wearing?
Primary Witness: The same
clothes we can wear, some times they can wear T-shirt.
Thank you very much, we finish
asking all our questions, is there any thing you wan t to tell us?
Primary Witness: Yes the
one I want to tell your, the war make it, the mate I get here, everything bore,
so you should tell the president for building materials.
Fourth Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Tubmanburg, Bomi County
George T. Sengbe
(Fourth Primary Witness of day one)
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.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in
Red Head field
What are you doing for a living?
Primary Witness: I am
doing farming
Primary Witness: I was in
Kakata when the freedom fighter came I was coming from school when they border
with me on the high way and they asked my where are you going and I said I was
going to my house and they said they wanted me to join them to go to Buutuo and
I said I am a student I can't go anywhere and they said they will force me. I
directed them my house and we went there and they put my little sister down and
they told my mother I would be back another time and they took me to Buutuo in
Nimba and that was where I saw Taylor
first and he welcomed me.
The next day they took me to the
training field and there was a lady who asked me whether I knew the place and I
said n and she said I was in uniform as such she will find a way for me to go
away. The next day she told the watch commander that I would go and help her in
her house and the next day she put me in the car and I went to Ganta and from
there I came to Monrovia
to my sister. She asked me and in explained the story to her. The next day I
went to Firestone and I met my mother and she was on her war to Kakata that is
how I came to cape
Mount. I was in cape
mount and in 1991 the caught me and said what are you doing here and I said I
am a stranger I don't know anywhere. Then Mana Zayke told them to tie me that I
was a rebel, I was there until in the evening and they cut me with the knife.
They told the small soldier to give me Gebbeh Kutu, that is tying a stick on your
foot and I was there until in the night. After that one of their bosses came
and told them to leave me that I how I was left because I had my student ID
card.
When they left me I went to my
mother area and she was sick I had to take care of her. While there I border
with the Taylor
men and asked me to go with them and I said I was taking care of my mother. The
brought a box of armor for me to carry which three men could not carry and I
told them to kill me. They tied me from the morning hours to 3 o'clock and then
they remove the rope and give me food to eat. When I left there I went to
Kakata and I met my father was already to be killed and I told them that they
will kill me with my father. Right in my front they collected my father and
slaughter him in my front and one Gbandi woman came and collected me from
there.
During the war I lose my mother
and my father and that is how I left the area and came to Bomi where I am today
trying to survive on my own, that is what I experience in the war.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Chairman: We want to say
thanks for coming and all of what happen to you are wrong.
What is the name of your parents?
Primary witness: Willie
Gbad, and Jarpue Nkpor
Do you remember the part of Nimba
you met Charles Taylor?
Primary witness: Yes, in
Buutuo
There were how many persons on
the base?
Primary witness: More then
100
Is it less then 150?
Primary witness: Yes
How long did you stayed on the
base?
Primary witness: Four days
Who were some of those you saw?
Primary witness: General
Tarnue Special Forces Zogar, Isaac Musa Peter Duo, William Duo big brother.
How do you know that he is his
brother?
Primary witness: I saw two of them.
The junior commanders, how old
were they?
Primary witness: 25-25 years
What kind of training they use to
give?
Primary witness: Invent tray
What is inventory training?
Primary witness: We use to
craw under water.
They use to cut your hair?
Primary witness: Yes.
They used to give your money?
Primary witness: Yes.
How much?
Primary witness: Fifty United States
dollars.
What is the name of the woman who
help you?
Primary witness: Ma Kuo
Commissioner Syllah: How
long did you stay with NPFL?
Primary witness: 4days
How long with ULIMO?
Primary witness: I week.
Did you fight alone side with any
of those rebels?
Primary witness: No.
How old were you?
Primary witness: 28years
old.
Did you loose any relatives?
Primary witness: Yes, my
brother they cut his foot chopper.
What is your brother's name?
Primary witness: Kamara
Samgbe
Commissioner Stewart: Was
there any time that you were sent to the front line?
Primary witness: Yes, but
I escaped.
Where?
Primary witness: Mano River
How long?
Primary witness: 1year
7months.
What were you doing?
Primary witness: Selling
fish
When LURD was coming, where were
you?
Primary witness: In Monrovia.
How many times did the government
troop grab you?
Primary witness: One time.
When?
Primary witness: 2001
Where?
Primary witness: Monrovia, 24th street
Where did they carry you?
Primary witness: Viahum,
with the chopper.
How many of you?
Primary witness: 150persons
Which airfield?
Primary witness: James
Sprain airfield.
What were you doing?
Primary witness: Selling
biscuits.
What they do?
Primary witness: I escaped
and entered Lofa Bridge and came to Bannaka market
ground.
How long before you escaped?
Primary witness: I week.
Who was the commander?
Primary witness: Rolland
Duo.
What kind of gun?
Primary witness: AK
Where did you pass?
Primary witness: Viahumu
What were you eating?
Primary witness: Plantains
Where you alone?
Primary witness: Yes,
because I was born there.
Why did you pass through the
bushes?
