Abuses continue, rights groups say

Rebel attacks against civilians continue in parts of Sierra Leone, according to a news release on Monday by the US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW).

The attacks, previously centred around the western town of Port Loko, spread during November to two areas in Northern Province, Kambia, about 110 km north of Freetown and Kabala some 200 km northeast of the capital, HRW reported.

Civilians have been subjected to rape, murder, abduction, torture and other forms of brutality while government troops had been unwilling to intervene, it said.

"The government seems to be bending over backwards to accommodate rebel leaders," Peter Takirambudde, Executive Director for Africa, said. "These are criminal acts, not political ones, and the government should at least be making an effort to stop them."

However, presidential spokesman Septimus Kaikai told IRIN on Monday that once it was confirmed that rebel atrocities had been committed the government made sure the attention of the rebel leadership was drawn to them. When asked what the government itself was doing, he said: "We want to speed up the disarmament process to ensure that no further attacks take place."

Some 20 villages were attacked last month, according to HRW. It said most atrocities occurred when rebel soldiers raided villages for food, livestock and money.

Amnesty International said on 30 November that human rights abuses against civilians had been escalating over the last three months, particularly in Northern Province.