HOW WILFUL MURDER WAS VISITED UPON AN INNOCENT AND UNSUSPECTING SECTION OF THE CAPITAL FREETOWN IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 1997

Diary of Events:

Wednesday September 3, 1997. Extraordinarily long meeting of the AFRC/RUF coalition of evil held at State House in central Freetown.

Thursday September 4, 1997. Tragedy unfolds. Scores are reported killed by bombs/missiles. Junta claims massacre carried out by ECOMOG forces based across the estuary in Lungi. Anti-Nigerian/ECOMOG/pro-democrat hysteria and hate whipped up on junta-controlled radio and television. One medical staff interviewed by junta-controlled TV publicly discloses that some of the victims bore wounds consistent with those inflicted by bullets.

Friday September 5, 1997. Funeral ceremonies for the dead held at the National Stadium. One Major Johnny Paul Koroma appeals to the international community for the removal of Nigerian/ECOMOG troops from Sierra Leone.

Saturday September 6, 1997. Meeting called by junta at City Hall to decide on what must be done to the ECOMOG troops based at Jui, some thirteen miles from centre of Freetown. Persecution/murder of Nigerians and pro-democrats continue. Sackville Street becomes a death zone for all Nigerians. Meeting decides on march on ECOMOG base at Jui. Anti-ECOMOG/Nigerian hate broadcasts continue

Sunday September 7, 1997. Early communion church goers turned back from church entrances. Urged to join march on ECOMOG positions at Jui. Hate broadcasts continue. "Cool heads" close to junta advise against preventing people from attending Sunday services. ECOMOG warns against proposed march using international media outlets as well as the 98.1 FM radio. March begins with some junta supporters forcing civilians at gun point to join the march. Warnings by ECOMOG still continue clearly defining the restricted zone that must not be crossed - a certain bridge on the road to Jui. March organisers get the message, falter and stop far short of Jui - at the Foamex factory just outside the city gates.