Thirteen

Humanitarian organizations rushed food and medical supplies to the east but they were ineffective because of the corruption within the army and because of hindrance by the Federals. The Kandalan air force went so far as to shoot down an Airquick DC7 in broad daylight, claiming it was an accident due to mistaken identity. It was pure deliberate attempt to prevent the easterners from accessing food materials shipped to the war victims.

Through the press, there were confirmed rumors of unrest, exchange of physical battle between the offices of different military rank brackets, and secret trial and execution in the barracks to the supporters of General Sango. The remnant of the men knew that the odds against them were immense and that their survival depended on the amount of external support they were able to muster from few trusted comrades in hidings, but these ones where in hiding for fear of death.

The killings and molestations carried out by combined forces working on the influence of General Kofi assumed such a large proportion that easterners living outside their region sought protection within their own home with zeal than ever before. How many were they? Very large in number. They could be found in any part of the country where a mention of money, distribution of goods were made. They could die for money and material possession.        

They forged ahead to crush these many souls in between.

         General Kofi had been aired as the front-liner in the battle of overthrowing General Sango's government. It was true, because of the position he was occupying as the brigadier heading a battalion and the broadcast he made earlier confirmed the fact.  He had engaged in many failed coups and prepared himself for that war when he knew that even in thousand attempts; he could fail to capture the baton from Sango. It was a preparation that lasted for some years. He was raising new men for himself and branding them to belong to the government. The standard of entry into the Army was as well lowered to favor the young men who he kept in hiding. There was a real mixed bag of people, young people who never knew anything about history and preservation of life. In order to ensure the loyalty of the military thus established, the criterion for promotion and advancement was based more on political considerations, region base, than efficiency or competence. So men of his tribe were more favored than men from other tribes.

He had trained these men to be fearful of him and subjected them into morbid fear of him as military lord.  As he stood to command, young officers lost their nerve when confronted by the intimidating presence of the warlord. His intention was visible. He aimed to suspend several parts of the constitution (mostly those parts dealing with party politics), ban all political parties and form a new military government with Supreme Military Council with his men.

He was ever onward nights and days breaking violently through one concentration of the armies after another, preaching change, rebellion against the government of General Sango, rebellion against any attempt to make peace, fight and loyalty only to himself. Within hours, foreign diplomat air dashed to this region after making negotiations over phone lines. Since it all began, diplomats from many nations in the list of world powers applied pressure to have a talk with him. At first, it was not possible, but in time, greater effort was made to get him sit for a talk at least for a moment. He gave conditions which they accepted with hope that they would achieve a common objective. These arranged rendezvous with him was scheduled to hold at Ignat Conference Hall, the only available hall at the center of the capital city which had stood the harshness of the war. These intellectuals and orderly by international diplomats were from Britain, France, America, Russian, Germany and Japan. Already, calls had gone far and close that all member states should embargo all arms shipment to the region.