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The Second Day of the TRC Public Hearings Proceedings
held on Tuesday May 20th, 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.
Seventh Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Joseph
Katamah
(First Primary Witness of day one)
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: Welcome to the
TRC this is the forum were we come to share our views of what happen to us
during the Liberia
crisis. Can you give us your name again please?
Primary Witness: Joseph M.
Katamah
Your age or date of birth?
Primary Witness: I was born 1962, march 16
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: Gbolokpaya
What do you do in Gbolokpaya?
Primary Witness: I make farm
What you plant?
Primary Witness: Rice
Thank you very much you can give
us your story now.
Primary Witness: Alright, I will start on 1990 war. 1990 the
first commander that came to Gbolokpaya they call him Jackson Gongbay. It was
one night we were sitting down I was to my house when the soldier arrive in the
town I heard one man making announcement that rebel in the town, no body run
away, rebel in the town after that they say let everyone go to their houses I
went to my house then they called again
they say you people come here we want to tell you people something when
we went they asked us who is the town chief here we say the town chief not here
then the man say I will give you people town chief tonight then he selected two
boys one called Gabriel Tongar and one Charles Papah they say that was the town
commander and the deputy is Charles papa.
But they told us we are here now
we are Charles Taylor soldiers we here to take care of you people we are rebel
so the people slept with us then the next morning one of their soldier was
there he got sick he was sick behind them coming so they left the man in the
town with one other soldier so they people left and went to Gbarnga when they
came Gbarnga here after two days that man died.
So the commander who they left in
the town called Jacob he sent for them they came that night when they came they
told us where is the man that died we carried them to where the body was they
came they told us say we taught you people finish buried this man because if
you come to kill you here and burn the town but you people are so blessed that
you not buried this man then they say the next morning they were going to bury
the man , so your look for sheep and make sacrifice here because that rebel
body coming go under the ground here so your supposed to make sacrifice we did
that. Then 1990 war was just like that but 1994 that is the time we feel pain.
On September 8, 1994 we saw a group of civilian and soldier coming from Gbarnga
with plenty load they came to Gbolokpa that morning September 8 when they came
they say rebel is in Gbarnga, Gbarnga is not easy so we are passing going to
Ganta so some of them stay there so the town was full with human being all over
no houses was there empty all the kitchen that time the town was packed we
stayed there with them the citizens of the town and the civilian were with the
soldier people they all were there with us few days.
It was one Saturday we saw a
group of soldiers coming in the town again when they entered the town that
afternoon they were asking their friends say you soldier man what you doing
here the kind of war they fighting in Gbarnga then what your doing here your on
a-walk here they grab some of them and tied them and take the arms from them
they did it until they disarmed everyone of them and put them inside. We taught
that there friends not knowing that was LPC so the stay there until in the
evening. The next morning they came they say we are LPC the started killing we
were in the town the killed they were killing the people with axe cutlass and
the baby them they started knocking them on that rock because in the town they
had some big rock in the center of the town and it is on that rock they were
killing the people. They killed until in the evening some people started
running in the bush and they started firing them. The people kill the whole day
and right on that rock the blood was rolling from there to the water side, come
see the bodies packing. So there we who remain in the town we ran away in the
bush as last in October going to November the some soldiers them came again but
they were not LPC because when LPC did that thing they followed the road going
to Gbarnga they were in the bush, the citizens they killed in the town that day
were 39 but we since we went in the bush to hide ourselves, the LPC was use to
travel from Duaita to Duta that time we were to Kpalala so some of us had farms
across the car road and some of us farms across the town so we were use to
travel small small to came and look for cassava to eat because we were hiding.
But when they catch you on the
high way your own leave there, so over there the human that they killed in the
town they were many, those boys who use to go and look for cassava for their family
when they catch them they will kill them. So from there in November before
Charles Taylor soldier came to free us. One other papie they called John
Kennedy he and myself were over the people in the bush because we use to go
from kitchen to kitchen to pray say let we be here the person that will free us
will come right here so we should not go anywhere. So we were under the kitchen
them hiding in the bush, in the day we will leave the kitchen to go and hide in
the bus and in the evening we will come and look for food to eat and around 5
again new scatter in the bush. We left there before some soldier them were in
Kplikpa the came to us there, the fire fire fire they were firing the gun up
not knowing that Charles Taylor soldiers them and they came to us and they
asked us who all here we told them our people them in the bush they told us we
came to take you people from in the bush we don't want you people to be here
again the place is not safe.
