By Lansana Fofana
FREETOWN, Feb 10 1999 (IPS)

The capture of a number of foreign mercenaries, who fought along rebel troops that invaded the capital Freetown on Jan 6, is threatening to split the 16-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

ECOWAS is the political wing of the West African peace- keeping force ECOMOG, two of whose members — Liberia and Burkina Faso — have been accused of backing the rebels.

“The January 6th invasion of Freetown by rebels, was a multi- national conspiracy to capture or destroy it completely,” President Ahmed Tegan Kabbah said recently. “We will not allow those neighbouring states who are supporting the rebels to succeed in their wicked plans.”

Kabbah’s views have been echoed by finance minister, James Jonah, a retired United Nations official.

Jonah is currently on a European and North American tour to solicit assistance for his government and ECOMOG. He has addressed the European Union, the British Foreign Office and US State Department, emphasising the involvement of foreign countries in the war.

“The war in Sierra Leone is simply foreign invasion. I am talking of Liberia and Burkina Faso directly helping the rebels to destroy my country” has been Jonah’s key message during his tour.

Dozens of Liberian combatants were either killed or captured, in ECOMOG’s counter-offensive to drive out the rebels from the capital last month.

During the invasion, rebel commandos openly boasted that they got “advanced training in urban guerrilla warfare from Burkina Faso.” They also told Freetown residents that both Liberian President Charles Taylor, himself a former rebel leader, and Burkinabe president Blaise Campoare, knew about the invasion.

But both leaders have denied the allegations, saying their countries were not involved in the conflict in Sierra Leone.

The accusations against Liberia had started even before the rebels entered Freetown, thus dampening relations between the two neighbours.

About three weeks ago, ECOMOG fighter jets and naval gunboats attacked a ship carrying ‘mercenaries’ reportedly heading towards the territory controlled by the rebels.

Both ECOMOG and Sierra Leonean authorities have confirmed the attack, claiming that the ship was sailing from Liberia. The authorities in Liberia have yet to comment on the incident.

Following the attack, numerous corpses of whites as well as black men have been spotted, drifting along the western coastline.

The White mercenaries are believed to be Ukranians, as some Ukrainians were spotted in the diamond-rich eastern district of Kono, controlled by the rebels.

The mercenaries have been sucked into the Sierra Leonean conflict primarily for diamond concessions. The war-torn West African state state is endowed with precious minerals, such as gold, bouxite, iron ore and, most importantly, diamond.

Documents captured by pro-government forces suggest deals made between rebels and their mercenary allies for diamonds, in reward for overthrowing the government of President Kabbah.

According to military sources, the rebels have maintained a firm grip on Kono, where they are alleged to be carrying out intensive mining activities.

“It is no secret that the rebels are engaged in serious mining in Kono and the proceeds from the diamonds they use to replenish their arms supply and pay mercenaries,” says paramount chief Abu Kongoba, who is also the member of parliament representing Kono district.

Nigeria, the regional giant which has provided about 80 percent of ECOMOG troops fighting in Sierra Leone, has threatened to take action against President Taylor and his government. One way, the Nigerians say, is by taking the matter to an international tribunal.

Ghana, which also contributes troops to ECOMOG has openly accused Liberia, and threatened to expel all Liberian refugees from its territory.

The conflict in Sierra Leone erupted in 1991 when former army corporal Foday Sankoh launched a bush war to overthrow the government of the then President Joseph Momoh.

In May 1997, Sankoh’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF) teamed up with renegade Sierra Leonean soldiers and overthrew the democratically elected government of President Kabbah.

After the coup, Kabbah fled to neighbouring Guinea and began to mobilise international support and, with the backing of ECOMOG, returned to office in March 1998.

The RUF and remnants of the former Sierra Leonean army retreated into the bush to wage guerrilla war.

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