A House with Two Rooms - The Advocates for Human Rights

where there was “a wall running with blood.” She said people coming through the checkpoint were
ordered to drink from the pool of blood, and “if you don’t drink the blood, they kill you.” 46
Even outside of checkpoints, people were still at risk while moving through the countryside. Another
statement giver described how NPFL rebels intercepted her and her family en route to Côte d’Ivoire. 47
The rebels forced her to watch as they cut off her husband’s ears, then forced him to eat them before
killing him. 48
“Everyone lawfully within the territory of a State shall, within that territory, have the right to liberty of
movement...” Art. 12(1), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Targeting Civilian Populations
In addition to hardship and displacement, the warfare
resulted in massive civilian fatalities. Although civilians
were sometimes caught in random crossfire between the
factions, 49 civilians often were the victims of deliberate,
targeted killing based on their ethnicity or perceived
support for a faction or the government. 50 The Doe
government targeted residents of Nimba County, particularly
the Mano and Gio for their rebel support. 51 In
turn, the rebel factions targeted Doe supporters, many
of whom were Krahn and Mandingo. 52 While ethnic
affiliation had been used to discriminate or favor during
Americo-Liberian rule, it now served as the basis to kill,
torture, rape, or otherwise punish people. 53
Targeting NDPL Affiliation
The NPFL’s intentions to target specific groups became apparent early in the conflict. A statement
giver described the NPFL’s targeting in Greater Liberia a few months after the 1989 invasion:
NPFL rebels occupied Bong Mines between February and March 1990.
They targeted Krahns, Mandingos, and members/officials of the Samuel
K. Doe government. A group of NPFL rebels entered the home of our next
door neighbor and pulled him from behind the wardrobe where he was
hiding. He was taken outside and shot dead. The victim was M.Q. He was
the first Krahn man that was killed in our part of the concession area. 54
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Violence to life and to person, hostagetaking,
outrages upon personal dignity,
and extrajudicial executions carried out
against “persons taking no active part in
the hostilities” are prohibited at all times
and places. Such protected persons are
to be treated humanely “without any
adverse distinction founded on race,
colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or
wealth, or any other similar criteria.”
Art. 3(1), Convention (IV) relative to the
Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of
War.