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The Inquirer (Monrovia)

Liberia: 'Saah Gbollie Was Responsible for My Torturing'

C. Winnie Saywah & Rose M. Saulwas

27 November 2008

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The former human rights activist, Tiawon Gongloe has blamed his brutal encounter while in prison under the Taylor-led government on instructions from Margibi County Representative Saa Gbollie.

Even though, the former Deputy Director of Police for Operations, now Representative recently denied before the Commission ever harming any civilian during his service with the Liberia National Police (LNP). Gongloe told the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) on November 26, 2008, that it was upon Gbollie's secret meeting with three of the inmates that he was ordered to take off his clothes and be mal-handled in prison.

"Everything was fine in the cell until about 10:30pm when I heard the Deputy Director of Police for Operations Saa Gbollie entering the building. When I heard Saa Gbollie, I said to myself that I was completely finished. True to my suspicion, three of the inmates were called upstairs by Saa Gbollie.

When they returned these friendly inmates who have earlier been so friendly, prior to the arrival of Saa Gbollie, began to call me dissident collaborator and started to beat and kick me unmercifully. Then they ordered me to take off my clothes," Gongloe explained in a very sad mood.

Explaining what he termed the most terrible time in his life, Cllr. Gongloe said that he was arrested by Major Dolo Mark of the Criminal Investigation Division of the LNP and asked to explain the motive underlying his speech which he delivered in Conakry at the conference of the Mano River Civil Society Movement.

He narrated that his fate began when Madam Marie Washington misinterpreted his speech on the former KISS FM radio and television which apparently got President Charles Taylor angry. "I was order detained by Major Dolo. I was striped completely naked and tortured through the night", Mr. Gonloe disclosed.

Cllr. Gongloe explained that on the morning of April 25, 2002, he was again taken for further investigation upstairs, but because he could not stand or walk, the entire membership of the Liberia Bar Association present at the Police Headquarters insisted that he be taken at the hospital for treatment before any further questioning.

"I was taken to the S.D. Cooper Hospital. While at the hospital, I heard President Taylor saying something about my detention. He said if you think you are a big time lawyer and Charles Gankay Taylor can not arrest you, then you are a damn fool. I will not release Cllr. Gongloe under any kind of international pressure,"Cllr. Gongloe retrospect.

Cllr. Gongloe said he was later released anyway, but got rearrested at the Roberts International Airport and briefly detained by the National Security Agency (NSA). He said that he was released on June 19, 2002 upon the intervention of the ailing Catholic Bishop Michael Francis and he departed Liberia for Ghana with his family on June 21, 2002.

He said that from his experience, the Liberian conflict evolved from exclusion and discrimination of participation in the social, economic and political affairs of the country since its foundation.

The nation's Solicitor General said that suppression of freedom of expression had a major contribution to the conflict pointing out that the various administrations throughout the Liberian history have shown love for and patronized praise singers while hating with passion those who speak the truth or express view opposed to the prevailing view in governments.

The SG further attributed the low level of education, corruption and greed, lack of respect for the rule of law and the lack of human rights in general as major causes that have undermined the development and the law which is expected to be an instrument of genuine peace in the country.

Cllr. Gongloe said that as for the 1980 military coup, it was executed to rescue detained members of the Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL) who were in prison at the time.

The Solicitor General of Liberia noted that the rescue mission was based on popular rumors that the coup makers had ethnic connections with the detained PAL partisans.

He added that besides the rescued mission coup plot, he attributed the Liberian conflict to the spread of dangerous rumors and that one lesson that should be learned from crisis is to discourage rumors noting that there should be an open space so that everyone can speak openly to discourage the spreading of dangerous rumors.

He then suggested to the TRC that there must be national policies against discrimination and freedom of speech must be observed at all times while the Legislature must seek to enact stronger laws against corruption and strengthen the law on armed robbery law and that the human rights provisions in the constitution of Liberia be taught in Liberian schools.

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