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In mid-September I was talking to a friend when my former MODEL commander called us over. He asked what we were doing and talked to us about what was on in Ivory Coast. We told him that we wanted to go to school but that there was no money to go. He explained that he was pulling people together to go on a small mission. He said it was going to be a quick mission and that if we went we'd be able to get money enough to pay our school fees. He said he would be heading over in a few weeks, after the October 11 elections, and that anytime we saw our friends we should try to motivate them to come with us. He gave me 1000 Liberian dollars [US$19] for us to buy food and new clothes and promised to give us a small thing if we brought more boys with us. So far I've found three friends to go; two are 15 and the other is 16. I bought them some new clothes with the money my CO [commanding officer] gave me. I don't have money in Liberia and if I stay here I'd probably be forced to steal and do other bad things, and if I do that and get caught I'll be beaten. I live with my brother and he told me he doesn't want me to go, but he can't tell me what to do. No. It's better I go to Ivory Coast and when I'm back I can go to school. I know it will carry me somewhere.
A 22-year-old mid-level commander who has been based in Blolequin since around
March 2005 and returned from Côte d’Ivoire in early October to recruit other fighters explained:
I came a few days ago from the base with seven other fighters and we're heading back in a day or two. Most of my friends are heading over—in fact I came to encourage them to go. I tell them that on the other side we eat three times a day while here they're not doing anything. I also tell them that once things happen, anything they get is for them to keep. It's working okay so far. I've encouraged about ten of my friends to go, including some boys of about 14, 15 years old. I've even got a girl of about 17 to go so she can help us cook. All of us used to fight with MODEL. Several weeks ago an Ivorian officer arrived in Blolequin. He gathered some of the commanders together, drove us in three cars to the base in Guiglo and told us about the mission. He said, “The mission will soon be on hand. Anytime we call you, you have to be ready to help us.” He said that once things started he'd even put some of us on salary. There are so many Liberians there—maybe up to 200. I was given an AK-47 [assault rifle] by the Ivorians. We're just waiting for the Ivorian ceasefire to end.
A 19-year-old female combatant who crossed over into Côte d'Ivoire during the first week of September described how she was recruited:
In the first few days of September the one who used to be my commander in the MODEL days came to visit me in my house. He said, “I'm pulling people together to go to Ivory Coast. We have a mission going.” He said he would pay me US$350. For me, I don't have anybody here. I'm living with friends and don't know where my family is. My boyfriend died during the MODEL attack on Buchanan in 2003. I have nothing to keep me here. So I went. We left the next evening with a big group of us—about 50 including a few boys and other girls. My CO gave us money for transport to the border. Once there we split into three groups and then crossed over at night on a bush path. Once on the other side we joined up again and headed on to Guiglo base. While in the barracks we got a little training on how to lay low and avoid the rebels. They said our mission is to attack X. All I know is what my CO tells me. There are about 200 of us Liberians there including about 25 girls. Many of us came back from the barracks in Guiglo to Liberia to vote. I stood in line all day to cast my vote. My CO said I will be heading back tomorrow so I'm just waiting for the word.
This 18-year-old Liberian described why he declined efforts to be recruited:
In September I was walking through the street in town when a man named J called me over to talk with him. He said, “Hey, are you looking for a way to earn money? There's a mission on in Ivory Coast and money is there.” He told me he was just waiting until after the elections and that after voting, he was going over. In fact, since that time three other people, including a few who speak French, have come over to encourage me to go. I listened to my heart: one part said I should go but the other part said no. I thought about my schooling—after disarming I signed up to study to be an auto-mechanic. I started the program but then it stopped because they said the learning materials weren't there. But I'll wait. In the meantime I'm blessed with a dog that helps me hunt bush meat [deer] and so I'm able to survive. I said no. I'm not going.