So they told us we basing to
Kplikpa the commander called Zero Zero was in Kpolokpala so he told us say my
people we carrying your to Kpolokpala. Because when you people say you will
stay in the bush here the place will be fearful so we had to go back to your
town. So we told them yes but the king
of bodies and skulls that are there, how can we live there again? They say we
will go and pack those skulls somewhere and we will be with you there and we
agree with them. We the men we left the women in Kpolokpala and we were going
to clean the place small small putting those bones together. They told us to
build kitchen and we build one kitchen that bones fill up that kitchen. One big
kitchen so we were in the town and we started bringing our people from in the
bush small small and when we were in the town George Moluba heard about it
because he was the superintendent he hear about it and he say I am taking a
visit there. They came to Kpolokpala with some group they came there with the Papie
them David Bryant them and they came and saw the skulls and they all started
crying, they cried the slept with us, the next morning before the came back,
then they send some people from Europe, white men them with video camera they
were in the bush those other skulls that remain in the bush they were taking
their pictures. They wanted to check the bodies but they could not make it, so
we pack all those bones together, we put the bones in the toilet hole and one
man the called John Kennedy he was talking yesterday he told us say this bone
we must not put dirt over it. So we left it like that after two days before the
sent the people there they say the bones what your put in the hole your take it
out and put it in the kitchen. We took
out everything some remain in the hole and we put the other one in the kitchen
and some remain in the hole, the people came and took the pictures, the place
where the blood was rolling they came and took the pictures, they went in the
cocoa bush and took all the pictures there. They told us say the other
remaining bones that in the bush you take it from there and pack it right here,
the president will talk about it. So that bones were over there, to where the
bones were that where the road leading to the water side was, all those who
visited us in the TRC the saw the place, that the water we can drink and that
the place the blood was rolling. Right
there the people told us the president will come and talk something about this
bones so your must not burry it so the bones were in the town, and that blood
that roll to go in the waterside that the same water we drinking so that thing
affected plenty of the citizen and they started dying. I who speaking it killed
my Papie it killed my brother so you know everyday they coming to see this so
what will come from out of this? Because the thing had happened to us already
the thing happen to us when you come your asked us about the same question,
what can we do? So that the problem we facing over there, now the main problem
we facing is the children that there the water that we drinking is not safe
that all I know about the war in Kpolokpala thank you.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Chairman: thank you for
coming to share your story with us. We know it is hard, and so many people had
been there to ask but this is the best place to say it because all the others
that went there were individuals and this is a government thing. You said that
the bone fill the kitchen that you build. Can you estimate how many people were
there?
Primary Witness: No, we
the farmers we get two ways of building our kitchen and the kitchen was as high
as your height.
And you said you put the bones in
the toilet holes?
Primary Witness: Yes, it
was deep, and it was almost more the 6 feet long.
But you talked about a number of
people that died.
Primary Witness: Yes, it
was 39 people that died from the town, original citizen.
You said your father and brothers
die?
Primary Witness: Yes.
What are their names?
Primary Witness: My father
name is Togba
Do you know his age at that time?
Primary Witness: No but he
was a bit strong.
What is your brother's name?
Primary Witness: His name
is S. K
Do you know his age?
Primary Witness: No.
Was he your big brother or your
small brother?
Primary Witness: He was my
big brother.
How many years older than you?
Primary Witness: He was
like 5 years older.
You talk about a rock?
Primary Witness: Yes, that
was where they use to kill the children, the big people they will shoot them
with gun or use cutlass on them, but the children they will knock them on the
ground.
You said you did it?
Primary Witness: It was
the LPC people.
Were they speaking English, or
their dialect?
Primary Witness: After
they finished, some of them were speaking Bassa.
Commissioner Konneh: we
want to thank you for coming. You said you will start from 1990, what is the
name of your town?
Primary Witness: The name
is my town is Kpolokpala.
You said soldiers entered your
town, who were the soldiers?
Primary Witness: The were
NPFL.
You said they appointed people,
who did they appoint?
Primary Witness: They
appointed people from the town to be with them.
When they war started, did
President Doe soldiers came to your town?
Primary Witness: No, I
didn't see them in the town.
You said when the NPFL came they
chose their own chiefs, and later one of them die, they came and burry them?
Primary Witness: Yes.
How can you tell they were LPC or
NPFL?
Primary Witness: I said
first when they came, they said they were from right here from Gbarnga, and
later they said they were LPC and they arrested the people and put them in
jail.
So when they put them in jail,
what did they do to them?
Primary Witness: They put
them in jail and the next day they started killing them.
How did they kill them?
Primary Witness: They
brought them out and kill them on the rock.
Who kill the 39 persons from your
town?
Primary Witness: It was
LPC.
And who kill the 500 people?
Primary Witness: It was
the same LPC.
You talk about one commander name
Zero Zero, who was he?
Primary Witness: He was a
commander from NPFL.
At that time, who was in control
of Gbarnga?
Primary Witness: I don't
know.
What year did the killing take
place in your town?
Primary Witness: It took
place in 1994.
Commissioner Bull:
Commissioner Coleman:
thank you for coming and sorry for what happen. You said your father and brothers
die during the war, what's about your mother?
Primary Witness: She is
still alive.
What about your sister?
Primary Witness: I have 2
sisters.
Do you have children?
Primary Witness: Yes, I
have children.
How many children?
Primary Witness: I have 9
children.
So was there a battle going on in
Gbarnga at that time?
Primary Witness: Yes, but
nobody was living here, and they told us that Gbarnga was up side down.
So who was fighting who in
Gbarnga?
Primary Witness: ULIMO was
fighting Charles Taylor soldiers.
So the LPC caught those people
and put them in jail and kill them?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Did they say why they were
killing people like that?
Primary Witness: No, they
did not say any thing to us, they just stayed killing.
Commissioner Dolopei:
thank your for coming and sharing your testimony with us.
How many soldiers were there in
the town?
Primary Witness: I can't
tell the number.
Where they more about 25?
Primary Witness: They were
more then that.
Commissioner Washington:
than you for coming and sorry for what you explain.
You call one man's name can you
call his name again?
Primary Witness: His is
Jackson Gongbai.
The particular group that did the
massacre, can you remember anybody?
Primary Witness: Yes, that
just one man they call junior Gayran.
Besides, the people that die in
your town can you remember other people that die there?
Primary Witness: Yes, they
are Boyjay Thomas, Samuel cooper, Lorpu Barclay, John Barclay, Sumo Behei,
Tekpele, Nwhei, Yamah, Yarkpawolo, Johnpue, Kerkulah Juhn, and J. Martin
Kerkulah, but I can get the list for you, it is in Kpolokpala.
You also talk about the children
they kill, how old were they?
