Abductions reported in Port Loko and Lungi

There are frequent reports of civilians being abducted in areas near Port Loko and Lungi, north of Freetown, the Sierra Leone Human Rights Committee (SLHRC) reported in its latest bulletin, which covers the period from 29 October to 15 November. “In the worst reported incident it is alleged, but unconfirmed, that ex-SLA (former Sierra Leone army) elements took 40 people from Rosenry village, near Port Loko, on 12 November,” the report said. “Some of the abductees are reported to have subsequently either escaped or been released.” SLHRC said evidence has been obtained of attempts by abductors to extort money from the families of abducted persons in return for their release, and not just in the Port Loko/Lungi area. One such case involved an attempt by letter to obtain 300,000 leones (about US $330) for the release of a young girl being held in Makeni. Abductees are also reportedly forced to harvest rice for their captors. Nevertheless, “spontaneous releases continue, with great assistance from ECOMOG which encounters the former abductees (usually children ) at its checkpoints”, the report says. No figures were available, it added. The SLHRC, chaired by UNAMSIL, is a consortium of local and international human rights organisations which monitors the implementation of the human rights elements of the Lome accord. In its report, it also said there had been daily reports of attacks on villages, rapes, looting and intimidation, particularly between Port Loko and Lungi. It cited one incident in which three people drowned when their boat capsized while being pursued by former rebels. “Fear still causes displacement of civilian populations,” its said. “Harsh regimes” are still reportedly operating in areas controlled by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), according to the SLHRC. It said there were accounts of “summary executions, or threats thereof, imposition of harsh food taxes and a general terrorisation of what remains of the civilian populations”. In the northwest and in the Bo area in the east, civilians have reportedly been harassed by elements of the Civil Defence Force, the SLHRC said. Several of these incidents are being investigated by the police, it added.