Military, mobs round up Liberians and Sierra Leoneans

Guinean soldiers and mobs of youths, some of them dressed in military garb, continued to harass and detain Liberian and Sierra Leonean nationals on Monday after thousands had been rounded up at the weekend. “It’s been quite terrible, difficult and quite unfortunate,” Ba-Foday Suma, a Sierra Leonean working with the non-governmental organization, ABC Development, in Conakry, told IRIN on Monday. “Even speaking English could be reason enough for being arrested.” Guinean police and soldiers were also carrying out searches and arrests. It is unclear how many people have been detained, but Suma said he knew of 425 people who were being held at one police station alone. Some reports said thousands had been detained. Nearly 500,000 refugees from neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone are living in Guinea. Suma said the refugees living in camps outside the capital were under military protection. The harassment stems from recent attacks by armed men from across Guinea’s border.