Primary witness: Zig-zah Massah
was on the road, so I pass through the bush.
When you came back, how far the
rebel had reach
Primary witness: In
Viahumu and Kolahum and I went Sierra
Leone.
Who was in control?
Primary witness: AFL
What year?
Primary witness: 2002
What month?
Primary witness: August
2002
What camp?
Primary witness: In Kama camp
How long in Kama
camp?
Primary witness: 2year
7months.
What were you doing there?
Primary witness: Carpentry
Commissioner Dolopei: How
you got to Lofa?
Primary witness: By
chopper
How many of you?
Primary witness: Two
What happen in Lofa?
Primary witness: They
carry us to Rolland Duo and we were deployed
How many days or months
Primary witness: I week
Did you see killing?
Primary witness: Yes, many
Where?
Primary witness: In Fayah
You had arm?
Primary witness: Yes, we
entered in arm bush and God help me I came back.
How many days?
Primary witness: I week
7days
You met enemies?
Primary witness: No.
You were never part of the six
battler?
Primary witness: Yes, I
was never
Commissioner Coleman: The
skill that you have did they notice any thing of it?
Primary witness: No, I did
not tell them
Commissioner Konneh: Did
your mother die a nature death?
Primary witness: Yes.
Was there any ceremony?
Primary witness: No.
Did you see prisoner of war and
civilians on the base?
Primary witness: No, I
can't tell.
How was the training?
Primary witness: It use to
run from 5-12 your eat and they lecture your.
What was the age of young people
on the base?
Primary witness: Age 25-28
What was your reaction when your
father died?
Primary witness: I did not
react because one man can't take arm
What are you doing now?
Primary witness: Farming
and carpentry
What class you stop in?
Primary witness: 7thgrade
How many children?
Primary witness: Six and
three die
Commissioner Dolopei: Did
they die during the war?
Primary witness: They die
from sickness
Chairman: Who was one man
one?
Primary witness: General
Zabon, Old pa Bennie
Any body else?
Primary witness: That's
all I can remember
What's about Oliver Varney?
Primary witness: I use to
hear about him.
How was civilian treated?
Primary witness: They put
arms on old people head to carry
Which group?
Primary witness: Both
factions
Where were they operating?
Primary witness: In Lofa
When did you join NPFL?
Primary witness: 98
Do you remember the name of your
commander?
Primary witness: S-1 Major
Passion, Bobby Dickson, Alex Duwon
Besides the tooting of the arms
anything else?
Primary witness: Yes if
you say no, then they will kill you.
Who was those doing that?
Primary witness: Rolland
Duo
How was he killing people?
Primary witness: When he
says execute that person
What did you do?
Primary witness: I was
fighting for the States
You did not rape?
Primary witness: No
Loot?
Primary witness: No.
Did you get marry before the war?
Primary witness: Yes
Commissioner Dolopei: How
long you fought for your country?
Primary witness: 92-2002
Where were you assigned?
Primary witness: Boa water
side
Was there prisoner of war?
Primary witness: Yes
Who did they turn over to?
Primary witness: ULIMO
Chairman: From which
group?
Primary witness: From LURD
they said they were hunger
Commissioner Dolopei: You
stay from 98-2002, did you disarm?
Primary witness: Yes.
Which gun?
Primary witness: AK
Commissioner Coleman: Did
you join voluntarily?
Primary witness: Yes.
When did you go to Lofa?
Primary witness: I can't
remember
Was it a battler with LURD or
ULIMO?
Primary witness: LURD
You join the army 98?
Primary witness: Yes
What was your reason?
Primary witness: Because
no job.
Commissioner Dolopei: Where
did you join?
Primary witness: Monrovia
Commissioner Syllah: How
long did you stay long in the AFL?
Primary witness: 3months
Who was the commander?
Primary witness: General
Lackay
Where was your assignment?
Primary witness: Kpupor
Your last assignment?
Primary witness: Boa water
side
Commissioner Konneh: Did
you fight?
Primary witness: I never went under attack
Which unit?
Primary witness: First
platoon
Chairman: Can you tell us
any thing about Mark Guannu?
Primary witness: No I
can't remember.
What is your last word?
Primary witness: I want to
thank the TRC. I want the TRC to help my family and my children to put them in
school. Most of them are not going to school
Fifth Primary Witnesses of the TRC Public
Hearings in
Tubmanburg, Bomi County
Kemmeh Sando
(Fifth Primary Witness of day one)
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.
Chairman: Welcome to the TRC. This is a process we are
engaged in to allow Liberians share their experience of the past war. Please
tell us your name.
Primary Witness: My name is Kemah Sando.
How old are you?
Primary Witness: I am 37 years of age.
What do you do for living?
Primary Witness: I am a farmer.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in Joseph Town.
You can now please tell your
story.
Primary Witness: It was during the LURD war time
when the Government troops attacked the LURD and they started retreating from
Bomi Hills here. When the Government troops took over, they told everyone to go
Konneh yard and they started diving salt, make-it-thick, and other things on
us. After they divided the items, they started asking where we were when LURD
came. But most of us did not have answer.
