The purpose of this article is twofold. First, to define certain key terms used in the debate over Dr. George Boley's war record; and second, to set the record straight on the "Hero" comments made by Bai Gbala, in reference to Dr. Boley's role in the civil war.

                                    Definition of Key Terms

         The first key term selected to be defined is rebellion. In military science, the term “rebellion is an armed resistance movement organized to oppose an established elected government.  The actors in a rebellion are known as “rebels.” For example, the Lord Resistance Army opposing the Uganda Government, and General Laurent Nkunda opposing the government in Democratic Republic of Congo.

        The second term is “insurgency.” The term insurgency is an armed struggle designed to overthrow an established elected government.  The actors in an insurgency are known as insurgents. The Taliban, fighting to overthrow the government in Afghanistan, is an example of an insurgency. The difference between a rebel and an insurgent is the goal. The goal of a rebel is to pressurize the government by force of arms in order to address his demands; whereas the goal of an insurgent is to overthrow a government by force of arms.  When a rebel changes his goal to overthrow an elected government, he is a rebel and also an insurgent.

       In December 1989, Charles Taylor launched a rebellion and said his primary goal was to pressurize President Doe to step down so that new elections could be held. But later, he changed his goal and said he would overthrow the government.  General Prince Johnson also started with NPFL but later broke away and killed President Doe, causing the government to collapse. Therefore, the faction leaders who fit the rebel and insurgent descriptions are Taylor and Prince Johnson.  In contrast, Yaya Nimely's MODEL and Sekou Demate's LURD took up arms to overthrow the elected government of Charles Taylor. Therefore, they fit the insurgent description only.

       The third term is resistance movement. In military science, the term resistance movement refers to a group of local citizens who take up to defend their community against the occupation of foreign enemy forces.  When the German forces occupied several French territories in World War II, the citizens took up arms and defeated the German occupation.

       The fourth term selected to be defined is warlord. The term “warlord” refers to a person who took up arms in a failed or collapsed state to defend or liberate a sub-territory against foreign enemy occupation. The primary goal is to exercise military and civil power over the sub-territory until a central government can be put in place to provide security for the country.   Somalia is an example of a warlord nation.  In military terms, warlordism is a resistance or liberation movement led by volunteers in local communities when there is no central government to provide security. Thus, since Boley's LPC,  Kromah's ULIMO, Francois Massaquoi's LDF, and other splinter groups claimed they took up arms to defend their people  at the time there was no central government, fit the description of a warlord.

        The fourth term selected to be defined is terrorism. The term terrorism refers to an armed movement of non-state actors, who conceal their identities and weapons to fight their enemies that cannot be defeated in face-to-fact combat. The actors in such movement are known as terrorists, and their common tactics include “Hit-and-Run” and suicide bombing.  Two of such groups are the Al-Qaeda fighting America; and the Hamas fighting the State of Israel. The warring factions in our civil war fought each other face-to-face. Therefore, none fits this description, though some fighters engaged in hit and run tactics in some instances. 

       The last and most important term to be defined is hero. In military science, the term hero refers to a person who risks his life or displays exceptional courage and extraordinary bravery in crisis to protect others.  During Vietnam War, PFC Olive Milton felled on a grenade to protect the lives of four soldiers. He died but was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor as a Hero. U. S. Soldiers serving overseas are being referred to as 'Heroes' because they are risking their lives to keep America safe. 

  Gbala’s  “ Hero Comments”

              During the civil war, the Gio and Mano tribes in Nimba as well as other tribes in Lofa, Bong, Margibi,  Bassa, and other counties were under the protection of Charles Taylor’s forces.  At the end of the war, their hero was Charles Taylor, not Dr. Boley or Kromah.   In 1991, Alhaji Kromah took up arms under the banner of ULIMO, and defended the Mandingo-speaking population against NPFL attacks in Bomi, Lofa, Bong, Cape Mount, and other counties.  At the end of the war, their hero was Alhaji Kromah, not Taylor, or   Boley. In 1993,  Dr. Boley  also took up arms under the banner of LPC and liberated the Krahn-speaking people in the South Eastern Region. At the end of the war, their hero was Dr. Boley, not Taylor or Kromah.  Francois Massaquoi's Lofa Defense Force defended Lofa people against ULIMO occupation of the secret society bush. At the end of the day, their hero was Francois Massaquoi. For those who were in the Barclay Training Center, their hero was General J. Hezekiah Bowen. 

      In other words, during the crisis, every citizen sought protection in the territory of one of the warring factions.  And to guarantee such protection, fighters of the host faction would go on a daily patrol to attack the territories of their rival factions, either to flush them out or capture part of their territory. In the process, innocent civilians seeking protection in their rival territories would be killed, or forced to flee into exile. This is how most of the war crimes were committed; and this is why one person’s freedom fighter in the war was another person’s killer.  Mr. Gbala is an ethnic Krahn from the South Eastern region liberated by Dr. Boley LPC. He therefore believes Dr. Boley is a hero, not Taylor whose fighters targeted his fellow Krahn-speaking people.

Concluding Comments

         When the military overthrew the civilian government in 1980 and thirteen Americo-Liberian officials were publicly executed, people went on a rampage celebrating  in the streets and describing the coup makers as heroes, liberators, redeemers, etc.   Now, was it right for one group of citizens to celebrate, while their fellow citizens were being publicly executed? Hell, No. But that has been the culture: “One person’s Hero is another person’s Killer.”

       When Charles Taylor launched his rebellion in December 1989, and the NPFL went on the rampage killing Krahn and Mandingo-speaking people, other citizens were celebrating, describing the NPFL combatants as “freedom fighters.” Even when President Doe was being butchered  at Prince Johnson’s base, people were rejoicing. Now, was it right for one group of citizens to celebrate, while their fellow citizens were being brutally killed? Hell, No. But in our culture, one person’s freedom fighter is another person’s killer. LURD and MODEL fighters also received a Heroic welcome when Taylor was forced to resign.  Now, are we saying it was right to use armed struggle to force a democratically elected President to resign? No. But that has been our culture.

        Therefore, in order to abandon this age-old culture, we should swear to GOD that from today’s date, we will no longer welcome any social change associated with violence. For, violence breeds violence. We should also swear to GOD that those who will seek power should do so through the process of the ballot, not bullet. For he who lives by the sword, would die by the sword. We should further swear to GOD that those who will ascend to power through peaceful change should be prepared to also relinquish power through peaceful change. For those who make peaceful change impossible, make violent change inevitable. Finally, we should swear to GOD under Oath that from today’s date, we will bury our ugly past and unite so that an attack on one Liberian citizen anywhere will be an attack on all Liberian citizens everywhere.  This is my message to Post-War Liberia.

      Arthur B. Dennis holds two Master’s Degrees and was professor of Military Science at the University of Liberia.  He can be reached at korso2006@msn.com or 609-553-2627 (Cell).