DATE=8/22/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=UNHCR / SIERRA LEONE (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-265737
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations refugee agency, U-N-H-C-R,
says about 10-thousand Sierra Leoneans are trying to
cross the border into neighboring Guinea to escape
intensified fighting between government and rebel
forces. The agency says this is the largest number of
Sierra Leonean to seek asylum in many months. Lisa
Schlein reports from Geneva
TEXT: The United Nations Refugee Agency says only a
few hundred of the Sierra Leonean refugees have made
it into Guinea. The eastern province of Sierra Leone
is separated from the Gueckedou district of Guinea by
the Melie River, which the refugees must cross.
U-N-H-C-R Spokesman, Kris Janowski, says only small 15
person canoes are available to ferry the refugees
across the river. He says last Saturday and Sunday,
489 people managed the trip.
/// JANOWSKI ACT ///
So, this crossing is taking a long time. U-N-H-
C-R is actually thinking of buying or renting
some larger canoes, which can take up to four-
hundred people to take them across the river
because they are obviously terrified and waiting
to cross. These people have to be taken inland
since the Guinea government is now nervous about
the new influx and they are allowing people in
on condition that they be transferred inside the
country.
/// END ACT ///
U-N aid workers are transferring the refugees to a
site provided by the Guinean government. The refugees
are fleeing from the eastern diamond-rich region of
Sierra Leone. The area is controlled by the
Revolutionary United Front rebels, known as the R-U-F.
The rebels are accused of having systematically killed
and mutilated tens-of-thousands of civilian men, women
and children since the civil war broke out in 1991.
Mr. Janowski says the refugees report hundreds of the
former rebel fighters are waiting to cross into
Guinea. He says the agency has asked the Guinean
government to separate the rebels from the rest of the
refugee population.
/// JANOWSKI ACT ///
The proportion of fighters among the refugee
population is growing, which means that
presumably these are R-U-F fighters since they
are coming from an area which is an R-U-F
stronghold and presumably they are fleeing
advancing Sierra Leonean government troops.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Janowski says the asylum seekers are in bad
condition after fleeing fighting, bombing and rebel
harassment in the Kono district. He says three
children and a pregnant woman died while waiting for
authorization to enter Guinea. He says it is likely
as many as 20-thousand refugees from Sierra Leone will
seek asylum in Guinea this month. Guinea already
hosts 331-thousand refugees. (Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/JP
22-Aug-2000 09:42 AM LOC (22-Aug-2000 1342 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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