The News Review:

- Nigerian presides over Sierra Leone’s Special Court.
- SIERRA LEONE: Appeals delay local election results
- Peace around the globe
- The Plight of Child Soldiers
- BBC NEWS | Programmes | Newsnight | Geoff Hoon

Nigerian presides over Sierra Leone’s Special Court.
Free with registration – Asia Africa Intelligence Wire – AccessMyLibrary.com – May 28, 2004
Nigerian presides over Sierra Leone’s Special Court. | Asia Africa Intelligence Wire (May, 2004).

SIERRA LEONE: Appeals delay local election results
IRINnews.org – May 28, 2004
Between the close of polls on 22nd May and up to the 27th May, “the Commission received a total of 68 appeals from political parties and independent candidates,” said Davies. “It would not be proper where there are appeals for us to release all the results. ” Results for Westward 2 and Eastward 3 in Freetown, Bombali in the western, Port Loko and Tonkolili Districts in the north; Bo, Moyamba, and Pujehun districts in the south of the country have all been withheld, said Davies. The Chief electoral commissioner explained that ‘appeals’ are made to the electoral commission while âpetitions’ are an issue for the courts.

Peace around the globe
Pakistan Dawn – May 29, 2004
In 2001, Pakistan contributed its troops to East Timor. The contingent comprised troops from the Engineers and Signals and took part in efforts to restore the country’s communication infrastructure. In May 2001 under the UN flag over 4,000 Pakistani troops were sent to Sierra Leone where they were deployed in the most sensitive area of the country. The Pakistani troops not only brought peace to the country but helped a great deal in rehabilitation work in the country which earned them worldwide accolade. A batch of Pakistani troops comprising over 1,000 personnel has been working under the UN flag for the last one year in the Congo for restoration of peace and humanitarian assistance. Another batch of over 2,000 formed part of the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia in 2003. The mission continues to support the poor and needy people of the country.

The Plight of Child Soldiers
abc.net.au – May 28, 2004
Governments have been active too. In 1999, for example, the Colombian government passed legislation banning the recruitment of children under 18. And as a condition of its assistance to Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom sought an assurance that children would no longer be used by the civil armed forces. According to Human Rights Watch in 1999 and 2000, it gave information to the United Kingdom’s government about the on-going use of child soldiers by Sierra Leone’s civil defence forces. The United Kingdom raised the issue with President Kabbah of Sierra Leone, and Human Rights Watch says that ‘there are currently no indications of child soldier use by government armed forces’. Nonetheless, the recruitment and use of child soldiers persists, and observers agree that there is still significant and difficult work to be done. The number of children being used in combat has remained static for many years.

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Newsnight | Geoff Hoon
BBC News – May 28, 2004
What would happen?GEOFF HOON:Dr Alawi was asked this question the other day. He made plain it was not a question of vetoes, it was a question of a proper discussion and agreement between a sovereign Iraqi interim government and coalition forces. That is exactly how we operate in places like Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and in Bosnia. We operate on the basis that there is a sovereign government, there are British troops who will remain answerable to British commanding officers, ultimately to the British Government and the British Parliament. But in the way in which they operate there is an understanding, an agreement, between that sovereign administration and the forces. KIRSTY WARK:Forgive me, that is not what Colin Powell said. GEOFF HOON:That is exactly what he said.