Protestors march against slow disarmament

Hundreds of demonstrators marched through Freetown on Monday in protest at the slow pace of the disarmament process in Sierra Leone, news organisations reported. Students and human rights organisations taking part in the demonstration, organised by the National Union of Sierra Leone Students (NUSS), converged at the Law Courts building where they were addressed by several speakers, the Sierra Leone news agency (SLENA) reported. A representative of a women’s group, Florence Gbekie, said women had suffered a lot, were tired of the fighting and now want peace. She called on Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP) leader Foday Sankoh to disarm his supporters so women can take their rightful place in society, SLENA reported. RUFP spokesman Eldred Collins was reportedly interrupted during his speech and forced to leave because, the students said, he was telling lies. In response to the protest, presidential spokesman Septimus Kaikai told IRIN on Tuesday that some 44 percent of the ex-combatants, around 20,000, had handed in their weapons. He added that the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme needed of some US $24 million.