Primary Witness: Some of
them were young babies, and some of them were growing children.
Since this thing happen in your
town, have you people done anything like traditional feast?
Primary Witness: No, we
have not.
You said George Mulbah was the
superintendent for Bong County during Taylor
time, what kind of Superintendent was he?
Primary Witness: He was
good to us, he use to sympathize with us.
Where is he now?
Primary Witness: He is in Monrovia.
Commissioner Steward:
thank you for coming and sorry for the lost of your family and friends. You
said that there were about 25 young men from Kpolokpala who went to go look for
food, and LPC kill them?
Primary Witness: Yes, it
is true.
Were they among the 39 people you
named?
Primary Witness: No, they
went to go look for food.
Can you please give us the name?
Primary Witness: Yes, I
have the list.
Can you please give it to us?
Primary Witness: Yes, I
will give it.
When this massacre happened,
these 25 men, did they kill them after or before the massacre?
Primary Witness: They kill
them after the massacre.
What month did this happen?
Primary Witness: It
happened in September 1994.
When did LPC final leave the
area?
Primary Witness: I can't
remember.
Did they stay long there?
Primary Witness: Yes, they
stay long.
Commissioner Syllah: thank
you very much, beside you and the pastor; you think how many people survived
from your town?
Primary Witness: I can't
tell now, but the 500 people were not only from our town but from other places.
So can you remember any of them?
Primary Witness: No, the
only person I can remember is Cllr hammer.
Chairman: we want to thank
you that you came and share with us. This Zero zero, do you have any other name
for him?
Primary Witness: No.
How does he look?
Primary Witness: He is
slim and black, not too tall.
Is he a Bassa man?
Primary Witness: No, he is
a Mano man.
Thank you, do you have any other
thing to tell the TRC?
Primary Witness: Yes, I
will like to tell the TRC to please help us with safe drinking water, and from
Kpolokpala to Gbarnga is far, so we want Clinic.
Eighth Primary Witnesses of the TRC
Public Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Joseph Sulon
(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: Thanks for taking up your time to come to the
TRC; we are very to see Liberians come out to tell their story as we all are
striving to find the best solution to the problems we faced in Liberia in the
past. Please tell us your name.
Primary Witness: My name is Joseph D. Sulon.
How old are you or when you were
born?
Primary Witness: I am 37 years old.
What do you do for living?
Primary Witness: I am a Voluntary Teacher at the
Public school in my town.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in Duata.
Please tell us your story.
Primary Witness: I am very happy to explain what
happened to me during the war. In 1990, we heard about war and things started
getting fearful and so I told my people that I could not live in Gbarnga and
wanted to go to the village. When I got to the village, there used to be no
sound of motor car or motor cycle but one day, we started hearing sound of bike
and just in time, we saw a motor bike with two Gio gays with AK-47 and a
Mandingo man called Siaka who used to be a driver around our village; they
entered and asked us if we have any Mandingo or Krahn people in our area and we
told them no. they passed and went in the next town. When they got in the near
by town they met one old man but he did not give them any information and so
they went to another village.
When they got in the next town
where my uncle was living and they arrested my uncle and took is car and went
Bonto town; I was afraid and went in the bush. One day while I was in the bush,
we heard about one warrior called Prince Johnson and he came and passed our
area to Gbarnga and I told my friends that I was afraid. After Price passed,
NPFL fighters started coming into our area in their numbers and starting
forcing people to carry their loads; they put some of the town boys together to
take care of their gate; Gbarnga later became modernized and we started moving
around freely.
From 1992 to 1993, things were
not actually bad but starting 1994, we heard heavy sounds of guns from Gbarnga
and people started coming into our village and I asked them and they said that
LPC was coming. After a day, we started seeing strange faces and I went in the
bush again. O September 8, we heard launching sound from Kokoya road. While I
was in the bush, fighters of the LPC grabbed my brother and killed him. The
next day while I was on my way to other village, I saw the dead body of my
brother and they had cut head off and intestines were all on the ground; the
next day while I was going to another village, I saw several dead bodies
including people I knew very well. I took the back-pass and came near Juata and
they I saw that the fighters had settled in the town; they started going to the
villages and collecting boys to join them forcibly. I decided to come back to
Gbarnga and while we were coming, they arrested me and my wife and we later
managed to escape from them; and the next day we again heard launching sound and
the whole group started heading towards Baiyellah.
In 1995, the fighters of NPFL
came and said they have come to liberate us and at the time, it was the
artillery group led by Gen. Joe Tuah; when they made the pronouncements, they
started catching people and one Kpelleh boy was the main person but he kept
saying that they had come to liberate us. I told my people that these gays were
not good and there was a need for us to go to town and leave the bush. While we
were coming from the bush, they met us and gave the girls some food to cook for
them and when the girls cooked the food and they tasted salt on the food, they
started beating the women who cooked the food and killed one of them in the
process. When we passed them, we were again caught by another group and they
tied me with seven other boys and later they killed one of the boys who was my
friend; when we got on the highway, one Bassa boy knew me and he told his chief
that he was going to kill me and when we got in the bush, he loosen the rope and
asked me to go and he fired two rounds of his gun in the air. He went and told
his boss that he had killed me. I managed to go to another village and when I
got in that village, I met one Colonel a Gio man who wanted to kill me but
another man talked for me they released me. After two days, Gen. Joe Tuah came
with his group and he fired one of the boys they had tied and took his grease
and put it in the bottle and carried it; before he could leave, he ordered the
fighters to kill the other boys and they were executed. With all these kind of
activities, I managed and went to Ganta. I stayed in Ganta for months and
decided to come back to Gbarnga.
