DISARMANENT-SIERRA LEONE: Landmines Threaten Residents’ Security

By Lansana Fofana Reprint | | Print |

Lansana Fofana

FREETOWN, Mar 2 1998 (IPS) - The Task Force Commander of the West African Peacekeeping Force (ECOMOG) in Sierra Leone has warned the population of the potential danger of landmines planted by the deposed military junta.

Colonel Maxwell Khobe’s warning comes in the wake of week-long celebrations among Sierra Leone’s 4.5 million people as the country awaits the return of former President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, who will return to the country on Mar. 10. Kabbah was deposed by junior officers led by Major Johnny Paul Koroma last May.

“We now know that the AFRC (Armed Forces Revolutionary Council) junta laid a total of 115 anti-personnel and 114 anti- tank mines in Freetown and the western area environs,” said Khobe.

The ECOMOG Task Force leader said on state radio and television Sunday that his troops have in their possession documents and maps, which point to the location of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines in the western area.

ECOMOG ground commanders say the AFRC troops planted anti- personnel mines along Tower Hill, where Parliament, State House, the Vice-President’s Office and the British Council are located.

The dangers posed by the landmines have already been exposed. Last Wednesday, a middle-aged woman became the first victim when she stepped on an anti-personnel mine, which exploded and instantly killed her.

Besides Tower Hill, the commanders said Lumley and Aberdeen becahes also have been mined by the junta troops, who thought that ECOMOG was going to launch a naval blocade.

The beaches, also in western Freetown, have been declared ‘no- go’ areas. “We assure the population that this situation will soon be taken care of since those junta officers who laid the mines have been captured. They will remove them,” Khobe said.

Among the AFRC soldiers captured by ECOMOG is Major Hamid Bangura, an engineering graduate of the University of Sierra Leone, who was the mines expert in the former Sierra Leone Army.

The east-end of Freetown also is reported to be unsafe due to landmines. Anti-tank mines were laid in the outlying eastern suburbs of Yams Farm, Grafton and the Old Motor Road to hold back the advancing ECOMOG troops.

ECOMOG says it has the expertise to de-mine all affected areas, but has not indicated how soon the operation will start.

Freetown residents have urged ECOMOG to speedily remove the mines and make the capital safe. “I have avoided many former hang- outs, because I am not sure which routes are safe and where mines may have been laid,” said Yeabu Banya, a civil servant in the capital.

Outside of the capital city, there are fears that the retreating junta may have planted both anti-tank and anti- personnel mines in the northern provincial capital of Makeni, about 170 kms north of Freetown.

The town was attacked last week. Houses were set ablaze and businesses looted as the junta embarked on laying mines in strategic entry points to Makeni. According to some unconfirmed reports, key AFRC officials who managed to escape have regrouped in Makeni.