Liberian Woman's Testimony
The Effects of War and Conflict on her Life
My son was with Charles Taylor’s rebel army at the age of 11. He did not trust anyone. God knows how many children my son had killed. Charles Taylor’s army had killed my tribe, Nimba people. 3 years ago I had spoken to my son. He had asked me to send him money. I told him I was getting his papers ready for him to come to America. I sent $200 for him to get ready. Charles Taylor had taken him to another place. My son went around telling everyone he was going to his mom. Then he came to Monrovia and he liked this girl that another boy also liked. They killed my son. That night he was told not to do anything or go anywhere until all is ok for him to come here to the United States. At this time my son was not wearing his uniform. A grenade was tossed in the house. His body parts were scattered everywhere. My sister was looking for him and identified him by a birthmark on his arm. She started to collect his body parts to bury him so he could be identified. My two brothers were also killed in the war. I could not stop crying for over three weeks.
When someone knocked on my door I said is it my mother? They said no, it was your son and he died in a terrible way. My son died in the last war in 2003. My husband was Cru and they killed him to. His first brother was killed as well. The mother of my husband could not take it anymore. She died then the father died. He was a principal in a school. In Liberia anyone can come into your home, the door is always opened. My mother will never be the same. She is always in and out of hospitals.
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