Lesen Sie einen Ausschnitt aus folgender Veröffentlichung*: LIBERIA - DIARY OF THE START OF A CIVIL WAR OR THIS BUSINESS OF CHOPPING OURSELVES UP" von BEN TETTEH / LWG-Veröffentlichung Nr. 12 * Die deutsche Übersetzung liegt noch nicht vor. PREFACE: Is there a need for another book on the civil war in Liberia, ten years after it stardted and three years after it ended? Has enough been written already? Former rebel leaders, warlords, fighters and freedom fighters, soldiers as well as politicians have repeatedly asked for forgiveness. They asked the peolpe to put the past behind them and reconcile. But most of what really happened has not been made public. It is known however that, knowing the facts helps the process of reconciliation. Besides, to know the past helps one to understand the present, thereby making preperation for the future a little easier. In the abscence of a "Facts-Finding-Tribunal", of some sort, the public on the whole has not been educated or informed. There has been no public discussion of the civil war. A number of articles have been published on various aspects of the civil war in Newspapers and Magazines. Few books have also been written. Most of these publications however, are written differently. Most of them are so complicated, many Liberians, even those with above average education, can hardly understand most of these publications. In this time when the people are longing for "peace", "reconciliation" and "reconstruction" in the country, Liberians and friends of Liberia should be able to read and learn more about the civil war, as a means of reconciling with the past; because there is no Group of people, clan or family of liberia which has not been seriously affected, in one way or the other, as a result of this civil war. Moreover. if there is any one event, which would be able to unify this country in the end, as tragic as this war was, this author believes, this is it. This book therefore intended as a contribution to this cause.I thank all my dear friends who supported me in this effort. Thank you plenty. - THE AUTHOR - LIBERIA Ein Beispiel liberianischer Musik - ZACK & GEBAH: "Keep On Trying" INTRODUCTION: The war to gain power in Liberia, started December 24, 1989, as is well known. The group of men, led by Charles Taylor and Prince Johnson, under the organisation known as National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), entered Liberia ti fight President Doe`s government with an army of about 6000 men and women. In October, 1985, a rebel group of the same name, lead by General Thomas Qwiwonkpa, also attemted to overthrow Doe`s government. President Doe himself had come to power through a bloody coup of non commissioned officers in 1980, of which Thomas Qwiwonkpawas also part. They killed President William R. Tolbert, and several others government officials. With the help of the Israelite secret service, President Doe defeated the rebels in Monrovia. General Qwiwonkpa and his commandos came from the border with Sierra Leone. They travelled through Cape Mount and Bomi Counties to reach Monrovia. After the defeat of the rebels. President Doe sent troops to Nimba, "to teach the Nimba people lesson". It is believed that troops from Zwedru and Monrovia killed, in all, about 2000 Gio and Mano people in Nimba and also in Monrovia. This time, Doe`s heavy hand-tactics didn`t work. It backfired. Thousands of civilians joined the rebels. Hundreds of soldiers deserted the army and fled the country or joined the rebels. The rebels or "freedom fighters" captured one town after the other. Tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people were killed and wounded. Many thousands more died of hunger related sicknesses. Hundreds of thousands were driven from their homes. They became internally displaced people and or refugees all over the world. After six months of fighting, the rebels could not take Monrovia. The people were suffering! The rebel leader Charles Taylor declared himself "president of Liberia". Ecowas stepped in. Sent troops. President Samuel Doe was killed and Liberia became a divided country. As time went by, six warring factions had entered the "killing field" and the "money making business". And with the help og Ecowas, one peace treaty after the other was signed. Three interim governments were installed. This situation ended July, 1997 with the help of General Sani Abacha of Nigeria, and on August 20, 1997, Mr. Charles "Ghankay" Taylor became president of Liberia. From the beginning of the civil war, this author gathered all the materials he could get hands on, mainly daily newspapers, local and foreign. notes were made from radio and television reports, as well as from telephone calls to Liberia, USA and elsewhere. The intention to write a book on the Civil War, was however abandoned, when in 1991, it appeared that the end of the war was nowhere in sight. In the middle of 1996, after the signing of yet another peace accord, and especially during the election campaign 1997, the idea of documenting the events of the war again came to mind. During that time most of the candidates for the presidency and the legislature, politicians as well as former fighters were talking about forgivenes and "putting the past behind us". They all talked about healing the wounds of the people, reconstruction etc. Few talked about corruption, civil rights violation and the setting up of a Civil Rights Commission to investigate the deeds of the players. The idea of describing the activities as they occurred daily was therefore thought to be the best way to document the events. Thereby, one is able to follow the events as they developed: One would see for example, how the people were slowly brutalised and dehumanised. One can follow the gradual destruction of the country. One can also follow the statements made by the actors at different times. Having chosen this form for this book, it became clear that it had to be limited to the dramatic first year, rather then the whole six years of the civil war. Hence, this book covers that that very critical period: from December 1989 to December 1990. This first year can be considered as the first phase of the civil war: That is, the time in which the war to topple Doe`s government and seize power started and ended not only with the killing President Samuel Doe, leading government officials and hundreds of soldiers, but also the killing of tens of thousands of civilians and the destruction of the social institutions and physical developments, as well as the establishment of two governments in Liberia. In this first phase, the patterns were laid for most of what later followed. Clues to understanding much of what later happened and even things that are happening today can be seen during this period. Although comments are made here in this book, analysing the Civil War is not intended. It is likewise not the intention of the author to incriminate any person or group. His aim is to record the activities and statements in a time frame as best as was possible from information gather from here in