SIERRA LEONE / LIBERIA : ARMY CHIEF SAYS REBELS WILL NEVER TAKE THE CAPITAL OF SIERRA LEONE

Record ID: 646128

  • Title: SIERRA LEONE / LIBERIA : ARMY CHIEF SAYS REBELS WILL NEVER TAKE THE CAPITAL OF SIERRA LEONE
  • Date: 6th April 1995
  • Summary: FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE/ MONROVIA, LIBERIA (APRIL 6 AND 10, 1995) (REUTERS TELEVISION - ACCESS ALL) FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE (RECENT - APRIL 10, 1995) 1. GV EXTERIOR CONNAUGHT HOSPITAL 0.06 2. CU ADAMA KOROMA, WHO WAS SHOT IN THE VAGINA DURING ATTACK BY REVOLUTIONARY UNITED FRONT (RUF) REBELS IN NEWTOWM, OUTSIDE FREETOWN, ON HOSPITAL BED 0.11 3. MV MUSTAPHA KAMARA, SHOT IN THE KNEE 0.18 4. MV CONNAUGHT HOSPITAL WARD OFFICER NICHOLAS SANNAH DESCRIBING INJURIES CAUSED BY MULTIPLE GUNSHOT WOUNDS AND SAYS VICTIMS HAVE NOBODY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM (ENGLISH) 0.31 5. MV ADAMA KOROMA BREASTFEEDS HER BABY 0.35 6. SCU MAN IN BED/ SLV HOSPITAL CORRIDOR 0.43 MONROVIA, LIBERIA (RECENT - APRIL 6, 1995) 7. GV AFTERMATH OF ATTACK ON UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) OFFICE IN MONROVIA BY SIERRA LEONEAN REFUGEES IN PROTEST OVER FOOD RATIONS 0.47 8. SLV/ MV LIBERIAN NATIONAL POLICE OFFICERS ON GUARD OUTSIDE RANSACKED/ SIGN OUTSIDE OFFICE 0.56 9. SLV SIERRA LEONIAN REFUGEE IN CAMP, CHANTING "WE WANT RICE." 1.03 10. SCU WOMAN CRACKING PALM NUTS OPEN/ SMALL CHILD EATING NUTS 1.13 11. SCU JOSEPH COLE, CHAIRMAN OF SIERRA LEONEAN REFUGEES AT CAMP SAYING SIERRA LEONE REFUGEES DEMONSTRATED OVER POOR CONDITIONS IN THE CAMP AND BROKEN PROMISES OVER FOOD SUPPLIES (ENGLISH) 1.40 12. SCU CHILDREN 1.44 13. SCU BETTY FREEMAN, SIERRA LEONE REFUGEES CHAIR PERSON, SAYS THE OFFICIALS PROMISED FOOD BUT IT DID NOT ARRIVE AND AS A RESULT THE PEOPLE WENT AND DEMONSTRATED (ENGLISH) 1.59 13. MV YOUNG REFUGEES 2.03 TRANSCRIPT SHOT 4. SANNAH. "THEY COME IN WITH MOSTLY GUN SHOTS ALL OVER. THE WOUNDS ARE TO THERE HEADS, THEIR LEGS, AND MOST CASES DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO CARE TO THEM." TRANSCRIPT SHOT 11. COLE. "WE HAVE MADE SO MANY REQUESTS IN THE PAST WEEKS THAT HAVE GONE. WE HAVE HAD SO MANY PROMISES BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY SIGN. AND YESTERDAY WE WHERE DECEIVED AGAINST BY OUR PROTECTION OFFICER. BECAUSE OF THAT WE DEEM IT NECESSARY TO MARCH ON THE STREET FOR A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION." TRANSCRIPT SHOT 13, FREEMAN. "WHEN THEY COME THEY TELL US THE FOOD WILL BE A FEW DAYS. THREE DAYS WILL PASS AND WE WILL NOT SEE THE FOOD. SO AS A RESULT WE TOOK UPON OURSELVES TODAY, WE LEFT THEM HERE TODAY AND WENT AND DEMONSTRATED." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 21st April 1995 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE/ MONROVIA, LIBERIA
  • City:
  • Country: Liberia AFRICA Sierra Leone
  • Reuters ID: LVABT8Y8JI3KGXTXTDEQ35Y90XV8
  • Story Text: Sierra Leone's army chief said on Tuesday (April 12) that rebel forces attacking on the outskirts of Freetown would never take the capital.

    "RUF rebels will not take Freetown as they have not been able to take the capitals of the regions since the NPRC took power," Brigadier Julius Maada Bio, who is also deputy military leader, said in Freetown.

    Rebels of the Revolutionary United Front attacked the town of Newton, 35 km (24 miles) from Freetown, last weekend (April 8/9), sending a new flood of refugees into the already-crowded capital.

    The rebels, who launched their campaign in the southeast in March 1991, have stepped up raids since November into a major offensive. They control main roads but hold no towns for long.

    The RUF, who are holding 10 Europeans, say Nigerian, Guinean and other foreign troops must leave Sierra Leone before they will talk to the military government.

    The fighting has displaced about half the pre-war population of Sierra Leone, and many people have fled to refugee camps in neighbouring Liberia. But fighting there too has created further problems.

    On Thursday (April 6) hundreds of Sierra Leone refugees from a camp near the Liberian capital Monrovia ransacked a United Nations (U.N.) office in the city in protest over food rations.

    Police and army units from the African force ECOMOG were called in after refugees scaled the walls of the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, smashing windows and furniture.

    Police and troops quickly restored order and made several arrests. U.N. officials said some of the demonstrators were criminal elements who removed radios and other items from the offices. The lives of U.N. staff were not at risk.


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