SIERRA LEONE-POLITICS: LITTLE HOPE TO END CIVIL WAR
FREETOWN, Dic 28 (IPS) - THERE APPEARS TO BE LITTLE HOPE TO END SIERRA LEONE'S CIVIL WAR WHICH HAS CLAIMED THOUSANDS OF LIVES SINCE IT ERUPTED THREE YEARS AGO.
HOPES DWINDLED AFTER THE COUNTRY'S HEAD OF STATE, CAPT. VALENTINE STRASSER, ORDERED THE RELEASE OF 219 SUSPECTED REBELS AND THEIR COLLABORATORS LAST WEEK FROM THE FREETOWN MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON THINKING REBEL LEADERS WOULD WELCOME THE AMNESTY OFFER.
INSTEAD THE REVOLUTIONARY UNITED FRONT (RUF) RESPONDED WITH A SERIES OF ATTACKS ON TOWNS AND VILLAGES IN THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN PROVINCES.
THE REBELS LAUNCHED A SURPRISE ATTACK ON THE EASTERN REGIONAL CAPITAL, KENEMA, CAUSING DESTRUCTION TO PROPERTY AND KILLING AN UNSPECIFIED NUMBER OF CIVILIANS SINCE LAST WEEKEND, ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS HERE.
KENEMA, ABOUT 300 KM FROM FREETOWN, IS A DIAMOND MINING TOWN AND HAS FOR THE PAST YEAR EXPERIENCED SPORADIC ATTACKS BY THE RUF.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS ON THE RECENT SPATE OF ATTACKS AS THE NATIONAL PROVISIONAL RULING COUNCIL (NPRC) ADMINISTRATION HAS KEPT SEALED LIPS ON THE PROGRESS OF THE WAR.
IN FACT, THE NPRC HAS ORDERED A NEWS BLACKOUT ON THE WAR "UNTIL WE PUT IT UNDER CONTROL," ACCORDING TO A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN.
AND MANY SIERRA LEONEANS HAD, UNTIL LAST WEEK'S ATTACKS, THOUGHT THE WAR WAS FINALLY COMING TO AN END AFTER ABOUT FOUR YEARS OF FIGHTING.
THE GOVERNMENT HAD CONCLUDED THE FIRST ROUND OF PEACE TALKS WITH THE RUF EARLY THIS MONTH AND THE REBELS HAD PROMISED A CEASEFIRE IN RETURN.
BUT ALL THIS NOW SEEMS A SHAM. STATE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, LT-COL. AKIM GIBRIL, LAST WEEK SAID THE AMNESTY GESTURE WAS DESIGNED "TO IMPROVE THE GOVERNMENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS IMAGE... AND PROMOTE THE SPIRIT OF NATIONAL RECONCILIATION."
MANY SIERRA LEONEANS BELIEVE PROSPECTS FOR SMOOTH NEGOTIATIONS ARE SLIM AND UNPREDICTABLE BECAUSE OF A PERCEIVED LACK OF COORDINATION AMONG THE REBEL MOVEMENT.
© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service