Rubin added that if negotiations did not succeed in the near future, he was concerned that force could be used instead. Prior to Andrews' visit, WV had lost 85 MTs of food. Following last week's meeting, WV acting country director Hameed Mansarray was informed that Koroma had met with members of the AFRC instructing them to keep away from food warehouses. On food security, Andrews noted that food was in short supply in rural areas with the vast majority of people living on bush yams, wild fruits, cassava and bush meat. A senior official of the AFRC had earlier accused three aid agencies in Sierra Leone of playing politics against humanitarian aid and diverting assistance.
Agencies say the complaints are baseless.
An ICRC clinic in Freetown was also closed following menacing behaviour towards staff and the arrest of a nurse. In a positive development, the ICRC reported that for the first time since the beginning of the year, it had carried out a distribution of food to 21,016 beneficiaries in the former RUF-held area of north Kailahun. The Supreme Court has entered a contract with the Liberian people to resist interference from other branches of government, she stated. The Chief Justice noted that the Supreme Court had an opportunity to lay the foundation for democratic growth. Associate Justices inducted along with the Chief Justice were N. Wilkins Wright, John N. Lewis, Soko Sakkor and Elwood Jangaba.