A House with Two Rooms - The Advocates for Human Rights

epresentatives selected by the various fighting factions. 372
During this time, hostilities remained widespread throughout 80 percent of the country, but at a lower
level of intensity. 373 A U.N. report noted the segmenting of fighting into different territories according
to the warring factions. For example, the NPFL and LPC coalition forces primarily battled in the
eastern, northern, and to some extent, southern, parts; 374 ULIMO-J and ULIMO-K fought in the
western areas; 375 ULIMO-K and the NPFL fought in Lofa County; 376 and ULIMO-J and the NPFL
fought in Bong and Margibi Counties. 377 Most fighting consisted of skirmishes, looting, and attacks
on infrastructure. 378
Statements detail atrocities by factions in spite of the relatively lower levels of fighting. A statement
giver living in Maryland County described how in 1994 she returned home from the market to find
her parents, brothers, and sisters gone. 379 Rebels later captured and raped her. 380 Another man living
in Grand Gedeh County described how LPC rebels tried to forcibly recruit him in August 1994; when
he refused, the rebels tortured him, stripped him naked, and jailed him for a day. 381 Another statement
giver living in Maryland County recounted how she and three other women ran into an ambush of
Doe loyalists. 382 One of the rebels raped her; when he finished he called over one of his friends to rape
her as well. 383
Statements also contained reports of
attacks against medical personnel and
patients during the war. 384 Two incidents
in 1994 recounted by statement givers are
demonstrative of these humanitarian law
violations. A nurse recounted how Taylor’s
rebels attacked the Bong County hospital
and forced the nurses to render services to
them. 385 When ULIMO-J forces attacked
in 1994, Taylor’s rebels reportedly returned
to the hospital and “started killing nurses
“Medical and religious personnel shall be respected
and protected and shall be granted all available help for
the performance of their duties…In the performance of
their duties medical personnel may not be required to
give priority to any person except on medical grounds.”
Art. 9, Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions
of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of
Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol
II) (1977).
indiscriminately.” 386 One woman living in Gbarnga described how Taylor’s forces attempted to take
over the hospital in 1994:
Not long after they arrived at the hospital, Taylor’s troops attempted to take
over the building, but the hospital personnel were able to hold them off. A
few hours later, Taylor’s troops came back with reinforcement, and made
everyone in the hospital come outside with their hands over their heads
in a line. They treated invalids, the elderly, and hospital staff with equally
brutal force. Everyone sat on the ground for hours, while Taylor’s men shot
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