SIERRA LEONE-POPULATION: Thousands Flee Beleaguered Capital

By Lansana Fofana Reprint | | Print |

Lansana Fofana

FREETOWN, Jun 12 1997 (IPS) - Thousands of people have been fleeing the Sierra Leonean capital as the threat of a military intervention by West African forces bent on restoring the country’s deposed president looms ever larger over the city.

Unconfirmed reports had it that as many as 300,000 people had fled to the provinces as well as neighbouring Guinea and Liberia since clashes between Nigerian and Sierra Leonean city, Bo, told IPS by phone that the southern town “is being ovep,” he said.

The sheer number of people trying to leave the capital, coupled with a drastic shortage of petrol and diesel, have led transport operators to double their fares.

Commuters noople sometimes buy diesel and petrol from the black mar The rush to flee the capital started on Jun. 2 the monitoring force sent by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to pressure the military into reinstating Tejan Kabbay United Front (RUF) who moved into the capital after receiving instructions from theieaders.

A Nigerian contingent had already been in Sierost of them Nigerians, were despatched to the country by ECOWAS.

Although the ruling Armed Forces RevolutionaryOMOG troops have been stationed on the country’s borders.

However, people hav,” he told IPS on Tuesday just before joining a ferry bound for Conakry.

“We live at Aberdeen where the last bombardmee than 50 people died in a bus collision, while an unknown number of people drowned when a bsized.

The AFRC claims that people have been pulling G troops and the threat of a military assault on the city. “We (the AFRC) popular support against an intervention, but only 4,000 people turned up. “Let’s pray for the Lord to prevent any military aggression against the capital,” one cleric told the gathering.

Many of the people pulling out of the capital upported the coup. They say it’s safe for civilians to return so I’m taking the chance.