From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:SIERRA LEONE: STRASSER OFFERS SANKOH OLIVE BRANCH
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 03:11:38 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Opecna Morning Transmission
Title: SIERRA LEONE: STRASSER OFFERS SANKOH OLIVE BRANCH


an inter press  service feature

by lansana fofana

freetown dec 9 (ips) -- the government of sierra leone has at
long last proferred the proverbial olive branch to corporal
foday sankoh's rebel revolutionary united front (ruf).

however, it remains unclear whether the ruf, will accept the
governments moves to end 20 months of fighting in the country's
most economically viable southern and eastern districts.

the thinly-veiled peace offering was made at the weekend by
27-year-old head of state, captain valentine strasser in the
northern provincial town of makeni.

''i challenge his (sankohs) patriotism. if he is a genuine
sierra leonean, he will drop his weapons and join us in building
the fatherland'', the nprc chairman said.

state radio monday repeated strasser's call and appealed to
the ruf fighters to ''stop the carnage and put their cards on
the table''.

observers here believe the government may have realised its
inefficiency in speedily concluding the bloody rebellion which
has claimed thousands of lives and displaced almost a quarter of
the country's 4 million people.

on dec.6, ruf rebels tr0ops captured the eastern town of
koidu, 320 kms from the capital freetown for the second time
in less than two months, with heavy casualties reported on the
government side. koidu was first taken by the rebels oct. 23 for
48 hours.

earlier this week, heavy fighting between government forces
and the ruf was reported at bumpeh, 16 kms from koidu. ruf
fighters reportedly suceeded in pushing the government troops
towards mambodu on the way to the north.

meanwhile, ruf flags have now been hoisted in almost the
entire diamond-rich south-eastern district of kono and the
rebels are believed to have commenced mining of gold and
diamonds in the captured region.

although the ruf leader is yet to react to captain strasser's
challenge, it is now clear that the sierra leone conflict is a
local one and the most practical way of resolving it is through
negotiations, as the military option seems to have failed.
(more/ips)


sierra leone: strasser (2)

says mohamed turay a 46-year old displaced businessman from
kono: ''i dont see the government winning this war as the
soldiers are busy looting property in the war zone while vital
territory is being lost to the rebels. i therefore heartily
welcome the head of state's call for dialogue''.

but retired military officer, a. kamara says: ''i don't think
the rebels will enter into dialogue, given that they are now
having the upper hand. this ought to have been done earlier. to
my mind it seems late now''.

tuesday's morning edition of the 'unity' daily carried a
strongly-worded editorial, part of which read:

''rebel wars all over the world are unwinnable. the struggles
have always ended in dialogue and few compromises here and
there in a bid to minimise the carnage and genocide -- there is
only one way we can stop this now. start talking to who we
should talk to''.

''it is no surrender as we would merely be speaking the
language any sane man would speak under the circumstances,''
said the paper.

still unclear ,however, are the modalities for the
negotiations, when and where they will take place, what cards
the ruf will put on the table and whether in fact talks will be
successful or not.

freetown barrister, sulaiman banja tejan-sie, also a former
opposition politician, says the most acceptable compromise would
be an integration of some representatives of the rebels in the
ruling govenment, which is supposed to be transitional, with a
defined timetable for a return to ccivilian rule.

according to tejan-sie, all sides may the feel free to form
political parties once multiparty returns. this view is shared
by many people interviewed by ips.

meanwhile, captain strasser is expected this week to swear in
a national advisory committee, which would look into the issue
of returning the country back to civilian democratic rule.
(end/ips/lf/tvh/92)
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