When I got in Gbarnga, the
condition was just the same; one general Gay was just killing people and some
of his own men had to advice him to stop. After a while, we starting about
another group called LURD. In just two days, LURD came in our village and raped
my wife and other women. LURD was just forcing us to carry their loads but they
did not kill anyone with guns in my presence. Among the group, a gentleman
called Junior Mitchell who was with LPC was very bad. This same Mitchell was
again with LURD in Monrovia.
That's the story I experienced during the war.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Commissioner Konneh: What were the activities of the LPC fighters?
Primary Witness: They killed some people in Juata
right on the football field; BCADP dug a big hole on the field and it was there
where they used to put all the people they used to kill.
Why you think LPC did that?
Primary Witness: They said that they were
supporters of the NPFL fighters.
How you saw LPC?
Primary Witness: Most of the time they just used to
passed in our village.
Did you see NPFL with your eyes?
Primary Witness: Yes, I saw people like Martina
Johnson and many others that were big people within the NPFL.
Which one of these fighting
groups entered your village first?
Primary Witness: It was the NPFL in the month of
May.
What was their treatment of the
people in your town at the time?
Primary Witness: First, they were just concerned
with the Krahn and Mandingo people, but as time went bye and they started
increasing in their number in the village, they started beating the people.
How many people they killed?
Primary Witness: They killed several people; in
fact they killed so many people in the area.
You say who was leading the artillery group of the NPFL?
Primary Witness: David Daniel was the first
commander under the instruction of General Joe Tuah, they had Timothy Gweah,
and Steven Wontoe.
What was the attitude of David
Daniel?
Primary Witness: He was always executing people.
What's about Joe Tuah?
Primary Witness: He used to order the boys to
execute people.
What's about Steven Wontoe?
Primary Witness: They all used to killed people.
What are some of the LPC
commanders that you can remember?
Primary Witness: Junior Mitchell, War-Bus, and
General Kennel.
What were the attitudes of these
generals?
Primary Witness: They actually used to kill people;
when you go to my village, you see that bullet mark on a house that they killed
a man in it.
Do you remember some of the boys
from your village joining the fighters?
Primary Witness: Yes, I used to see boys from my
village with the some of the groups.
They looted?
Primary Witness: Yes, they looted all that we had.
Were the boys recruited forcibly?
Primary Witness: Yes, most of the boys were in the
bushes and they arrested them.
Do you know some of them?
Primary Witness: Yes, many are still alive.
Will you be willing to identify
some of the boys that were recruited by force?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Commissioner Bull: I joined my friends to say sorry for the
deaths of your people; your testimony corresponds with other testimonies from
the other counties; we will take note and make the necessary recommendations.
Commissioner Coleman: NPFL killed, looted and raped women in 1990
before LPC came?
Primary Witness: Yes, I saw dead bodies that NPFL
killed; they forced people to work for them before LPC came.
What's about the Government
Troops of Doe?
Primary Witness: What I observed here is that one
Col. Nimely used to bring truck load of goats and later we used to truck loads
of women and children and the women used to say to us "you people are enjoying
and the soldiers are killing us, your please help us". When they observed that
people were taking notice of their actions, they started passing on the back
pass on Kokoya road with the women and children.
Commissioner Washington: What is David Daniel doing in Monrovia?
Primary Witness: He joined the ATU during the Taylor government; one of
my friends knew the story and when we met him, my friend asked him if he knew
me and he said no; my friend told him that this is the man you killed his
brother and he just bowed his head and went away.
What position he was having in
the ATU?
Primary Witness: I only saw him with the ATU
uniform I do not know the rank or position.
What is Parker who killed the
woman with the mortar pencil full name?
Primary Witness: His full name is Moses Parker his
parents are living in this town.
You which fighting group whipped
you?
Primary Witness: It was David Daniel group that
beat me, he gave the order.
You said Joe Tuah took the grease
of a boy that he killed?
Primary Witness: Yes, he fired one of the 16 boys
and took the grease from the body and carried it.
Did he do that in public?
Primary Witness: Yes.
What are names of the 16 boys
that were executed by Joe Tuah and his men?
Primary Witness: Samuel Jarquie, Liberty Flomo,
Mulbah Kollie, Turker Flomo, these are the ones that I can remember but I knew
all of them.
What was Joe Tuah position at the
time?
Primary Witness: He was the Commander for the
artillery group.
Was Joe Tuah at the site of the
execution?
Primary Witness: Yes, it was his green pick-up that
was used to carry the boys to the site where they killed them.
Where was Junior Mitchell
working?
Primary Witness: He used to work during the Bryant
government at the Freeport
as a security.
When last you saw Junior
Mitchell?
Primary Witness: I saw him during the LURD war in Monrovia face-to-face.
When Gbarnga fell?
Primary Witness: I think it was September 8.
Commissioner Stewart: Please give the names of the LPC generals that
you can remember.
Primary Witness: General Kennel, Gen. Snake, War
Bus and one bright man called Junior Julu.
Was junior Mitchell a morlatoe?
Primary Witness: Yes, bright and tall.
What was the attitude of Gen.
Kennel?
Primary Witness: Anyone he sees with scar on your
hand, he will kill you; all of them just used to kill.
NPFL massacre how many people?
Primary Witness: I was not there but when I went to
the village, I saw more than 50 dead bodies.
When it happened?
Primary Witness: It happened in November 1994.
Which group was responsible for
the massacre?
Primary Witness: It was the NPFL, when they came
from behind the Jor river.
Who was Cephus J?
