Commission calls for expulsion of dissidents

A special commission of the Mano River Union countries - Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone - has recommended the expulsion of armed dissident groups from each other's territories as a means of re-establishing peace among the three countries, news organisations reported.

The meeting of the so-called expert commission - a follow-up to a Moroccan-sponsored peace summit of the three countries in March - also recommended the creation of a Joint Security Commission to exchange security information; as well as monitor the movements of dissidents and criminals among member-states, Africa Number 1 radio reported on Friday. In addition, the expert commission suggested joint-border patrols that would seek to check the circulation of light weapons.

The commission also wants "security corridors" opened to ease the return of hundreds of thousands of refugees and for each country to contribute US $100,000 to implement some of the measures taken at Thursday's meeting in Conakry, the Guinean capital, Africa Number 1 radio reported.

Armed dissident activity brought Guinea and Liberia close to hostilities, and badly strained relations between Liberia and Sierra Leone. Guinea and Liberia had accused each other of supporting armed groups trying to overthrow each country's government, while Liberia had been accused of sponsoring Sierra Leone's recently defunct Revolutionary United Front that waged a 10-year war against successive governments in Freetown.