Peace-building or appeasement?
The rebels’ half-change of heart
A YEAR ago, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), the main rebel grouping in Sierra Leone, was riding high. Although it had twice failed to seize the capital, Freetown, itcontrolled much of the rest of the country. Its leader, Foday Sankoh, had the status of vice-president. When 500 United Nations peacekeepers in rebel territory became too pushy, demanding the rebels' guns, the RUF took the soldiers hostage.
This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “Peace-building or appeasement?”
From the May 19th 2001 edition
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