WHAT HAPPENED AT MAKENI DDR CAMP

A B M Salahuddin
Major
UNMO (Bangladesh)

  1. It was morning 0900 hrs on 27 April; One RUF boy came and requested us to join DDR with his 10 members. Lt. Col. Mendy and I myself talked to the boy and then talked to the acting team Leader regarding this issue although we also knew the answer. As per his direction, we told him to come with the arms on 28 April early in the morning at reception centre. On 28 April they turned as they were told and we registered eight of them, as two did not have specified arms. We sent them all back after giving necessary documents. Without our knowledge, that was the point from where RUF started planning to react very badly and started their nasty plan in consultation with their Chairman (Satan's son) Foday Sankoh. On 30 April suddenly in the morning, those boys returned to our Team site and started asking money for their DDR programme although they told they will join DDR later on when their Leaders send their other friends to the process. So I told them to come on 01 May 2000 at reception center and completed all formalities with DFID and NCDDR for their payment and other arrangements.

  2. On the morning of 01 May, they came to reception center and we took them to DDR camp. They were Registered at the Makeni DDR camp and released after completion of necessary formalities. They all opted for first track programme and were paid 30,000 leons each and thereafter they left the camp. At about 1230 hrs few RUF combatants gathered at the DDR camp and started shouting against DDR process. Situation further deteriorated with the arrival of RUF overall Security Commander Col. Bao (self-Declared) with another group of armed RUF combatants. Basing on this information, Maj. Ganesh (Malaysia) and I (Maj. Salahuddin-Bangladesh) went to the DDR camp to resolve the issue.

  3. When we arrived at the DDR camp, we saw Col. Bao was standing at the entrance of the DDR camp with a whiskey bottle in his hand and fully drunk. He demanded to Hanover five (05) disarmed RUF combatants with their weapons (though we disarmed 10 RUF). After some time Brig (Self-Declared) Kallon came to the DDR camp fully drunk and started shouting at the top his voice and suddenly without any reason became extremely furious to me calling me "a White man". He suddenly rushed to me and gave a strong blow on my head, broke my spectacles and his soldiers took away my UN beret. Maj. Ganesh and Maj. Maro of KENBATT (A coy commander) tried to cool him down but he got more furious and came running to me and gave another blow on my face. He then took a loaded SMG from his bodyguard, fixed bayonet, keeping his finger on the trigger rushed towards me and tried to push the bayonet. I blocked the hit with my right hand and hand started bleeding though the injury was minor. He was shouting at me " White man I will kill you". He was fully out of control. I ran away from the spot and joined KENBATT rest area 10 yards away from the DDR camp. Still he was looking for me and also ordered other RUF combatants to find me out. Failing to get me, he became more furious and ran to Maj. Ganesh and snatched him away pointing pistol on his head. They were dragging and beating him while he was being taken to the RUF vehicle. Maj. Maro tried to negotiate with RUF but he was also taken hostage.

  4. I took a hide within KENBATT platoon at DDR camp. The area was surrounded by RUF and they were also inside the camp along with KENBATT troops and all the time they were in search of me. Slowly armed RUF presence inside and around the camp was increasing. In the evening more RUF joined the area and at 2000 hrs Brig (so called) Kaolin accompanied by Col. Bao came to the camp and again looked for me. They also asked Lt. Osimbi (KENBATT Platoon Commander) to hand me over to them. The lt and his troops showed maximum patience to keep the situation under control although RUF rebels were pushing them by hand and pointing guns to them. Situation became tenser at night due to increased RUF presence. Before leaving the DDR camp, Brig Kaolin told KENBATT PL Commander that he could leave the camp if he handed over me to RUF. Between 2130 to 2200 hrs, Platoon tried to leave the place as RUF shouted to us to leave the place. But later they changed their mind when we tried to moveout. All movements were seized and no KENBATT troops could join the DDR camp from Makeni town. The horrible night passed without food and without sleep. Tension increased among the soldiers.

  5. On 02 May in the morning more RUF started coming in and they started behaving more aggressive. Brig Kaolin came at 0830 and threatened the KENBATT soldiers. He also tried to take away the platoon commander on gunpoint but the KENBATT soldiers resisted. He then went to Magburaka to receive En (Self-Declared) Issa and travelled twice to Makeni and Magburaka with him. During this time more RUF concentrated around the DDR camp and a large number were seen moving towards Makeni. Situation turning into worse but I,poor major still hiding in the 3 ton lorry. Once at opportune moment ,I could talk to Lt. Osimbi and told him" Why don't you talk to Co and do something before we are fully trapped". With a blank look he replied" I told him sir but he told me to negotiate as he is also surrounded by RUF and cannot be any help to us." Then I request him that in no case he should allow any sort of segregation from his troops by RUF. The fear I had, RUF approached the same. At about 0945hrs RUF started shouting to the KENBATT soldiers and told them to get disarm. Platoon commander refused to disarm and tried to move away by vehicles. But RUF surrounded and stopped him. At about 1000 hrs Brig Kaolin with 10-15 armed RUF rebels got inside the KENBATT platoon area and started searching for the commander. I was still hiding on the 3-ton lorry at the middle of the platoon position. Brig Kallon found the Lt. and told him to move with him. The officer denied to go and Brig Kaolin pointed his pistol to him and other RUF also pointed their guns towards him. KENBATT soldiers also for the first time raised their weapons. Kallon shouting, "You want to fight with us". All KENBATT soldiers shouted "No fire, make safe, no fight, we are African brothers, you leave, we will also leave." At the peak of this tense, more than 100 RUF took the position along road in the higher ground and in the hills. Brig Kallon and his men were continuously pushing the KENBATT soldiers hand to hand distance and tried to disarm them. Suddenly one RUF soldiers from the side of Brig Kallon fired on a point blank range and one KENBATT soldier fell on the ground and started moaning for death. KENBATT jumped one side and Brig Kallon and his party started running towards road to join their friends. Both the parties started firing. I was in the middle of the firing inside 3-ton lorry and could hear the moaning and screaming of dying soldiers and some RUF rebels. KENBATT was in an open area and had no natural protection where as the RUF was firing more effectively from the top of the hillocks as they were in an advantageous position.

