News stories by Lansana Fofana, page 2

Sierra Leone's largest opposition party has taken the country's media monitoring body to court for banning its radio station.

Two Sierra Leonean radio stations have been stripped of their licences. The national regulatory body, the Independent Media Commission (IMC), says the stations failed to comply with the country's media code.

Incitement and violent clashes continue to shackle the government of Sierra Leone that took office two years ago. The elections were marred by reports of assassination attempts; violent confrontations between party militants; burning and looting; and widespread intimidation of voters.

On Apr. 8, the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone passed sentences on three former commanders of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), bringing to an end the trials of militia leaders deemed responsible for atrocities committed during the country's bloody civil war, fought from 1991 to 2002.

Sierra Leone's vice president, Samuel Sam-Sumana, on Mar. 13 ordered an indefinite ban on radio stations owned by the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) and its main rival, the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP).

FREETOWN, Dic 30 (IPS) - PROSPECTS FOR AN EARLY TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN RULE APPEAR DIM AS SIERRA LEONE'S FOUR MILLION PEOPLE BRACE THEMSELVES FOR THE CONTINUATION OF A FOUR-YEAR OLD REBEL WAR AND ECONOMIC WOES.

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.

FREETOWN, Nov 10 (IPS) - For weeks you hear little about the group of rebels who, in 1991, began an armed struggle which they hope will propel them to power.