- Title: SIERRA LEONE: PRO-MAJOR JOHNNY PAUL KOROMAH RALLY/PRESS CONFERENCE
- Date: 8th June 1997
- Summary: FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE (JUNE 8, 1997) (RTV) 1. LV PEOPLE DANCING AND SINGING IN STREET AT A PRO-MAJOR JOHNNY PAUL KOROMAH (COUP LEADER) RALLY (2 SHOTS) 0.18 2. SLV SUPPORTERS OF KOROMAH CALLING FOR PEACE (2 SHOTS) 0.29 3. SCU ARMED MAN HOLDING WEAPONS 0.31 4. SLV SUPPORTERS OF PEACE IN STREET (3 SHOTS) 0.43 5. LV R
- Embargoed: 23rd June 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE
- City:
- Country: AFRICA Sierra Leone
- Reuters ID: LVA6QKPCHU4IOAZX8E3WR74HWYO5
- Story Text: - INTRO: The leader of the coup in Sierra Leone has warned against any foreign intervention. Major Johnny Paul Koromah was speaking as Nigerian troops reinforced their military presence in the capital Freetown.
There was some singing and dancing in the streets of Freetown on Sunday (June 8) with chants for peace.
Sierra Leonean military authorities in the capital have now allied themselves to the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in the so-called People's Army.
But a rally in support of Major Koromah in a sports stadium was sparsely attended.
About 5,000 people turned out at the 50,000-capacity national stadium for Sunday's prayer meeting attended by Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) chairman Major Johnny Paul Koroma.
"It now only remains for me to appeal to the international community to hear the cry and concern of the nation against this imminent threat of invasion of our country, which will no doubt bring more destruction of life and property to our historic city," Koroma said in a speech read on his behalf.
He said the alliance between the army and the rebel Revolutionary United Front, which took up arms in 1991, had ended the insecurity of six years of civil war and it was now safe to travel all over the interior.
The coup leaders accuse ousted civilian president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of blocking peace with the rebels, humiliating the army and fomenting ethnic hatred by arming Kamajor traditional hunters and setting them up as a civil defence militia.
At a news conference later the coup leader said he did not think there would be any foreign intervention in Sierra Leone as the problem was an internal one that could be solved internally.
He also sid he does not want an escalation in the fighting.
The coup makers have sent envoys to meet West African leaders to explain their takeover and seek their support. They have also been meeting civilian politicians trying to persuade them to join a government of national unity. So far no one has accepted.
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