Primary Witness: He was one of the NPFL commanders
and he also killed some people.
Who is George Daylon?
Primary Witness: He is my brother and friend and
they fighters killed his mother.
Who killed his mother?
Primary Witness: Parker, he was operating under the
command of David Daniel.
How long LPC stayed in your area?
Primary Witness: They stayed there from September
18 to November.
Are you aware of any killings
that the LPC did somewhere else?
Primary Witness: Yes, I heard something like that.
How many people you think?
Primary Witness: Those days, when you are walking
in the bushes, you will see several dead bodies all in the bushes.
Who was the commander there?
Primary Witness: They were not stationed there.
How was life in the bush
generally?
Primary Witness: It was just God, because that
year, we planted enough cassava and rice and so when LPC came, they said that
we are lucky because we had enough food, else they would have kill us according
to instructions from their boss man George Boley.
Commissioner Syllah: What was the name of your brother that was
killed and what was his age?
Primary Witness: His name was William Sulon and I
do not know his age.
What is the name of his wife?
Primary Witness: Hannah Smith.
He had children?
Primary Witness: Yes, he has two children.
What is the name of your wife?
Primary Witness: Her name is Mamie Sulon.
What is the age of the smallest
of the 16 boys that were executed?
Primary Witness: I think it was Liberty about 16 years and I used to sent him
on our farm.
Besides Martina Johnson, who were
the other top women in the NPFL?
Primary Witness: They had General Marie, General
Cecelia Lewis, etc.
How the women treated the
civilians?
Primary Witness: General Marie and General Cecelia
Lewis used to treat people bad.
Have you seen any of them since
the war ended?
Primary Witness: No.
Who you think the orders came
from at the time when these people were executed?
Primary Witness: They say it came from the CIC.
Who was the CIC?
Primary Witness: It was Charles Taylor.
Chairman: What are some of the NPRAG Officials?
Primary Witness: NPRAG had Ministers they had their
ministries as well and there many big people here.
You say Gbarnga was normal?
Primary Witness: Yes, people used to come from Monrovia, Buchanan and other parts of Liberia to live in Gbarnga
What were some of the developments?
Primary Witness: Yes, at the time, food was the
main concern of most of us and there were enough of rice here in Gbarnga and
almost everyone was happy here.
NPRAG had Legislature?
Primary Witness: Yes, they used to confirm their
ministers appointed by the President.
What are some of the prominent
people in Gbarnga at the time?
Primary Witness: Cacious Jacobs, Siafa Normel,
Duana, etc.
We heard that the Reaction Forces
were bad?
Primary Witness: Yes, they were very bad.
Do you remember at anytime when
the citizens demonstrated against the NPRAG government?
Primary Witness: I cannot remember that.
Anything last that you want to
share with us?
Primary Witness: Yes, but there is a little fear;
the fear here is that some of the people who committed these bad acts are still
around here today, if anything, what do we do?
You just to report the any
problem to us; our people will talk to you before you leave, if you are afraid
of anyone, you can give us those names later. Please talk to our people before
you leave. Thank you.
Ninth Primary Witnesses of the TRC Public
Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Anthony Saykwee
(Third Primary Witness of day one)
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.
Chairman: we say welcome
to the TRC. This is the time, where all of us come and sit down and talk about
the things that happen under the palava huts. We want to talk these things so
that they will not happen again and our children will have peace tomorrow. What
is your name again?
What is your name?
Primary Witness: My name
is Anthony Saykwee.
What is your age?
Primary Witness: I am 49
years old.
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in
Garmue Kpanta district. I am the town chief.
Primary Witness: 1994, the
first commander name was commander Jarkar and he came from the water side and
he make friend with me and said I was his own friend in the town. By that time my wife was in Guinea that is
where she was living so when he and I became he told me to send for my wife but
I was not ready so people talk to me and I went and sent for her to come to me.
When my wife came back my mind was free but not know he wanted my wife and one
day, he took gun and put it on my shoulder and started shouting from there. My
wife was pregnant for 9th months and he took my wife away. Today my
wife and daughter with him I stop here. I have many things to talk but I can't
talk all here because I na able to talk it.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Chairman: Can you tell us
about 5?
Primary Witness: My sister
daughter, my Niece, every one went in Guinea
but no food was in Guinea so this girl came to look for food she and one of her
friends and her friend run away but was so close to me. Another one I forgot,
one fellow name Tokpah when ever he wanted food, he will put me in a place and
aunts will be eating me all over and now today, my foot get soul.
Commissioner Konneh: Who
was the first commander leader that first entered your town?
Primary Witness: Charles Taylor general Zoko.
He was the first that lead NPFL?
Primary Witness: Yes
What are things that were done by
them at that time?
Primary Witness: People
were killed, and they even took human parts and put it in pot.
Did you see it?
Primary Witness: Yes
For what purpose?
Primary Witness: For
eating.
Was he the same man who adopted
your wife?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Where does he live?
Primary Witness: Ivory Coast.
Has there been any effort made to
go and find her, and if there is a way?
Primary Witness: No, I
have not been able.
Don't you think she needs that
affection?
Primary Witness: I don't
know weather she thinking about that.
Do you know the where about of
this Ban boy?
Primary Witness: I saw him
here last year.
How does he look?
Primary Witness: Short and
black.
Can you identify him?
Primary Witness: Yes.
What is your wife name?
Primary Witness: Martha
Mallor, because I was not marry to her so it was her father's name.
Your niece that was raped what
was her name?
Primary Witness: Malone.
You say your sister died?
Primary Witness: Yes after
her daughter die, we were hiding it from her and when she heard it, she fell
and die.
