DATE=5/5/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SIERRA LEONE - U-N (L-UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-262040
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: In Sierra Leone, six civilians working
for the United Nations have been released by
rebels. The U-N has welcomed their release, but
says members of the Revolutionary United Front
are now believed to be detaining more than 300
other U-N peacekeepers. VOA's John Pitman has
details from our West Africa bureau.
TEXT: Four of the civilians released on Friday
were members of the Russian helicopter crew that
was detained on Monday, while re-supplying U-N
peacekeepers in the eastern city of Kailahun.
The other two people were civilian employees of
the United Nations.
The U-N mission in Sierra Leone, UNAMSIL, called
the release "a positive development," but
continued to press for the freedom of other U-N
peacekeepers detained by members of the
Revolutionary United Front, the R-U-F.
At the urging of U-N Secretary General Kofi
Annan, several African leaders, including
Liberian President Charles Taylor, have exerted
pressure on Foday Sankoh, the leader of the R-U-
F, to end the hostage crisis.
Meanwhile, UNAMSIL has reinforced its military
positions in the town of Makeni, where four
Kenyan peacekeepers were killed on Tuesday.
On Friday, the U-N also appealed to the United
States, Britain and France for additional
logistics support for UNAMSIL. The three
countries earlier rejected an appeal from Mr.
Annan to supply a rapid reaction military force
to support UNAMSIL - but all three are reportedly
considering giving non-combat support.
UNAMSIL says the situation in Sierra Leone
remains fluid, and there have been scattered
unconfirmed reports of more fighting between
rebels and peacekeepers.
The last confirmed clash came Wednesday in the
northwestern town of Kambia, where a unit of
Zambian peacekeepers is based.
Some eight-thousand-seven hundred peacekeepers
from a half-dozen countries are currently
deployed in Sierra Leone, under the UNAMSIL
commander, Indian General Vijay Kumar Jetley.
The Security Council has authorized a total of
11-thousand-one hundred troops for UNAMSIL, but
the remaining peacekeepers are not expected to
arrive until next month. (SIGNED)
NEB/JP/GE/KL
05-May-2000 13:48 PM EDT (05-May-2000 1748 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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