A House with Two Rooms - The Advocates for Human Rights

“Starvation of civilians as a method of combat
is prohibited. It is therefore prohibited to
attack, destroy, remove or render useless for
that purpose, objects indispensable to the
survival of the civilian population such as foodstuffs,
agricultural areas for the production of
food-stuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water
installations and supplies and irrigation works.”
Art. 14, Protocol Additional to the Geneva
Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to
the Protection of Victims of Non-International
Armed Conflicts.
Widespread Looting
another significant concern. 25 Some statements
indicate that lack of food and water was not
merely a side effect, but a deliberate tactic used to
kill people through such deprivation. 26 Statements
revealed accounts of combatants contaminating
water supplies by throwing corpses into wells or
streams. 27 The shortages that ensued drove more
people to become refugees. The combination of
forced displacement and scarcity of food and water
resulted in thousands of deaths from malnutrition
and sickness. 28
Rebel factions did not have central supplies and so pillaged basic necessities for sustenance. 29 A
statement giver reported that fighters regularly participated in organized raids against civilians called
“food attacks” or “clothes attacks” whenever they found their supplies were getting low. 30 Charles
Taylor reportedly not only tolerated such conduct but even encouraged his troops to engage in it. 31 A
former soldier who fought for the NPFL in the early years of the war summarized:
Food was scarce, so the NPFL orders were to collect rice and meat from
villages they captured. Those protesting the taking of their property were
killed or otherwise harmed. Usually, we would raid a village and ask the
chief for food. If he said no, we would tie the chief up. 32
Civilians unable to provide food for rebels often faced brutal consequences. One statement giver
described the death of his brother after rebels demanded livestock from him in 1990:
When the NPFL forces arrived in the village, they asked him to provide
them with cows, goats, and sheep. He could not provide what was demanded
of him. He was killed because he could not provide what the NPFL rebels
wanted. 33
The pillaging and extortions were representative of
the pervasive lack of discipline among rebels. Rebels
did not restrict themselves to basic necessities. One
statement giver stated that the rebels would “steal any
and everything they could get their hands on inside
of the homes,” even taking her wedding albums. 34
132
Pillage and threats to commit pillage are
prohibited “at any time and in any place
whatsoever” during non-international armed
conflicts. Art. 4(2)(g)-(h), Protocol Additional
to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949,
and relating to the Protection of Victims of
Non-International Armed Conflicts.