Later on in the night, they
brought one big car and started taking people and each time they carry the
people, only the empty car will come again for another people. So when they
came for our group, we asked them saying, where are you people carrying us? And
they said they were taking us to Mahir to fix place there for their commander
or big people to live there. That night, they put us in the car and took us to
Coleman Hill. When we got there, it was late and so they put all of us in one
room and they started tying everybody. A girl whom I think was one of the
soldiers took my baby and I told her say we heard that they are going to kill
us so please my baby so that we all can die together. But the lady refused and
they just pushed us in the house and started shooting in the room. As they were
shooting, we were just crying and as we were crying, they kept shooting more
and so, I decided to keep quiet. After they shut enough in the room and could
not hear anyone crying again, they said that we have killed those people and so
let us go and they left.
After they left, I heard a sound
of a girl trying to get up and I asked if nothing happen to her and she said
no; so I asked her to come and help me because the bullet hit my legs. The girl
came and pulled me from under the dead bodies and we got outside and went in
the bush. We were in the bush until day broke. When day broke, we started
traveling in the bushes for the whole day and that day, it was raining on us.
Later on, the girl went different direction and I took different way. While I
was going, I saw one old man around the Harmon Village
and he started running away from me. I called him and told him that I want to
tell him a story that if I die, then he can tell my people. When the old man
came, I told him that they shut me in Coleman Hill and killed all the people
that were there. From there, the old man took me on his back until we got to
village and they started treating me. After few days, they brought me in town;
but one of the bullets left in my leg. Someone went and told my husband and
came for me. After some times, I went to the Father here in the Catholic
Mission and he sent me to the hospital but right now, I still have the bullet
in my leg and certain time, it hurts me so much.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Chairman: You say the
bullet is in your leg?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Why they did not take the bullet
from your leg when you went to the hospital?
Primary Witness: They just took my x-ray and I gave
the result to the White Woman who sent me to the hospital.
You say your mother died in that
shooting?
Primary Witness: Yes, they shut her and she dropped
right on my legs in the same room.
You saw your mother dead body?
Primary Witness: No, it was in the night but when
she dropped on my legs, I just pulled her from over me and me and the girl left
and went in the bush.
What was the name of your mother?
Primary Witness: Her name was Bindu Gballey.
You people were how many in the
room when they started shooting in it?
Primary Witness: We were plenty, I cannot remember
the number.
You people were more than 10?
Primary Witness: Yes, we were plenty.
Commissioner Konneh: Very sorry for the death of your mother. Where
is your son the woman took from you at the time?
Primary Witness: I do not know; the woman took the
baby from me and she refused to give him to me until they pushed us in the
room. Since that time, I have not seen my son.
When these people were doing
these things to your, you heard names of anyone of their commanders?
Primary Witness: I only used to hear the names
Roland Duo and Benjamin Yeaten but I did not see them with my eyes to know
them.
If you see the woman who took
your son from you, you can remember her?
Primary Witness: No, it was in the night; I did see
her face good to remember her.
Commissioner Coleman: Please help us; we are striving to understand
what went on. Besides your mother, anyone else died from you in that incidence?
Primary Witness: Yes, my sister son called Sando
Allen was killed.
What's about your father?
Primary Witness: My father died when I was a small
girl.
What is the name of your son that
the woman took from you?
Primary Witness: His name is Myers Sando, but his
play name that all the children in the area know is Papay.
Do you have picture for your son
when he was born?
Primary Witness: No.
Have contacted the Red Cross?
Primary Witness: Yes, I checked the posters with
the photos but I did not see him on it.
Was the woman who took your son
holding arm?
Primary Witness: I do not know because it was in
the night.
Why do you think the woman took
the child from you?
Primary Witness: Maybe they knew that they were
going to kill us.
Have you made any announcement?
Primary Witness: No, I am afraid, because the bad
people are just passing around here.
Besides Benjamin Yeaten and
Roland Duo, what other names you heard?
Primary Witness: No, that so, so Gio people, I did
not know anyone of them.
You remember how many people
survived from the room?
Primary Witness: Yes, we were two; me and the girl
that helped me to get up from under the dead bodies.
What is the name of the girl that
you and her survived?
Primary Witness: No, but she was a Grebo girl.
Commissioner Syllah: When the bullet hit you, did it break your
bones?
Primary Witness: No, I thank God that it did not
break by bones.
You people were the last people
the soldiers took from Konneh's yard?
Primary Witness: No, we left some people there, the
place was packed, and they took people three times before carrying us.
Chairman: You can describe the car that was
used to carry you people?
Primary Witness: That was one white pick-up with
gun that had three mouths in it.
Was there any drawing on the car?
Primary Witness: It was in the night so I cannot
remember.
Now that you have told us your
story and we have asked you all our questions, is there anything else on your
mind that you will like to share with us?
Primary Witness: No.
End of day One of the TRC Public
Hearings Bomi
County
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