  6. RUF were firing indiscriminately and the place turned into a hell. I jumped from the lorry and Joined the KENBATT and saw two KENBATT officers with 10-15 soldiers were firing back and exhausting all their ammunition. I shouted at them and told them to save ammo. RUF had over whelming fire power and it completely surpassed KENBATT as they had only one magazine of ammo left. This was well known to the RUF leaders as they were with us in the camp. It was impossible to fight back RUF with no reinforcement and replenishment. So I requested Lt. Osimbi and 2 Lt. Ndensi to withdraw. I saw 03 KENBATT soldiers and 6-8 RUF rebels dead lying on the ground. I had also three bullet-injured persons with me to withdraw. So far I was without arms, but now I took the arms of one injured KENBATT soldier and joined the battle. I was occupied how to save these innocent soldiers and myself from these blood-seeking animals. We lost all the communication and we were under merciless firing of RUF.We started withdrawing at about 1100 hrs with three bullet-injured persons. KENBATT officers and soldiers acted heroic and applied high professionalism to extricate from that place. RUF continued to pursue us till we crossed a nullah of waist level water and took position and fired them back. Initially we tried to move Makeni to join our main body. But RUF started firing from our approaching direction. If we have to go then we would have to fight. As per my assessment, soldiers did not have enough ammo to do that. So we decided to move towards east and join NIBATT at Lunsar about 80 km away. We started moving through the jungles and towards unknown direction basing on my previous map study knowledge. While troops are walking, Lt. and I myself were thinking probable ambush on the way. Route to Lunsar, there were three RUF checkpoints and last one at Yankasa close to Lunsar. Most alarming issue was that, RUF had the free move unto Yankasa and would be able to instruct their rebels to lay ambush. I was very worried and thinking about the alternative. My knowledge on the over all deployment helped to find alternative. We suddenly met one local working in the field. I asked him about the alternative way to lunsar and Mile 91. The man assured about the Mile91 and I also knew that from my duty in duty ops room that there was no RUF presence in and around Mile 91. So We changed our plan and started moving towards Mile 91 about 130 km away.

  7. "No place is safe till we reach to any UN camp" that was our yardstick to move. We were without food for lasts 36 hrs. Troops were exhausted and tired, drinking water from mud. Villagers were running away out of fear. Then we got one local boy, and took him with us as guide. He helped us a lot. He used go earlier to the village and told the villagers that UN troops are coming, try to help them. God became kind. After three hours walking the first village we reached and found villagers were waiting with water and mangoes, the best which they could do for us. We walked about 70-km through the bush and avoiding track to avoid ambush. One of the injured soldiers was bleeding too much and was very difficult to carry forward. We prayed to God and left him one the village on the way with a hope if he could sustain till we reach UN camp at Mile 91. At 2130 on 02 May we reached a village Myada. We were so exhausted that I had to compromise and stayed night there inside a mosque. At 0400 on 03 May we again started before the villagers could know and walked unto the Maya river. God was also very kind here. There was no rain last two /three days. Other wise this 100-meter wide hilly river would be impossible to cross on foot. Still threat remained of getting washed away in the dark of night or on the other bank awaiting en might open fire from his automatics. But God saved again these peace-loving soldiers from all evil. At 0830 hrs on 03 May we reached Rotaink Paramount Chief area and his reception gave us the opportunity to smile keeping aside all the pain, sorrow and memory. This relief turned into tears of joy when our injured comrade whom we left, joined us at 1100 hrs with help of those noble peoples whose stories I read in the book. But this time I saw these great soles living side by side with the beast and barbarians like RUF. My eyes filled with tears not for me but for these innocent peoples. I only prayed to God for their peace. I reached safe area but what about them? KENBATT soldiers did their best and two young officers did more than the expectation. We reached Mile 91 at about 1400 hrs with the help of GUINBATT on 03 May. A bad dream was over. But what is next? Peace or war?
A B M Salahuddin
Major
UNMO (Bangladesh)