DATE=7/7/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251551
TITLE=SIERRA LEONE / ACCORD (L-UPD)
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE PRESIDENT OF SIERRA LEONE AND THE LEADER OF THE
REBELLION SEEKING TO OVERTHROW HIM HAVE SIGNED A PEACE AGREEMENT.
THE TWO MEN SIGNED THE DOCUMENT IN THE TOGOLESE CAPITAL, LOME, ON
WEDNESDAY, BRINGING TO AN END EIGHT YEARS OF BLOODY CIVIL WAR.
V-O-A'S JOHN PITMAN REPORTS FROM OUR WEST AFRICA BUREAU.
TEXT: PRESIDENT AHMAD TEJAN KABBAH WAS ACCOMPANIED TO THE
SIGNING CEREMONY BY A YOUNG SIERRA LEONEAN GIRL WHO LOST HER
RIGHT ARM IN A REBEL ATTACK.
BEFORE PUTTING HIS NAME TO THE DOCUMENT, HE SAID THE GIRL WAS A
PRODUCT OF THE COUNTRY'S EIGHT YEAR CIVIL WAR, AND A SYMBOL OF
HOW SIERRA LEONE SHOULD NEVER AGAIN USE VIOLENCE TO RESOLVE ITS
PROBLEMS.
THE PEACE AGREEMENT SIGNED WEDNESDAY OPENS THE WAY FOR
POWER-SHARING BETWEEN MR. KABBAH'S ADMINISTRATION AND THE REBELS
IN A NEW GOVERNMENT.
UNDER THE TERMS OF THE ACCORD, THE REBELS WILL RECEIVE FOUR
MINISTERIAL POSTS, INCLUDING THE FINANCE OR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
MINISTRIES. REBEL OFFICIALS WILL ALSO HOLD FOUR VICE-MINISTERIAL
POSTS.
FODAY SANKOH -- THE FORMER CORPORAL WHO LAUNCHED THE REBELLION IN
1991, AND WHO WAS CONDEMNED TO DEATH FOR TREASON LAST OCTOBER --
SIGNED THE AGREEMENT WITH PRESIDENT KABBAH ON WEDNESDAY.
AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT, MR. SANKOH RECEIVED A FULL PARDON AND
WILL BE REINSTATED AS A SIERRA LEONEAN CITIZEN. HE WILL ALSO
BECOME ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL FIGURES IN THE NEW GOVERNMENT.
MR. SANKOH WILL BE THE PRESIDENT OF A NEW COMMISSION TO OVERSEE
THE COUNTRY'S MINING INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION
ISSUES. THE REBELLION WANTED MR. SANKOH TO BE NAMED
VICE-PRESIDENT, BUT IN A COMPROMISE AGREED TO ACCEPT WHAT IS
BEING CALLED VICE-PRESIDENTIAL STATUS WITHOUT THE TITLE OF
VICE-PRESIDENT.
THE AGREEMENT ALSO INCLUDES PROVISIONS FOR BOTH SIDES TO
DEMOBILIZE THEIR TROOPS, AND FOR THE FURTHER DEPLOYMENT OF THE
WEST AFRICAN, ECOMOG, PEACEKEEPING FORCE.
PRESIDENT KABBAH AND MR. SANKOH SIGNED THE AGREEMENT AT A
CEREMONY IN THE TOGOLESE CAPITAL, LOME, ATTENDED BY THE
PRESIDENTS OF NIGERIA, LIBERIA, TOGO AND BURKINA FASO.
THE FIVE PRESIDENTS REPORTEDLY PRESSURED THE REBELS TO ACCEPT THE
PEACE DEAL IN A MARATHON NEGOTIATING SESSION TUESDAY NIGHT.
WITNESSES AT THE MEETING SAY LIBERIA'S PRESIDENT CHARLES TAYLOR,
WHO IS AN OLD FRIEND OF MR. SANKOH'S, WAS EFFECTIVE IN REASSURING
THE REBEL LEADER.
/// OPT ///
THIS AGREEMENT FORMALLY ENDS ONE OF AFRICA=92S BLOODIEST AND
LONGEST-RUNNING CIVIL WARS. MR. SANKOH'S REVOLUTIONARY UNITED
FRONT OR R-U-F REBEL MOVEMENT LAUNCHED ITS FIRST ATTACKS AGAINST
THE SIERRA LEONEAN GOVERNMENT IN 1991.
IN 1996, FOLLOWING DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN SIERRA LEONE, THE
REBELS SIGNED A PEACE AGREEMENT WITH PRESIDENT KABBAH. BUT THAT
AGREEMENT FELL APART WHEN THE REBELS BACKED A COUP BY JUNIOR ARMY
OFFICERS, WHICH DEPOSED MR. KABBAH IN 1997. THE WEST AFRICAN,
ECOMOG, PEACEKEEPING FORCE REINSTATED MR. KABBAH IN FEBRUARY OF
1998, BUT IN THE YEAR THAT FOLLOWED, THE REBELS AND THEIR ALLIES
FROM THE MILITARY JUNTA INTENSIFIED THEIR GUERRILLA WAR AGAINST
THE GOVERNMENT.
THE WAR CAME TO A HEAD LAST JANUARY, WHEN REBEL SOLDIERS NEARLY
OVER-RAN THE CAPITAL, FREETOWN. ECOMOG TROOPS DROVE THE REBELS
OUT, BUT AT AN ENORMOUS COST. UP TO FIVE-THOUSAND PEOPLE DIED IN
LESS THAN ONE MONTH OF FIGHTING..
ALL TOLL, CLOSE TO 20-THOUSAND SIERRA LEONEANS HAVE LOST THEIR
LIVES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
OTHERS ARE LIVING AS REFUGEES IN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.
/// END OPT ///
ON THE STREETS OF FREETOWN, RESIDENTS REPORTEDLY DANCED IN THE
STREETS WHEN NEWS OF THE PEACE AGREEMENT WAS BROADCAST OVER THE
RADIO. MANY WEPT FOR JOY. OTHERS CRIED FOR THE THOUSANDS OF
LIVES LOST IN THE WAR. STILL OTHERS REMAINED CAUTIOUS, WORRIED
THAT THE REBELS MIGHT BE GETTING TOO MUCH IN THE DEAL AND
RECALLING THAT THE LAST PEACE AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH THE REBELS
DID NOT HOLD. (SIGNED)
NEB/JP/ENE/PT
07-Jul-99 5:21 PM EDT (2121 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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