Whilst spending yet another uneventful friday night home alone in my small little apartment in Hawthorn, I stumbled across some documentaries on the internet which caused me to spend hours curled up in bed, losing track of time until I look at the clock to see it is now 2.15am and I have spent the last hour immersed in the topic of Liberian Cannibal Warlords.
But in all honesty, this documentary along with the feature they have about the Suicide Forrest in Japan (will make a separate post about) shows a side and perspective of the world unseen and un-portrayed by the vast span of mass media.
Within this 53 minute long documentary the viewer is taken through the country of Liberia and show what are known as the dead zones or slums of the country.
The film shows the effects of a war savaged Liberia post First and Second Civil war.
It also introduces many key “Cannibal Warlords” such as General Mambo, General Bin Laden, and arguably most famously General Butt Naked.
General Butt Naked or, Joshua Milton Blahyi is one of the most iconic Soldier war lords to emerge from the ravage fighting. Not only, as his name implicates did the General go into battle with his men wearing nothing but their shoes and their artillery, but during the time of Liberian Civil war various fighters had different pre combat rituals, some were seasoned to smoke Heroine, Marijuana or snort Cocaine, however General Butt Naked Brigade’s frequent pre battle ritual was sacrificing a human child, cutting up the heart and dividing it for feast, in this process Blahyi states his troops would essentially drain the blood for strength.
However aside from his monstrous crimes committed during civil war, Blahyi’s conversion to christianity was one done with quick haste, due to him by personal account being confronted by a man and woman who were brighter than the sun speaking to him as he sat amongst his brigade, claiming he was both acting like a king whilst acting like a slave. In a battle post to this encounter he came across gun/artillery failure and scared like he had never been in his period as a warlord he converted and announced his faith.
Currently, Joshua Milton Blahyi is constructing a mission for child soldiers coming out of the civil wars, he is also a pastor and a father.
He is working in spite of his dark, confronting, and brooding past to leave a legacy of pride for his children once he is gone. He is showing remorse for actions committed in war, and has renounced any military action strongly and abides entirely to his faith in Christianity.
Which leaves me with the question..
If General Buttnaked, (Joshua Milton Blahyi) who committed countless acts of human sacrifice, rape and cannibalism is able to become a decent human being even after being a Liberian cannibal war lord, why is it that so many human beings I encounter are unable to find themselves dignity, a moral set and treat other human beings with respect and the way in which they themselves would like to be treated.