From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:SIERRA LEONE: FREETOWN LIVING ON BORROWED TIME
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 23:51:09 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: Asia, southern
Title: SIERRA LEONE: FREETOWN LIVING ON BORROWED TIME


freetown dec 10 (ips/ruby ofori) --- freetown is so laid back
even the leaves fall in slow motion.

nothing, not even the liberian war across the border nor the
the rebel attacks to the south east nor the military coup that
took place seven months ago can completely disrupt the steady
unruffled pace of life in this very caribbean west african city.

perhaps the tales of rampant corruption by members of the old
regime, the presence of the boy soldiers out in the streets, the
curfew and the wars and blackouts have helped bolster the
people's resolve.

although islam is strong and the mende and temne peoples form
the majority of the country's population of four million, sierra
leonean culture is heavily influenced by the creoles and sunday
is a creole day.

on sunday mornings, christian families stream out of their
rickety, picturesque two storey wooden structures called ''board
houses'' with carefully-tended gardens on steep slopes and head
for the churches.

seeking solace from the perpetual grime and poverty, they
enter the clean, wholesome atmosphere of buildings that were
erected as far back as 1820.

the men dress in black suits and homburg hats, the women in
bonnets and dresses, the girl children in frilly virginal whites
and boys in sailor's suits.

in church, a creole preacher and his congregation --
descendants of freed slaves from jamaica, canada, and the u.s.
-- pray for an end to the troubles.

after church it's off home for a meal of ''bomber'' which is
rice with ''de leaves'' cassava leaf stew and some chicken if
they can afford it.

the economy is in trouble but rice prices have remained
stable as importers have taken advantage of the new liberal
trade laws.

come saturday night, the clubs are packed. the 'heart of
gold' club is so tight its clientele spill out onto the streets.

alfred kuma one of the managers says business is booming.
once a regular haunt of journalists and intellectuals 'the
heart' has become a meeting place for liberian refugee girls
looking for men with disposable incomes. (more/ips)


sierra leone: freetown (2)

these are invariably ecomog, soldiers of the west african
intervention force (ecomog) and ''swazy'' boys. the latter says
kumar are young ''businessmen'' who sell gold chains and other
jewellery nearby.

''liberian women love life and pleasure'' more than sierra
leonean women comments kumar. his booming business is largely a
result of the regular custom of these fashionably dressed
refugee women offering love for a fee.

up on the hill at the state-owned paramount hotel, there is
not the usual evening crowd says adama kamala. the security
situation is frightening off a lot of people.

the city is on security alert. suspicious looking strangers
can be accosted.

a month ago, the central post office was put under the heavy
guard of red-eyed ecomog soldiers newly-arrived from the
liberian warfront following letters thought to have been sent by
rebels threatening to blow up the post office.

kamala and her companion, mounira massaquoui are both
glamourosly-dressed middle-aged women who claim to be
businesswomen and housewives.

but these security women can be found every night at the
paramount mingling with staff and guests or sitting quietly by
themselves. ''freetown is free'' they say ''so long as you
behave yourself''. (end/ips/ro/tvh/nm/92)
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