What the name of your sister?
Primary Witness: Lorpu
Commissioner Bull: I say
thank you for the incident your testimony has reviled lots of violations,
killing rape and looting so we will take it and make it applicable on our
recommendations. Thank you.
Commissioner Coleman: We
want to know situations surrounding your family. You said you went for your wife in Guinea?
Primary Witness: Yes,
General Zako, he told me to go Guinea
for my wife.
How many children you had?
Primary Witness: Her first
born.
Any other children?
Primary Witness: Yes.
Besides, did any other relatives
die?
Primary Witness: One of my
brothers was coming from Monrovia
they caught him in number 7 and kill him.
And one was here they kill him.
Can you name them?
Primary Witness: Harris
Paye and PA
Your parents, did they survival
the war?
Primary Witness: Yes, my
father die but by himself.
Chairman: The burning
issue that you have now is your daughter?
Primary Witness: Yes.
As a town chief, how are the
people in your town now?
Primary Witness: Some
houses were burn.
How many houses?
Primary Witness: Normal days 384 houses but now 268.
Any thing else?
Primary Witness: Only to
please help us because we have no area and also need people to come and comfort
us because we don't have any thing now.
Tenth Primary Witnesses of the TRC Public
Hearings in
Gbarnga, Bong County
Joseph Polee Dioh
(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.
Chairman: welcome to the
TRC. We are happy to receive you because this is a forum where people who have
good intention for the country will coma and share their experiences with us.
So we thank you for coming. Can you please call your name again?
Primary Witness: My name
is Joseph Polee Dioh
Where do you live?
Primary Witness: I live in
Gbonyea town.
Which district?
Primary Witness: Salayea
district.
What is your did of birth?
Primary Witness: I am 60,
I was born 1947.
What do you do for living?
Primary Witness: I am
a farmer.
Primary Witness: I am
starting from the 1994. In the year 1994, when Charles Taylor war was fighting
around the country, when it reached the Mankoleh Clan, it came to our town in
Gbonyea. With in that time they sent us a commander call general Monami. So
this commander use to have his soldiers going from farm to farm to take our
food away from us. So finally, they start killing people's cattle, like goats
and chicken and the rest of them. With that I told my people, well, it looks
like some thing so hard coming to hit us so. They said they came to mind us,
but the way they doing, if they come to your kitchen, if you don't have it that
trouble, I say then that trouble. Then from the beginning of that year, to
September 1994, so it was September 10, in the evening, when we heard shooting
coming from around the St. John River area.
But the firing was so suppressive that every body got afraid. So people started
running coming to me, they say Joseph, what is going on, so I told the people,
I don't know, but let us stay here, and then later, I will find out because
every body was afraid. So I was going to check. So when I was going, not
knowing that the soldiers too were all afraid and they took cover and hid in
arm bush. So when I was going, the only thing I heard was a clap behind me.
When I look back, I saw a man, he call me, and introduced himself to me as
colonel Crab, he said the sound that we are hearing, they are also afraid and
they don't know where it is coming from. So we should go back on our farms and not
move. So I went and call every body and I told them to tell their children,
that no body should, move. So we went to bed that night, the whole night, they
were shooting, it was not easy, late in the night, around 3 am, not knowing
that this people have captured the other town call Gbolo town. So the next day,
we went to tell the man, who was the head there. And I became to wonder what
was going on, because everything was strange. So they say let us go to the
other town call Gbolo town. But when they came, they halted me and put all of
us in line and we started going to their big man. When we got there, he ask,
who is the big man here, I said I am the one. He said go and bring all your
people here, but if you run away, we will kill all these people here. So they
give me 3 soldiers. Then I went from farm to farm collecting people, some will
be 2, some will be 3 I will collect them and we all came. When we came, they
carry us all to that Gbolo town, but on our way going, we started seeing dead
bodies every where. So all of the women got afraid, they wanted to run away
they say if any body run, I will kill your. So I told them be brave, I say your
lets be brave. So we went. When we got in the town, they ask, who is your chief
here? They chose me, so they call me out. Then I say God, your people had
chosen me, so you be my Leader. So they say they want men power together for
them to do their work. So I put some women together to go on the farm to
harvest some rice, because that time, they were harvesting new rice. And I sent
some people to go cut palm to make oil. So right away, I started doing my work
so that how we started living among them. Every day we got to do that work. So
one night we were there, when NPFL people attack, it was not easy, that was my
first time to be on the ballet field. Some people crying, the guns sound, some
people dying. That where I say God, into your hands I commit my spirit, take
control, that night, it was not easy, so the next morning, when every thing
cease down, their commander call me, and he said they needed people to carry
their wounded soldiers to Fasamah. So when they call me to the behind the
house, I saw 5 dead bodies lying down there. So they say I should give some
people to burry the dead bodies. So right there, I put some people together to
burry the bodies, while some people carry the other wounded soldier to Fasamah
while some people are brushing, and women are prepared to go on the farm. I say
God, it is time now for you to come and join me do this work. So I give men power
to burry the men and I give men power to carry their wounded soldiers to
Fasamah, then I sent some women them in the field to look for their food. Then
when the people came, we all put together and we started doing their work
again, then while we were there, one day one little boy was among us, they say
he was a single barrel man. They put fear in him, and he said yes.
