DATE=1/22/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244552
TITLE=SIERRA LEONE CENT WRAP (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=FREETOWN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IN SIERRA LEONE'S CAPITAL, FREETOWN, WEST AFRICAN ECOMOG
PEACE KEEPERS ARE USING HEAVY ARTILLERY AGAINST REBEL FIGHTERS
WHO ARE RETREATING FROM THE CITY. AS V-O-A'S JOHN PITTMAN
REPORTS FROM FREETOWN, THE PEACE KEEPERS COUNTER OFFENSIVE
AGAINST THE REBELS CONTINUES AS CIVILIANS IN THE CAPITAL BEGIN TO
PICK UP THE PIECES OF THEIR WAR DAMAGED CITIES AND OF THEIR
LIVES.
TEXT: THE SOUND OF SPORADIC ARTILLERY FIRE ECHOED ACROSS
FREETOWN UNTIL AFTER DARK ON FRIDAY. ECOMOG COMMANDERS SAY THE
HEAVY GUNS ARE BEING USED TO POUND REBEL POSITION IN THE HILL
SOUTHEAST OF FREETOWN. ECOMOG SAYS IT'S TROOPS ARE NOW IN
CONTROL OF THE KISSY AREA IN EASTERN FREETOWN, THE LAST
NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE HELD BY THE REBELS. AN ECOMOG SPOKESMAN SAID
THE AREA WAS NOT YET COMPLETELY SECURE HOWEVER, AND THAT
INDIVIDUAL REBELS MIGHT STILL BE HIDING THERE WITH THEIR WEAPONS.
ON FRIDAY CIVILIANS WHO FLED KISSY TO TAKE SHELTER IN WESTERN
FREETOWN SAID THE AREA WAS RELATIVELY CALM, BUT THEY TOLD
TERRIFYING STORIES OF REBELS RAPING WOMAN, BURNING HOMES WITH
THEIR OWNERS STILL INSIDE AND AMPUTATING CIVILIANS' ARMS AND
HANDS AS THEY MADE THEIR RETREAT.
REBEL FIELD COMMANDER SAM BOCKARIE HAS REPORTEDLY DENIED THAT HIS
TROOPS COMMITTED ATROCITIES AS THEY PULLED OUT OF FREETOWN. HE
REPORTEDLY SAID THE CIVILIAN VICTIMS WERE REALLY REBEL SOLDIERS
WHO HAD BEEN ATTACKED AND MUTILATED BY LOYALIST MILITIA MEN.
HOWEVER, MR. BOCKARIE'S COUNTER CHARGE HAS NOT BEEN CORROBORATED
BY LOCAL HOSPITALS WHICH SAY SOME OF THE MOST RECENT VICTIMS ARE
WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
ECOMOG COMMANDERS WILL NOT COMMENT ON HOW LONG THEIR COUNTER
OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE REBELS WILL LAST, BUT THEY WILL SAY FOR NOW
IT IS A RELATIVELY OPEN-ENDED OPERATION. DIPLOMATS SAY THE
GOVERNMENT IS PURSUING A DUEL TRACK APPROACH TO DEALING WITH THE
REBELS USING BOTH MILITARY FORCE AND DIPLOMACY.
ON THURSDAY SIERRA LEONE'S DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER HINGA NORMAN
SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS ON WHAT HE CALLS "FIRM GROUND"
MILITARILY BUT WAS NOT INSISTING ON A MILITARY SOLUTION TO THE
COUNTRY'S PROBLEMS. STILL HE LEFT IT UP TO THE REBELS TO DECIDE
WHETHER THE WAR WILL CONTINUE OR IF PEACE TALKS MIGHT BEGIN. HE
SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE IN HIS WORDS RECEPTIVE TO WHICH EVER
OPTION THE REBELS PURSUE.
MEANWHILE, IN THE PARTS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL FREETOWN THAT HAS
BEEN SECURE BY ECOMOG SOME COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY HAS REAPPEARED ON
THE STREETS. SMALL RESTAURANTS SELLING INEXPENSIVE MEALS HAVE
REOPENED ON SEVERAL STREET CORNERS, AND SOME VEGETABLES ARE BEING
SOLD IN SMALL STREET MARKETS. BUT MERCHANTS AND CUSTOMERS ALIKE
SAY THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY CANNOT BE SUSTAINED AS LONG AS THE CITY
REMAINS CUT OFF FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE COUNTRY AND FROM THE
OUTSIDE WORLD.
PRICES FOR BASIC COMMODITIES LIKE RICE AND BEANS HAVE MORE THAN
DOUBLED SINCE JANUARY 6TH, WHEN THE REBELS STORMED AND CAPTURED
NEARLY HALF OF THE CAPITALS. FOOD SHORTAGES ALSO MEAN MOST
RESIDENTS CAN ONLY EAT ONE MEAL A DAY.
ON FRIDAY, THE UNITED NATIONS BEGAN DISTRIBUTING A LIMITED SUPPLY
OF EMERGENCY FOOD TO THE CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS, MAINLY
CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, AND THE SICK AND WOUNDED. THE FOOD IS
BEING HANDED OUT AT EACH SITE AROUND THE CITY. THE LOCAL AID
WORKERS WARN THAT THESE EMERGENCY STOCKS WILL ONLY FEED ABOUT
THIRTY THOUSAND PEOPLE FOR TWO WEEKS. WHILE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE POURED INTO THE STREETS ON FRIDAY IN SEARCH OF FOOD AND
FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WENT MISSING DURING THE FIGHTING. OTHER
RESIDENTS RETURNED TO WHAT REMAINED OF THEIR HOMES.
IN CENTRAL FREETOWN ST. JOHNS' NEIGHBORHOOD, CHRISTIANA LEIGH
SIFTED THROUGH THE ASHES OF HER HOME. THE ONLY SALVAGEABLE ITEMS
SHE FOUND WERE TWO METAL BOBBINS FROM HER SEWING MACHINE. SHE
SAID HER HOUSE WAS BURNED DOWN BY REBELS ON JANUARY 6TH AFTER
THEY CAME LOOKING FOR MONEY. WHAT THEY HAVE DONE HERE IS ALMOST
NOT HUMAN, SHE SAID, SURVEYING THE DESTRUCTION AND ECHOING A
COMMON SENTIMENT ABOUT THE REBELS WHO ARE NEARLY UNIVERSALLY
REVIVE AMONG FREETOWN CIVILIAN POPULATIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JP/DW-T/PT
22-Jan-99 9:58 PM EST (0258 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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