my name is Michael Davey I’m a documentary filmmaker and in 2003 I was
documentary filmmaker and in 2003 I was
documentary filmmaker and in 2003 I was sent to liberia in West Africa for
sent to liberia in West Africa for
sent to liberia in West Africa for National Geographic Explorer and I had
National Geographic Explorer and I had
National Geographic Explorer and I had one of the most powerful experiences of
one of the most powerful experiences of
one of the most powerful experiences of my life Liberia is a country that was
my life Liberia is a country that was
my life Liberia is a country that was created by freed American slaves in the
created by freed American slaves in the
created by freed American slaves in the mid-1800s so the people of Liberia have
mid-1800s so the people of Liberia have
mid-1800s so the people of Liberia have always felt very close affinity to the
always felt very close affinity to the
always felt very close affinity to the United States civilians were dying by
United States civilians were dying by
United States civilians were dying by the thousands in this conflict and
the thousands in this conflict and
the thousands in this conflict and Liberian people felt like America wasn’t
Liberian people felt like America wasn’t
Liberian people felt like America wasn’t responding we’ve just got the car the
responding we’ve just got the car the
responding we’ve just got the car the hotel and we’re making our way up to the
hotel and we’re making our way up to the
hotel and we’re making our way up to the American Embassy just up here we’ve
American Embassy just up here we’ve
American Embassy just up here we’ve heard that there are 17 dead bodies
heard that there are 17 dead bodies
heard that there are 17 dead bodies outside the American Embassy that like
outside the American Embassy that like
outside the American Embassy that like hearing people who put them there on
hearing people who put them there on
hearing people who put them there on display as a kind of appeal to America
display as a kind of appeal to America
display as a kind of appeal to America come and help us we rounded a corner we
come and help us we rounded a corner we
come and help us we rounded a corner we saw this huge knot of people maybe 200
saw this huge knot of people maybe 200
saw this huge knot of people maybe 200 people gathered outside the American
people gathered outside the American
people gathered outside the American Embassy they were screaming they were
Embassy they were screaming they were
Embassy they were screaming they were shouting they were hurling rocks at the
shouting they were hurling rocks at the
shouting they were hurling rocks at the gates of the embassy and people were
gates of the embassy and people were
gates of the embassy and people were running down the street past us covered
running down the street past us covered
running down the street past us covered in blood screening and hysterical hands
in blood screening and hysterical hands
in blood screening and hysterical hands were tearing at my shirt and hands going
were tearing at my shirt and hands going
were tearing at my shirt and hands going is like pockets and and people shoving
is like pockets and and people shoving
is like pockets and and people shoving and shouting and screaming in my face
and shouting and screaming in my face
and shouting and screaming in my face they forced us up the road pushed us
they forced us up the road pushed us
they forced us up the road pushed us into the pile of bodies I’m actually
into the pile of bodies I’m actually
into the pile of bodies I’m actually quite thin skinned and I don’t like
quite thin skinned and I don’t like
quite thin skinned and I don’t like death I managed to some hold myself
death I managed to some hold myself
death I managed to some hold myself together till I saw one woman in
together till I saw one woman in
together till I saw one woman in particular I just must still he’s just
particular I just must still he’s just
particular I just must still he’s just leaving and everybody’s feeling
when National Geographic saw the footage
when National Geographic saw the footage on television that night they ordered us
on television that night they ordered us
on television that night they ordered us to evacuate immediately we said no when
to evacuate immediately we said no when
to evacuate immediately we said no when we’re not going to leave eventually the
we’re not going to leave eventually the
we’re not going to leave eventually the situation became so volatile that we
situation became so volatile that we
situation became so volatile that we were evacuated we were told to evacuate
were evacuated we were told to evacuate
were evacuated we were told to evacuate and it was just one of the most
and it was just one of the most
and it was just one of the most heartbreaking moments my career we were
heartbreaking moments my career we were
heartbreaking moments my career we were abandoning we were leaving and we were
abandoning we were leaving and we were
abandoning we were leaving and we were able to escape and they were not and it
able to escape and they were not and it
able to escape and they were not and it felt like a great betrayal actually we
felt like a great betrayal actually we
felt like a great betrayal actually we waited in the neighboring country of
waited in the neighboring country of
waited in the neighboring country of Sierra Leone for 12 days waded into a
Sierra Leone for 12 days waded into a
Sierra Leone for 12 days waded into a situation in Liberia calmed down and
situation in Liberia calmed down and
situation in Liberia calmed down and then we flew back in most the moment we
then we flew back in most the moment we
then we flew back in most the moment we arrived the conflict escalated again the
arrived the conflict escalated again the
arrived the conflict escalated again the rebels continued to lay siege to the
rebels continued to lay siege to the
rebels continued to lay siege to the capital Monrovia and people trapped
capital Monrovia and people trapped
capital Monrovia and people trapped inside Monrovia we’re in a very dire
inside Monrovia we’re in a very dire
inside Monrovia we’re in a very dire state hunger they hadn’t been able to
state hunger they hadn’t been able to
state hunger they hadn’t been able to get access to food four weeks at the
get access to food four weeks at the
get access to food four weeks at the climax of this conflict you had two
climax of this conflict you had two
climax of this conflict you had two groups of people civilians in Monrovia
groups of people civilians in Monrovia
groups of people civilians in Monrovia and he had civilians trapped in the
and he had civilians trapped in the
and he had civilians trapped in the rebel-held territory on the other side
rebel-held territory on the other side
rebel-held territory on the other side of measurable River who’d been separated
of measurable River who’d been separated
of measurable River who’d been separated from their friends relatives who were
from their friends relatives who were
from their friends relatives who were trapped inside the Capitol
eventually when President Charles tail
eventually when President Charles tail agreed to step down a second agreement
agreed to step down a second agreement
agreed to step down a second agreement was made that the bridge connecting the
was made that the bridge connecting the
was made that the bridge connecting the Capitol to the rest of Liberia would be
Capitol to the rest of Liberia would be
Capitol to the rest of Liberia would be opened and people would be allowed to
opened and people would be allowed to
opened and people would be allowed to cross from one side to the other I
cross from one side to the other I
cross from one side to the other I managed to get myself along with the
managed to get myself along with the
managed to get myself along with the other members of my team onto the middle
other members of my team onto the middle
other members of my team onto the middle of the bridge as the bridge was supposed
of the bridge as the bridge was supposed
of the bridge as the bridge was supposed to open and it was the most
to open and it was the most
to open and it was the most extraordinary day
when the bridge was finally open I think
when the bridge was finally open I think something in me let go something in me
something in me let go something in me
something in me let go something in me broke open and all of that adrenaline
broke open and all of that adrenaline
broke open and all of that adrenaline and anger was released and I just I kind
and anger was released and I just I kind
and anger was released and I just I kind of just collapsed to be honest I felt so
of just collapsed to be honest I felt so
of just collapsed to be honest I felt so exhausted and and and relieved that for
exhausted and and and relieved that for
exhausted and and and relieved that for once there was a happy ending to one of
once there was a happy ending to one of
once there was a happy ending to one of these very brutal stories
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