POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Power Struggle Threatens Peace Accord

A bitter power struggle within Sierra Leone's main rebel movement, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has threatened to derail the fragile peace accord signed in Lome, Togo, in July and plunge the West African country into chaos.

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Peacekeepers Threaten Fragile Peace

The hopes of Sierra Leone's 4.5 million war-weary population, regarding the speedy disarmament of an estimated 45,000 ex-combatants, are beginning to dash, as rivalry between the Nigerian-led regional force ECOMOG and United Nations peace-keeping troops, threatens to delay the process.

RIGHTS-SIERRA LEONE: Ex-Combatants Unleash A Reign Of Terror

Four months after the signing of a peace deal between rebel forces and the government, that ended eight years of bloody civil conflict in Sierra Leone, there are now renewed concerns over the spate of human rights abuses, by former combatants.

DEVELOPMENT-RIGHTS: Landmines Wreak Havoc In Sierra Leone

One of the major problems facing post- conflict Sierra Leone is that of Landmines, although no specific attention was paid to it in the Lome Peace accord, signed between the warring sides in the Togolese capital in July, to end eight years of a brutal civil war.

DEVELOPMENT-RIGHTS: Landmines Wreak Havoc In Sierra Leone

One of the major problems facing post- conflict Sierra Leone is that of Landmines, although no specific attention was paid to it in the Lome Peace accord, signed between the warring sides in the Togolese capital in July, to end eight years of a brutal civil war.

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: First Batch Of UN Peace-Keepers Arrive

After four months of the signing of a peace deal that ended eight years of bloody conflict in Sierra Leone, the 6000-strong United Nations peace-keeping force have started arriving in the strife-torn West African country, for eventual deployment.

//REPEATING//RIGHTS-SIERRA LEONE: Ex-Combatants Unleash A Reign Of Terror

Four months after the signing of a peace deal between rebel forces and the government, that ended eight years of bloody civil conflict in Sierra Leone, there are now renewed concerns over the spate of human rights abuses, by former combatants.

RIGHTS-SIERRA LEONE: Ex-Combatants Unleash A Reign Of Terror

Four months after the signing of a peace deal between rebel forces and the government, that ended eight years of bloody civil conflict in Sierra Leone, there are now renewed concerns over the spate of human rights abuses, by former combatants.

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: 45,000 Ex-Combatants Reluctant To Disarm

The long-awaited disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) of an estimated 45,000 ex- combatants in Sierra Leone got off this week, albeit to a bad start.

RIGHTS-SIERRA LEONE: Rape Victims Return To School

While Sierra Leone's government and former rebels are struggling to implement the July 7 peace accord, which brought to an end eight years of bloody civil war in their country, non-governmental organisations (ngos) on the other hand, are trying to help hundreds of victims of rape, themselves survivors of the conflict.

RIGHTS-SIERRA LEONE: Rape Victims Return To School

While Sierra Leone's government and former rebels are struggling to implement the July 7 peace accord, which brought to an end eight years of bloody civil war in their country, non-governmental organisations (ngos) on the other hand, are trying to help hundreds of victims of rape, themselves survivors of the conflict.

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Rebels Reject Deployment Of Peacekeepers

The main rebel faction in Sierra Leone has rejected the deployment of UN peacekeepers if the troop's mandate is to disarm ex-combatants.

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE/U.S.: Albright Speaks Out On Peace Accord

US Secretary of State, Medeline Albright, who is on a six-nation African tour, this week visited Sierra Leone, where she urged the government and leaders of the rebel groups to implement the terms of the July peace agreement "without any further delay."

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE/LIBERIA: Border Re-opens, As Relations Improve

After ten months of its closure, the common border between Liberia and Sierra Leone, which had served as a major conduit for instability in the sub-region, has been re- opened.

HEALTH-SIERRA LEONE: Polio Eradication Campaign Kicks Off

Sierra Leone has finally joined the rest of the world in a massive campaign to eradicate polio, just 12 weeks after a cease-fire accord was signed between the government and rebel forces.

HEALTH-SIERRA LEONE: Cholera Epidemic Ravages Port Loko

.Sierra Leone's northwestern district of Port Loko has been hit by a cholera epidemic which is taking its toil on the population.

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Banditry, Hostage Taking On The Rise

The return home of rebel leaders Foday Sankoh of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and Johnny Paul Koroma of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) seems to have done little to halt the spate of cease-fire violations and hostage takings by their combatants on the ground.

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Rebels Reject Deployment of Peace-Keepers

Sierra Leone's rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), who signed a peace agreement with the government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah in July, have rejected the proposed deployment of 6,000 UN peace-keepers in the West African state.

POLITICS: Donors Apathy Worries Sierra Leoneans

With the apparent slowness of the donors to provide funds for disarmament of an estimated 45,000 ex- combatants, ordinary Sierra Leoneans, scared of a return to the bloody conflict which devastated their country for eight years, have taken up the challenge themselves.

POLITICS: Malian Peace-Keepers Pull Out Of Sierra Leone

A contingent of Malian troops, who arrived in Sierra Leone six months ago as part of the West African peace-keeping force ECOMOG, have pulled out at a time when their service is most needed.

POLITICS-LIBERIA: Renewed Rebel Attack Threatens the Region

This week's attack on Liberia by armed dissidents will destabilise the west African country, and threaten the region, Liberia's President Charles Taylor has warned.