Hi.  Could you please remove my name from the AAM mailing list?  Thank you.







At 06:52 AM 2/14/99 -0600, you wrote:
>BBC Tuesday, January 12, 1999 Published at 16:07 GMT
>
>Sierra Leone tests a troubled region
>
>Barnaby Phillips
>
>To ordinary Nigerians, the conflict in Sierra Leone does not mean much. If
>anything there is resentment that such a war is being waged by Nigeria's
>unpopular military rulers at a time when living standards are dropping ever
>lower and the Nigerian economy is in a parlous state.
>
>Popular support for Nigeria's leading role in the West African peacekeeping
>force which is fighting to keep Ahmad Tejan Kabah in power has been further
>undermined by reports that some of the Nigerian officers in Sierra Leone
>have been more interested in mining diamonds than fighting the rebels.
>
>But the conflict has been an enormously important commitment for Nigeria,
>which sees itself as the major power in the region.  It was of particular
>significance for Nigeria's former military ruler General San Abacha, who
>died suddenly in June last year.
>
>Restoring democracy in Sierra Leone - getting Ahmad Tejan Kabbah back into
>power - was a way of boosting his own democratic credentials with the rest
>of the world at a time when Nigeria faced international isolation because
>of his undemocratic rule.
>
>The attitude of Nigeria's leaders, though, may change when and if a new
>civilian government takes over from the military leadership there as
>scheduled later this year.
>
>A new government will find itself facing the continued massive expense of
>keeping tens of thousands of troops in Sierra Leone fighting a war which -
>of late - they have not been winning.
>
>Liberian links
>
>Sierra Leone's war has also preoccupied Liberia's rulers. Liberian leader
>Charles Taylor has been seen by some as the main backer of the Sierra Leone
>rebels, and has been closely associated with RUF rebel leader Foday Sankoh
>since the start of the Liberian revolt in 1991.
>
>There have been persistent allegations in recent months as the rebels have
>advanced of Liberian fighters crossing into Sierra Leone, as well as
>regular reports of RUF leaders passing through Monrovia.
>
>Liberia, along with neighbouring Guinea, has been deluged by refugees from
>the conflict in Sierra Leone.
>
>Regional leaders would welcome anything that would extract Sierra Leone
>from its plight.  But at the same time they are wary about Nigeria's
>tendency to see itself as a regional superpower, and most do not want to
>see a further expansion of Nigerian military influence in the region.
>
>Last year it seemed Nigeria would emerge from its costly involvement in
>Sierra Leone with much credit.  But rebel successes have cast doubt on the
>ability of Nigeria and the other countries of the region to resolve the
>Sierra Leone conflict. Their failure would be bad for Nigerian pride, as
>well as regional stability.
>