A House with Two Rooms - The Advocates for Human Rights

Many Liberians adjusted to life in Côte d’Ivoire. For example, a young woman now living in Ghana
told the TRC that she arrived in Côte d’Ivoire as an eight-year-old. In the UNHCR camp, she “was
able to get rice and other aid, including a chance to further her education at a U.N. school.” 158 But
difficulties remained. Life in Côte d’Ivoire was described as very difficult for those refugees who
did not speak French. 159 Liberian refugees faced continuing safety issues because of cross border
incursions from Liberian rebel factions. 160 When many Liberians returned to Liberia after the election
of Charles Taylor, Ivorians accused Liberian refugees of burning the houses and the rice they had
planted. 161 When these same refugees sought to return, local chiefs were less welcoming. 162
Liberians also complained of harassment by security forces in the Zone d’Accueil des Refugies as
well as in other parts of Côte d’Ivoire. 163 One statement giver described how refugees were attacked
by NPFL forces from Liberia if they stayed near the border, but, if they went to the interior of Côte
d’Ivoire, they were harassed by the Ivorians. 164 Human rights groups reported that Ivorian security
forces often would force Liberians to pay bribes or would subject them to arbitrary arrest and beatings
as they tried to travel within Côte d’Ivoire. 165
The situation became more complicated as fighting spread throughout the sub-region. Ivorians
increasingly viewed Liberians as potential rebels or fighters trying to destabilize Côte d’Ivoire. 166
Fighting broke out in 2002 in Côte d’Ivoire, after a failed coup attempt against President Laurent
Gbagbo. 167 Life in the Nicla camp near Danané became dangerous as rebels gained control of the
area. 168 In 2003, refugees had to be evacuated from the western part of the country to escape more
fighting. 169 Tens of thousands of returning Liberians as well as Ivorian refugees entered Liberia to
escape the conflict in Côte d’Ivoire. 170 One statement giver described how the Ivorian army blamed
Liberian refugees for rebel incursions into Côte d’Ivoire and began to kill the Liberians. 171 He stated
that more than 20 of his friends were killed in Taï, Côte d’Ivoire. 172 The young woman described above
who had gone to school in Côte d’Ivoire, said that she “couldn’t stand the tension in Côte d’Ivoire by
2003, [so] she decided to go to Ghana.” 173 Another statement giver summarized her experience:
I and my baby sister lived in la Cote d’Ivoire from 1990 to 2002. I was in
Danané, Cote d’Ivoire, when the Ivorian civil conflict broke out. The war
there started a day after I arrived in Danané. I left Cote d’Ivoire to go to
Ghana because of the outbreak of the war there. I have not seen my baby
sister since I left that country… 174
Statement givers also reported that Ivorian fighting factions recruited Liberians to fight in their civil
conflict. One said that Ivorian rebels wanted Liberians to fight for them because “Liberians know
about fighting.” 175 When the statement giver refused to fight, the rebels punished him by hanging him
in the air and tying his penis to a stake, until the group leader ordered them to release him. 176 The
constant threat from rebel raids and the growing resentment of the Ivorians was cited by numerous
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Chapter Thirteen