Then they said all the single
barrel group here, we want you to come out. Then the boy under duress, he
started naming his friends them, one David Myers of NPFL made those boys a
single barrel group. So he started naming his friends. They got all of them
about 19 boys, they put them inside they say you people are enemies. So when
they put them inside, I went to their commander one Maleki Trouber. I went to
him, I salute him, I said chief, you got all my young people yesterday and put
them inside, and they are the strength behind this whole thing here to do all
the work. Can you give them to me? They say no, if we give these people to you,
they will run away, I say no, they will not run away. They say what can we do
if they run away? I say I can't tell you, but what ever you think that will be
necessary to do to me, your do it. They say ok, come sign paper, when we give
you these children them, if they run away with in that 12 days, I will kill
you. I said yes, and I sign. So they give me the children, they say after the
12 days, you should bring them back so we can see and know that the boys will
not run away. So I carry the young people home, I told them you should not run
away, when your go do the work, your must come back until after the 12 days.
They say yes, then, mainly what get me discourage, one of the children them
they put in the jail, when we go there, one of them disappear, he na there one
Buckai because I had all the names of the people that die.
So when the boy ran away, when I
look I can't find him. That why get me discourage. So I said, since this is a
battle front, let me and my people them go to Gbongai's town then your be here,
if any thing, any kind of work your tell me to do I will do it but we na able
to stay at this battle front. They say no, when we do that, then your children
them, which is Charles Taylor people, will come and your will join them. They
say no you are not going. So that next evening again, Charles Taylor peopled
hit. Two little children was with us in the town there, gun shot hit them, the
other one, God was with her, the bullets in pass in her intestine, but the
other one foot got broken right there. Then that morning, they call me, they
say there is a job for you again, we want you to give us men power to carry our
wounded soldiers to Fasamah. Come let's go behind the house. I went, I saw 4
soldiers, whether they were ULIMO or Taylor fighters, they say you need to
burry them. So after that thing, I went back to him again, I said, chief let my
people and my self go back to Gbongai, I will still do anything for you. But it
will not be necessary for me and these people to stay at this battle front with
you. He told his boys them to put me inside because I was troubling him. He say
I have decided to go and be a conniver with the enemy. So they told his boys to
naked me and put me in jail and they did. So from that morning, they decided to
put me out. That day again NPFL hit so only two people got wounded, we were
there, and nobody went to Fasamah. So I prayed, I said, God you know my problem
let these people let us go. So I went to him again, I said chief I salute you,
I say chief let my people go, so he looked at me, and said, it looks like you
hard head ahn? So he said, let the people pack their things and go back to
Gbongai. So I told my people and we went to Gbongai. So they were happy, when
we were going we were singing and praising God. When we got to Gbongai, we got
to Gbongai November 15th. Then from November 15th to
December 10th, that early morning, suppressive fire opened that
morning, the NPFL came to attack the ULIMO that were assigned with us and it
was not easy.
So I had the mind but the way we
use to lay down in Gbolo town, but the shooting was not easy. So I came out
side, I pronounced it heavily in the air, I say if, your any where, your
hearing me, your come out side. Please leave the house, let us go in the bush,
the sound is so heavy, I can not control it, so come out side let us go in the
bush. Those that went to the water side way, none of them survived, they are on
the paper. But those that came to me, I made a by-pass in the bush, the whole
group was behind me, people crying, the shot was not easy, you can't stand,
because if you can't make it to stand. So while we were going, my other
daughter said, papa I can't make it, she was pregnant. Right there, pains grab
her. I said my daughter look at the sound, hear the gun sound, and it is not
like the sound is a distance from us, but if I stand, I say lets try. So I hold
her hand. When we ran from here like from here to the parking there, she said
pa, leave me, she dropped, and she say I can't move from here again. People
were passing, I told the people when you go, go behind my farm the bush there,
your go wait for me there, I am coming. So everybody passed. Only the mother
and the aunty stay with her. I thought my mother was among the people, behold,
the bullet hit her and she dropped behind us. So they began to pet my daughter
until when we got to the site, few women went behind the house and she deliver
right there. But when I look among the people, I can not see my mother.
Witness breaks down in tears.
May her soul rest in peace then I
say problem, I told my wife, I say I want to go back to town to see if I can
find my mother. She told me say no, the kind of sound; I don't want you to go
to the town, so wait yet. So I went, while we were going to the same station
there, soldiers from general Wha, one Edward Wha, that him did the attack, they
came and they arrested me, they came they fire in the air, while the people
were running, I took my daughter two day old baby, I had him in my chest, then
one soldier they call black fire, he say give the child to his mother now
because I will kill you just now. He say give the child to the mother, I say I
can't give the child to the mother, so my daughter came and held me by the
wrist, she say papa, let them kill us together. In the main time, every body
was gone. The girl was trembling holding my hand, she say pa, let me die with
you. And I was holding the baby, form there, one of his friends came from
behind and say don't kill the papai. He took the gun from him easy, he say you
wanted to kill the papai and the baby? He say pack you bag let's go in town.
Only my daughter and myself, with that young man, we walk, we came to town. My
daughter was crying on me, no woman was there, her ma was not there. Then, they
carry me, they say lets go.
First when we got to the town the
whole town was burned. We had 23 houses and only the 2 churches and 2 houses
were there. So when we got there, they took me to the place where we use to get
our drinking water. When I got there, that the place where they put the bodies,
they say look. When I went and look among it, I can't see my ma, I started
crying there right there, I say God, where is she? With in the course, 125 people came from Lofa County
and they were with us in the town. But all the people they kill there were 75,
because the soldiers made me count them. Some of the people who came from Lofa,
they were 25 and 50 people die from our town. I put all of them down, I even
show the place to the people when the TRC people went there. That time, that
only my and my daughter and that young baby was in that town. In the morning,
when I get up, I will look for some thing for her to eat, because that time,
there was no salt, I will just cook the cold food like that. So they came
again, and they said that their commander say I should clear the town because
he wants all of his civilians back. They say I should move the bodies from the
town, we are talking about 75 bodies.
