A House with Two Rooms - The Advocates for Human Rights

While some families were ultimately reunited, many Liberian families have never been made whole. A
Kissi statement giver now living in Ghana told the TRC that he and his wife and son sought refuge in
the U.S. Embassy compound in 2003 after NPFL rebels had killed four of his Mandingo neighbors.
“While we were at the American Embassy, rockets from [Liberians United for Reconciliation and
Democracy] (LURD) rebels hit in and around the Embassy compound killing Liberians and, I think,
some American Marines. As the crowd scattered, I lost track of my wife. I have not seen her since, but
I have heard that she may now be in Guinea, though I don’t know where.” 42
Although this statement giver was able to bring his son safely to Ghana, other children were not so
lucky. Another statement giver told of being able to escape with only one child after her husband
was beheaded in her presence – her other child was trampled to death in the confusion. 43 If not
killed, children often were cut off from parents, seemingly in an instant. 44 One statement giver who
was ten years old at the time told the TRC that he “ran with his neighbors when he fled; he didn’t
end up running with his brothers and sisters. He doesn’t know what happened to his grandmother,
his brothers…or his sisters…” 45 While many children were able to take advantage of the Liberian
extended family system and find refuge with relatives, many were left stranded with no one but
strangers to assist them.
I was just eight years old in 1990…[My father] decided to take us to safety
in Maryland County…While enroute…he was arrested and killed at the
Toe Town Checkpoint by NPFL forces. After my father was killed I joined
another family and followed them to Greenville, [Sinoe County]. I was
abandoned by the family that took me to Sinoe County and was adopted by
another family. 46
Another statement giver was in second grade when the war started in 1990. His mother was shot. As
he huddled over her body, she was bayoneted by soldiers. 47 This young boy’s father came to find him
and took him to safety in Côte d’Ivoire. But after being in Côte d’Ivoire for several years, his father
was killed in 2000 as a result of the conflict that engulfed that country. 48 This statement giver, who
eventually made his way to Ghana, was able to locate his two younger brothers in Guinea. He is trying
to bring them to Ghana but does not have enough money to do so. 49
Many Liberians were forced to make impossible decisions in a split second. A statement giver from
Zwedru who now lives in Ghana told the TRC that his mother had just given birth to twins when the
war came in 1990.
I had gone out as usual in the early morning to make a fire behind the house.
Rebels came to the house and crashed in the front door. I crawled into the
[babies’] room and was only big enough to take one. I grabbed one of the
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Chapter Thirteen