Europe. Emphasis is put on recording as many names of people and places involved in this war as possible. The spelling of personal names of places differ at times doe to the source of the information. Where it was found neccessary to correct the spelling of others, the spelling was found in the Census Report of 1972, 1983 and other official papers of Liberia has been used. Despite all that care taken, if mistakes have been made, the author would be grateful, if you, the readers would direct his attention to them. Certainly all what happened have not been recorded here. Nor has the author been able to mention all the names of people and places involved the civil war. It is hoped however, that this book will add in a special way to others, which have been published on this subject. THE WAR DECEMBER 1989 December 25, 1989 The news came today Tuesday, this Christmas morning over BBC, saying that a band of rebels attacked a Liberia border near the Ivory Coast yesterday, killing a number of government soldiers. (1) Nobody we talked to is taking this news serious. Besides, the government has not mentioned any such thing. December 26 "We hear that" the town that was attacked was the custom town, Butuo, a town with about 600 inhibitants. The government is to send Brigadier General Edward W. Smith with 300 soldiers to drive off the invaders and reinforce the troops on the border. The two companies with tanks and heavy armour trucks were from the "nd Battalion. The Superintendent of Nimba County Stephen Daniels, is shock about what has happened to his county. December 28 The Catholic Broadcoasting Station in Monrovia was ordered by the government to close down. No reason was given but yesterday, this station announced that encroachment had been made by rebels on the territory of Liberia. (7) A civilian mini-bus transporting soldiers to Butuo was ambushed. Several soldiers were killed. (39) It is reported that twelve suspected dissidenst were arrested in Monrovia. December 29 Rumour spreading in Monrovia about hundreds of government soldiers who have been killed and about the towns Butuo and Karnplay, which have been destroyed. Some inhabitants have been killed,others ran into the bush or escaped across the border into the Ivory Coast. The town comissioner, Mr. David Boley and his wife and some town chiefs were were among those reportedly arrested by soldiers, interrogated and later shot. On the other hand, Brigadier general Edward Smith, now in the area, said that according to reports reaching him, "some 200 innocent citizens were killed" following the "hit and run" tactics of the armed dissidents. (7;8) We hear that soldiers tried to retake Butuo today. The government soldiers sent to Butuo,went in with heavy armour trucks and tanks to blast off the town. (28) Partisans of the National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL) came to Executive Mansion to present a statement of support and loyalty to the president. President Doe told them that he has information about "residents harbouring armed dissidents". Doe said further, anyone who is keeping armed dissidents should "throw them out". Earlier that day, the president had paid a short visit to Nimba. (9) December 30 In a nation-wide broadcast tonight, Saturday, President Doe has now informed the public about a "Group of dissidents", (as he called the rebels), who entered the country from Cote d`Ivoire "with the sole purpose to destabilise the country during the holiday season". The president further said "the dissidents burned customs house in Butuo, took down the Liberia flag, and replaced it with an unknown flag". They killed Staff Seargeant Jallabe Geoffrey Macarthy and wounded Master-Sergeant Thomas Pokar. The president said that he had been informed that Brigadier General Edward Smith, who was sent up there, has completed the mission. He said the situation was under "complete control"; citizens and foreign residents should go about their normal duties. The president talked about some of the dissidents being caught in Monrovia, who have confessed. He said the dissidents divided themselves in two groups; one Group remained in Butuo, while the other group came to Monrovia with "the sole purpose of destabilising the country during the holiday season". But some of the dissidents who came to Monrovia, the President said, "decides to join the citizens to have a good time, and turned in their arms" which were discovered at the "rally Time Market". (10) President Doe said, "because of the gravity of the situation, government was taking diplomatic initiatives to bring the matter to the attention of the international community", in particular, ECOWAS, OAU and the UN. Dr. Doe also announced that the government had ordered Ambassador Harold Tar, in Abidjan, home for consultation. The president then reffered to the reconciliation meeting held in Saniquelle in November 1987 with Citizens of Nimba; the complain made by Chief Jerry Gonyon about subversive activities in his area; and the Sackor Committee set up to invesitage the matter. After weeks of investigation the unpublished recommendation of the Sackor Committee to dismiss clan chief Jerry Gonyon and punish him for trying to bring confusionbetween the govrnment and citizens of Nimba was carried out. (1;7;10) It is reported that two companies from the 2nd Battalion of the AFL was sent to Butuo under the command of Briadier Edward W. Smith. The Radio Station ELBC announced in the evening newscast, that incursion had been made in Nimba County with the loss of lives. December 31 Rev. David Seah Doe, Pastor of the St. Peters United Methodist Church in Clasy Ashland, in his Sunday service, spoke against "people coming to his church to spy and go tell lies... They come to monitor my service to go and tell lies, just for two `J. J. Roberts`." He went on, "they tell lies to enrich themselves." He said that he did not fear these people and he had nothing against them coming in his church but "they must report the truth." Pastor David Doe concluded: "Powerful leaders in the past have destroyed church leaders, but the church continues to grow while those leaders are no more." (7) After the church service, Mr. Vanjah Richard, major of Clay Ashland, Rev. Walter D. Richards and others spoke out in support of Rev. David Doe. (1;7) It is reported that eight members of the Arm Forces of Liberia (AFL) were killed in an ambush and their arms taken away from then. It was reported also that the government has sent 300 additional soldiers to Nimba. This thing must be really serious up there now, on observer noted. When the first attack on butuo by a small band of rebels was reported, some started thinking, who would be so foolish to start an arm conflict way up there in Nimba to overthrow Doe`s government down here in Monrovia. Vivid memories of the many coups have had on the society are occupying the thoughts of many people. So, the question most people are asking now are: "Who are these people and can they really achieve anything? How will the president react this time?" ... --- 10 of 200 pages ---