When that in the morning, I go to
work with the wheel barrel. Some times, I go see this other person lying down
they will cut the other side, the other side lying down so, and I will take it
with stick, and I carry it to the place I put it. I did that with in the course
of one week, and I told them the town is clean. Behold the town chief's wife, I
don't know if they carry her in the house, there where she died, on the bed.
After I told them that the town is clean, when I was going to the creek, I saw
the flies were just coming through the window, when I went to go see, I saw the
woman lying down on the bed. I call another soldier, I say come see some thing,
I say here is another trouble, he say so I should do what? I move the body from
there. And it was just like this now, so I burst the wall. She was on the bed,
I haul the bed out side, I carry her to the other bodies. I went and told him I
am finished, he say ok, go look for your food. While I was going to look for my
food on the farm, I said well, since I can't not find my mother since one week,
let me pass the by pass. When I was going, my mother just left the road small,
that where she was lying down, with her small bucket at her head. I came right
back, I told him, I say I find another body again in the bush, he say let's go,
when we went, I told him, this is my mother. He says what can we do? I say I will
burry her. That time, the body was getting decay now. I brush the place, I cut
stick, I put stick under her, I burry my mother, I put her in the hole, I cover
her. After hat, there was another command, they told me, that I have to move
from place to place, collecting all the other civilians and bring them back to
the town. When I was going, my daughter cry with me, she say who and I will be
with the soldiers? Then one of them said, go, I will take care of your
daughter. So I went, I started getting the people from place to place, until we
all came back to town. And, when I heard about the LURD rebel war, the last
war, I told the people I say civilians I can't make it, because the God that
save me the first time, might not save me again this time, so I have to leave
you. So when I was going to Totota, majority of the people follow me again,
there where we were, until the war finished. That's the story.
Questions from the Commissioners:
Chairman: we want to thank
you for coming and we sorry for all the bad things that you experienced. And we
want to also thank you for been a good leader to your people. So at this time,
commissioners will ask you some questions.
Commissioner Konneh: I wan
to express our sympathy to you for the death of your mother and those that were
killed. Your testimony terms to suggest to us plenty people did not make a
mistake to leave with you at such crucial time. Even those who died, they are
in their graves, but they still have you at the backs of their minds. For the courage and so we want to commit you
for your courage and bravery. Can you tell us the name of the general?
Primary Witness: I told
you the first general NPFL sent to us was General Monami, he was a Mandingo
man.
You said when NPFL attack in
September, what happen?
Primary Witness: I said
the first people that were minding us ran and left us.
Which of the force was colonel
crab?
Primary Witness: He was
NPFL, one of Charles Taylor man.
Where was the shooting coming
from?
Primary Witness: It was
just in the same area, but from my town Gbongay to Gbolo town, it is just abut
10 minutes walk.
That means that ULIMO drove NPFL
form the town?
Primary Witness: Yes, they
drove them.
You said you saw so many dead
bodies, were those civilians or soldiers?
Primary Witness: They were
all civilians.
You said they took you to swear?
Primary Witness: Yes.
What were they saying?
Primary Witness: I can't
understand their language they were speaking Mandingo.
Meaning you people should swear
you loyalty to them?
Primary Witness: Yes.
And they told you people to not
go out when they were shooting?
Primary Witness: Yes.
The bodies you said you saw, were
they soldiers or civilians?
Primary Witness: They were
all soldiers, but I can't tell if they were NPFL or ULIMO.
Who was this general Wha?
Primary Witness: General
Wha was the first commander of NPFL.
What is the distance between your
town and Fassama?
Primary Witness: It is
about 3 days.
You use to provide food for them,
where did you get the food form?
Primary Witness: It was
our own food, because rice was getting rape.
You said some body was arrested
for being a single barrel, was it true?
Primary Witness: Yes, one
general Myers put them together.
Did the town people follow you?
Primary Witness: Yes, they
follow me.
And when you came back after
ceased fire, how did the town look?
Primary Witness: The town
was down even till now, but it is jus that it is our home and there is no where
to go.
What was your experience when
NPFL was in your town?
Primary Witness: At first
when they came, they said they came to mind us, but later, they started taking
out things away and eating our food, all our cattle.
What about ULIMO?
Primary Witness: I will
not say any of them was good because they all raped, sold our food and things.
You only talked about 1994, what
was your experience from 1990 to 1993?
Primary Witness: Well, the
only thing I experience was that this man, Prince Johnson pass through our town
to go to bong mines, and later general Myers came.
So, INPFL did not harass any body
in your town?
Primary Witness: Oh, they
came, another group call themselves, the marines, they say they came to mind
us, but in the night, the will take all of the marry women or not so all the
young people ran from the town.
I ask about INPFL did they do
anything to you.
Primary Witness: No, they
just pass through our town.
Commissioner Bull: Mr.
Witness, I want to thank you for coming, and it shows that you are a leader,
and they say a good leader foes not look for a good name, but a good name
always follows a good leader. And that even now, not only in your town, you can
go to the other adjacent towns and serve as a chief. We want to thank you for
narrative.
Commissioner Coleman:
thank you for coming to share your story and I want to join my friends to
extent gratitude to you. How long were you chief of the people of Gbongay town?
Primary Witness: I began
their leader, during the war, and even after the war, they put together saying
even though I was from different region, they made me their chief.
And were you living in that town?
Primary Witness: Yes, I
was living there, when anything happened there, the pe
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