Rebels demand Sankoh’s release

Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels have demanded the release of their leader Foday Sankoh before restarting negotiations, spokesman Jibril Massaquoi told AFP on Friday.

“Our leader must be released and we must go back to the negotiation table,” Massaquoi said in a telephone call from the rebel-controlled northern town of Makeni. He said that they would not sit by and watch Sankoh being put on trial for a second time and would answer “force with force and dialogue with dialogue”, AFP quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile in Freetown, following the initial jubilation over the detention of RUF leader Foday Sankoh the mood now is one of concern over his fighters’ reaction, the Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit (HACU) said in its situation report of 17 May.

“Obviously there is tremendous concern over what his followers might do,” a senior official in the government-appointed National Commission for Democracy and Human Rights told HACU. Local and international media have reported a feeling of anger and fear that Sankoh may be released or pose a continuing threat to the security of Sierra Leone. The government official said that Sankoh could be tried for violations committed by the RUF after the signing of the Lome Peace Accord in July.