- Title: VARIOUS: FIRST PICTURES OF MILITARY COUP AS FIGHTING RAGES
- Date: 30th May 1997
- Summary: FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE (MAY 30, 1997) (RTV) (QUALITY AS INCOMING) 1. GV: REBEL SUPPORTERS RALLYING IN SPORTS STADIUM 0.10 2. GV: COUP LEADER ARMY GENERAL JOHNNY PAUL KOROMAH ARRIVES SURROUNDED BY SOLDIERS (2 SHOTS) 0.24 3. MV: KOROMAH ADDRESSING SUPPORTERS ON LOUDHAILERS, ONE FAILS TO WORK (4 SHOTS) 0.56 4. TV: KOROMAH LEAVING, SURROUNDED BY SUPPORTERS AND SOLDIERS 1.10 5. MV: MAN WEARING ANIMAL MASK WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN UNCONNECTED TELEPHONE HELD TO EAR 1.16 6. GV: REBEL SUPPORTERS RUNNING THROUGH STREETS WITH BANNERS 1.32 7. LAS: NIGERIAN JET FLYING OVERHEAD 1.45 FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE (JUNE 1, 1997) (RTV) 8. GV/ZOOM: EXTERIOR HOTEL; RESIDENTS ON BALCONIES AND OUTSIDE READY TO LEAVE 1.55 9. MV: U.S. MARINES HELPING CIVILIANS INTO FLIGHT SUITS; CHILDREN PUTTING ON CRASH HELMETS (2 SHOTS) 2.07 10. GV/LV: U.S. CIVILIANS BOARD HELICOPTER, WHICH TAKES OFF (5 SHOTS) 2.39 FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE (MAY 31, 1997) (RTV) 11. GV: BOAT LEAVES; NUNS ON BOARD 2.52 12. MV: SMALL BOY CARRIED ONTO BOAT 3.04 13. GV: ELDERLY WOMAN HELPED ABOARD BOAT 3.18 HARARE, ZIMBABWE (JUNE 2, 1997) (RTV) 14. LV: EXTERIOR MEETING VENUE - SHERATON HOTEL 3.25 15. GV: INTERIOR VIEW OF VENUE 3.27 16. MCU: UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL KOFFI ANNAN SAYING AFRICAN LEADERS ARE ALL APPALLED BY THE COUP IN SIERRA LEONE (ENGLISH) 3.40 FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE (MAY 30, 1997) (RTV) 17. MV: HEAVILY ARMED REBEL SOLDIER POSING IN STREET FOR MEDIA (2 SHOTS) 4.13 Initials s.2 - p.3.2 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 14th June 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE/ HARARE, ZIMBABWE
- City:
- Country: AFRICA Zimbabwe Sierra Leone
- Reuters ID: LVA59GFW6H2ABGMZTK7UF4BOCBE5
- Story Text: - INTRO: Fighting has been raging around Sierra Leone's capital on Monday as the first pictures came through of the military coup leader Major Johnny Paul Koromah.
On Friday hundreds of his supporters gathered at a celebratory rally to hear Koromah's victory speech.
Freetown city's sports stadium was the venue for the rally on Friday (May 30) as chanting, banner-waving followers of Koromah gathered to greet the coup leader following the overthrow of Sierra Leone's President on May 25.
Hundreds of foreign nationals were forced to flee their homes as the violence escalated around the city over the weekend (May 31 - June 1).
The evacuees gathered at appointed hotels to be transported out of the war torn city. U.S. (United States)helicopters airlifted more than 900 foreigners to a navy helicopter carrier moored at sea.
A squadron of 15 helicopters ferried 330 Americans and 600 people from 40 other countries from a hotel in Freetown.
On Thursday (May 29) the British Foreign Office chartered a Boeing 747 for 393 British and other foreign nationals.
The French Navy joined the evacuation effort as foreign nationals gathered to escape the widespread looting and violence which followed the coup.
In Zimbabwe on Monday (June 2) at an Organisation of African Unity summit, U.N. (United Nations) Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged that the will of the people should become paramount in Africa.
Addressing the Harare meeting he said he was revolted by the coup in Sierra Leone.
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