*** yb77 pp. 173-174 Liberia ***
After sitting down, the Witnesses were told to look at the sun, and soldiers watched their eyes to make sure they were staring at the blazing sun. After enduring this inhumanity for about half an hour, they were allowed to seek shelter under shady trees inside the compound. Then the soldiers forced some Witnesses, including Brother Henschel, to draw water from a parasite-ridden stream about a quarter of a mile down the highway. Sister Muriel Klinck, a missionary, was compelled to go into the stream and carry water on her head. A soldier then viciously kicked her in the abdomen. Some of the soldiers threatened rape. When the water reached the Witnesses, soldiers upset the buckets and smashed drinking cups under their boots, declaring: “No salute, no water.” Finally, however, the soldiers allowed them to drink some of the river water—their first drink in more than twenty-four hours!
At no time was food provided by the authorities. After more than twenty-four hours without eating, a few Witnesses were permitted to go to the assembly site and prepare some rice from supplies on hand there. When the rice was brought to the group, it amounted to about four spoonfuls per person.
*** yb77 p. 175 Liberia ***
In the morning, a new group of soldiers took over, and these appeared to be more sadistic. A few more Witnesses compromised and the rest were brought back to the field where they were struck again, both with rifle butts and with short whips. M. G. Henschel was almost knocked unconscious with the butt of a rifle.
The sun now was blazing down on their bare heads. One missionary suffered a sunstroke. Another, Rene leRoux, later said: “It felt like having your head in a 500-degree oven.”
On Tuesday morning, March 12, the foreigners spoke up strongly for release. The lieutenant left to inquire. Shortly thereafter, he returned, and about 11:00 a.m. the nearly thirty foreigners were released. All of them had held fast their integrity despite all the brutal treatment. Before leaving, Brother Henschel spoke for a few minutes to the remaining Liberian Witnesses; they prayed together and felt strengthened.
The convention grounds were a shambles, with all the suitcases having been bayoneted open and the valuables stolen. Equipment, electrical and other items, had been smashed. The released Witnesses returned to the grounds where the Liberian Christians were still being held, bringing them soft drinks, food, money and other things. But the district commissioner soon put a stop to that. Later, he told the Liberian brothers that it was going to be very hard for them. On the heads of the men, the soldiers shaved two paths in the shape of a cross to indicate that they were prisoners. These “haircuts” were given with broken glass bottles. At the flag ceremony that evening, about a dozen more compromised.
