The NEWS (Monrovia)
Alloycious David
29 September 2008
Monrovia — A former rebel commander of the defunct Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) Grand Gedeh County Representative Kai Farley has denied receiving military support from the Ivorian Government during the execution of their rebel incursion into Liberia in 2003.
It is widely believed that MODEL was organized in the Ivory Coast and got military support from the Ivorian Army to unseat the government of Charles.
The former commander of the rebel movement, Representative Farley, alias Miracle 1, Thursday told the Thematic and Institutional Hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that MODEL never received military backing from the Ivorian Government.
Rep. Farley who also refuted that MODEL was organized in the Ivory Coast disclosed that the rebel movement was organized by a group of 210 men expelled from Ivory Coast as a result of persistent attacks on that country by former President Charles Taylor's government forces.
He said "I do not have knowledge about the source of our weapons you can refer that question to our former Chairman Thomas Yaya Nimley".
"I was only concerned about making advances at the frontline and not concerned about where the weapons and ammunition were coming from," Rep. Farley responded to a question from one of the commissioners.
He also denied allegation that MODEL returned its 88MM mortal and other weapons used during the war to Ivory Coast, adding "we never had heavy weapons we only had AK-47 and 60s which we turned over to UNMIL during disbarment."
"I am aware that I am under oath I am yet to see that video that established that we had 88MM mortal loaded on a pick-up," Rep. Farley responded to a question from Commissioner John Steward.
Regarding training, he disclosed that 90 percent of the original fighting men of 210 were former soldiers, who had war experience.
The 32 year-old former rebel leader said MODEL with an objective to remove the government of Taylor was against the recruitment of child soldiers.
He said we were aware that the recruitment of children to fight was an abuse of their human rights.
Rep. Farley also denied that MODEL fighters were involved in looting of private and public properties.
He told the Commissioners that MODEL protected the property of the Liberia Agriculture Company in Grand Bassa County. Rep. Farley noted that he abandoned plans to capture Harbel, Firestone, when Catholic Bishop Michael Francis and former US Ambassador John Blaney pleaded with him not to do so due to the civilian population in Harbel.
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