By Lansana Fofana
FREETOWN, Oct 23 1998 (IPS)

More than 20,000 Sierra Leonean refugees in Guinea have demanded to be repatriated home following a series of attacks on their camps by rebels and Guinean security officials.

The refugees, who fled rebel attacks in the eastern Sierra Leonean districts of Kailabun and Kono, say they are gradually losing their numbers to rebels who abduct women and children.

The rebels are the remnants of the ousted Sierra Leone’s Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and their allies, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) who have been fighting the government for seven years.

In the past two weeks, the rebels stepped up attacks on Guinean towns and villages on the border with Sierra Leone.

Guinean-based journalist Al Hassan Sillah, who has been covering the incident, confirmed to IPS this week that local residents, as well as Sierra Leonean refugees, have been killed in the attacks.

“The rebels attacked the villages of Kondelaya, Wordu and Bondu in the southern district of Farannah near where the refugees have settled, and at least, 36 houses were burned of cattle and foodstuffs. “In their latest attack, the rebels abducted 16 Sierra Leonean refugees, including women and children and this situation has frightened the refugee population who are no more sure of their security in the camps,” Sillah said.

The refugees say Guinean security personnel have accused them of collaborating with both Guinean and Sierra Leonean rebels. “It is a ridiculous allegation,” said Zainab Fofana, mother of three who fled the fighting in the diamond-rich district of Kono in eastern Sierra Leone.

“My husband and a numbee border, by the invading rebels, while several other refugees were killed at the camp,” she said.

Refugees, who venture outside the camps, have often find themselves harassed by local security personnel who accuse them of being rebel sympathisers.

“How can we live in peace when the rebels keep hitting our camps on one hand, and the local security harassing us on the other,” one refugee complained.

The refugees have urged Sierra Leonean governmations (ngos) are prepared to take them home to Sierra Leone.

The refugees have also complained about the laement rations with the sale of fuelwood, which they fell in the bush.

Three months ago, the UNHCR airlifted more than 6,000 refugees — mostly women, children and the disabled — from Kissidougou and Gueckedou in Guinea to Sierra Leone.

UNHCR souhave blamed the instability, on the border, on rebel activities. According to this week’s edition of the independent ‘Democrat’ newspaper, rebels have infiltrated refugee camps in Guinea which they use for espionage.

“At least seven female RUF spies headed by rebel commander Wilbelmina Fofana are currently occupying several refugee camps along the Sierra Leone-Guinea border, spying for Guineans rebel leader Col Joseph Oraco Zoumaniqui, who intends to invade that uprising led to the death of several army officers and the arrest of a number of others. The dissident colonel, who was a commanding officer in the Guinean capital of Conakry, fled the West African country following the failed putsch against Guinean head of state Gen Lansana Conte. He later surfaced in Liberia.

The authorities in Conakry have condemned the rebel activities and stepped up security in the affected region.

But, for the Sierra Leonean refugees, their quest is to return home and not get caught up in the brewing conflictNNN TXACK nflict

Excerpt:

By Lansana Fofana
FREETOWN, Oct 23 1998 (IPS)

More than 20,000 Sierra Leonean refugees in Guinea have demanded to be repatriated home following a series of attacks on their camps by rebels and Guinean security officials.

The refugees, who fled rebel attacks in the eastern Sierra Leonean districts of Kailabun and Kono, say they are gradually losing their numbers to rebels who abduct women and children.

The rebels are the remnants of the ousted Sierra Leone’s Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and their allies, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) who have been fighting the government for seven years.

In the past two weeks, the rebels stepped up attacks on Guinean towns and villages on the border with Sierra Leone.

Guinean-based journalist Al Hassan Sillah, who has been covering the incident, confirmed to IPS this week that local residents, as well as Sierra Leonean refugees, have been killed in the attacks.

“The rebels attacked the villages of Kondelaya, Wordu and Bondu in the southern district of Farannah near where the refugees have settled, and at least, 36 houses were burned down by the insurgents,” Sillah said.

He said the rebels also looted herds of cattle and foodstuffs. “In their latest attack, the rebels abducted 16 Sierra Leonean refugees, including women and children and this situation has frightened the refugee population who are no more sure of their security in the camps,” Sillah said.

The refugees say Guinean security personnel have accused them of collaborating with both Guinean and Sierra Leonean rebels. “It is a ridiculous allegation,” said Zainab Fofana, mother of three who fled the fighting in the diamond-rich district of Kono in eastern Sierra Leone.

“My husband and a number of other refugees were abducted and taken across the border, by the invading rebels, while several other refugees were killed at the camp,” she said.

Refugees, who venture outside the camps, have often found themselves harassed by local security personnel who accuse them of being rebel sympathisers.

“How can we live in peace when the rebels keep hitting our camps on the one hand, and the local security harassing us on the other,” one refugee complained.

The refugees have urged the Sierra Leonean government to help repatriate them since, according to them, neither the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nor non-governmental organisations (ngos) are prepared to take them home to Sierra Leone.

The refugees have also complained about the late supply of rations, which they say has forced them to supplement rations with the sale of fuelwood, which they fell in the bush.

Three months ago, the UNHCR airlifted more than 6,000 refugees — mostly women, children and the disabled — from Kissidougou and Gueckedou in Guinea to Sierra Leone.

UNHCR sources say Guinean camps hold a total of 339,049 refugees. But this figure is expected to increase as more refugees flee the fighting in eastern Sierra Leone.

Local newspapers have blamed the instability, on the border, on rebel activities. According to this week’s edition of the independent ‘Democrat’ newspaper, rebels have infiltrated refugee camps in Guinea which they use for espionage.

“At least seven female RUF spies headed by rebel commander Wilbelmina Fofana are currently occupying several refugee camps along the Sierra Leone-Guinea border, spying for Guinean rebel leader Col Joseph Oraco Zoumaniqui, who intends to invade that country before the end of this year,” it claimed.

Col Zoumaniqui is alleged to have masterminded the 1996 military mutiny in Guinea. That uprising led to the death of several army officers and the arrest of a number of others. The dissident colonel, who was a commanding officer in the Guinean capital of Conakry, fled the West African country following the failed putsch against Guinean head of state Gen Lansana Conte. He later surfaced in Liberia.

The authorities in Conakry have condemned the rebel activities and stepped up security in the affected region.

But, for the Sierra Leonean refugees, their quest is to return home and not get caught up in the brewing conflict in Guinea.

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