- A Liberian woman threw the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) into sombre mood when she explained how her mother and her two-month old baby were behead by rebel fighters loyal to George Boley, the leader of defunct Liberia Peace Council (LPC) in 1995.
The TRC was established by the government to heal the wounds of the west African country's 14-year-old brutal war.
Frances King told the commission that she had witnessed the traumatic event in Toe Town in southeastern Rivercess County. She said Boley's fighters later threw the headless bodies, including that of her brother's baby into a river.
Testifying in tears, the witness said during the Toe Town raid, the rebels led by one
McDonald Tarpeh killed her sister-in-law by pounding her head with a stick before killing
her husband and their entire family.
The commission also heard that LPC fighters massacred 40 inhabitants of Wrobo and Zoryeah
towns when they invaded Rivercess County in 1993 and 1994. The late Gen. Augustine Zor was accused of leading the massacre.
Elijah Wroboa, a witness accused Zor's fighters of raiding and slaughtering 27 inhabitants in Wrobo Town.
Tarpeh also blamed Zor for ordering the massacres. During the raid, the fighters set the
town on fire, raped women as well as conscripted several young boys into rebellion.
Gen Zor's ordered raid on Zoryeah resulted to the killing of the town's 13 males in 1995.
The fighters said they were furious over the use of the town as base by Gen. Roland's
fighters to repel the LPC from the area.
"When the fighters entered the town, they ordered all males to assembe in a palaver hut to meet their commander," Zoryeah sombrely state. He said Gen. Zor ordered the fighters to open fire on the men after they had assembled, resulting to the killing of "13 of our brothers."
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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