(Rapaport…July 18) Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels agreed to a mining ban in the country’s eastern diamond region during their July 17 meeting with government officials and members of the UN. The ban, effective July 18, is intended to aid the disarmament process.
Rebels and government forces also agreed to dismantle their checkpoints, and all combatants are banned from carrying weapons in the Kono region unless they are taking them to disarmament points.
“The meeting was very optimistic and all parties involved were committed to see that Kono is disarmed because the district is a very sensitive part in the peace process,” said one government official who was at the meeting.
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