InfoAnda - Former fighter turns candidate in Sierra Leone elections |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Gaza militants fire rockets into Israel after air strike | | 8 October 2012
UK investigates package on UPS plane to Turkey: report | | 30 March 2011
Taliban claim suicide attack on Afghan spy chief | | 6 December 2012

Japan PM seeks new ties with SKorea by sidestepping tensions | 11 January 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Former fighter turns candidate in Sierra Leone elections |

Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Home Business Business Home Economy Technology Media Small Business Green Business Legal Deals Earnings Summits Business Video Markets Markets Home U.S. Markets European Markets Asian Markets Global Market Data Indices M&A Stocks Bonds Currencies Commodities Futures Funds peHUB World World Home U.S. Brazil China Euro Zone Japan Mexico Russia Afghan Journal Africa Journal India Insight Global News Journal Pakistan: Now or Never? World Video Politics Politics Home Front Row Washington Politics Video Technology Technology Home MediaFile Science Tech Video Opinion Opinion Home Chrystia Freeland Felix Salmon Breakingviews George Chen Bernd Debusmann Gregg Easterbrook James Pethokoukis James Saft John Wasik Christopher Whalen Ian Bremmer Mohamed El-Erian Lawrence Summers The Great Debate Unstructured Finance Newsmaker MuniLand Money Money Home Analyst Research Global Investing MuniLand Reuters Money Alerts Watchlist Portfolio Stock Screener Fund Screener Personal Finance Video Life & Culture Health Sports Arts Faithworld Business Traveler Left Field Entertainment Oddly Enough Lifestyle Video Pictures Pictures Home Reuters Photographers Full Focus Video Article Comments (0) Full Focus Editor's choice A selection of our top photos from the past 48 hours. Full Article Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Pakistan let China see crashed U.S. "stealth" copter 14 Aug 2011 Google to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion 11:22am EDT Markets heading to new danger zone: Zoellick 14 Aug 2011 Death toll rises in Indiana State Fair stage collapse | 14 Aug 2011 Stop coddling the super-rich: Buffett 10:48am EDT Discussed 208 Obama says he inherited economic problems 199 Appeals court rules against Obama healthcare law 105 Most Americans believe U.S. on wrong track: Reuters/Ipsos poll Watched Sky-high cable car rescue. Sun, Aug 14 2011 Underwater volcano erupts off Oregon coast Wed, Aug 10 2011 Stage collapse kills four Sat, Aug 13 2011 Former fighter turns candidate in Sierra Leone elections Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Egypt moves to scrap decades-old emergency law Thu, Aug 11 2011 Turkey's leaders deny crisis as top generals quit Sat, Jul 30 2011 Analysis & Opinion Does the administration really want defense spending cuts? Pakistan’s growing democracy Related Topics World » By Simon Akam FREETOWN | Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:44am EDT FREETOWN (Reuters) - A framed photograph from Sierra Leone's civil war hangs in an office in the ramshackle capital Freetown, showing former junta leader Maada Bio in military dress. Below the picture sits the man, reinvented 15 years later as the main opposition party's candidate for next year's presidential election. "I am a people-centered politician," he explains, his military attire exchanged for a dark suit. "I got into politics because I greatly believe in the welfare of the people." In a country riven by civil war between 1991 and 2002 it is not uncommon for Sierra Leonean political figures to have a colorful past. But Bio's recent appointment as flagbearer of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) has caused a stir in Freetown over whether the former fighter is fit to lead a country still struggling to put its bloody past behind it. Analysts say the retired brigadier is the strongest candidate his party could have fielded against incumbent Ernest Bai Koroma, and will offer a strong challenge despite accusations from rivals he was involved in atrocities during the fighting. "I have never seen anything like it in Sierra Leone," said Dr. Lansana Gberie, a Sierra Leonean researcher and author of a history of the country's civil war. "That level of dedication to a politician who at this moment is in the opposition - who has nothing really to offer - is extraordinary." Bio, now 47, was part of a group of young soldiers who in April 1992 seized power in Sierra Leone by ousting President Joseph Momoh and installing a 26-year-old army captain, Valentine Strasser, as the youngest head of state in the world. Four years later Bio deposed Strasser and served as head of state himself for a few months before elections took place. He subsequently studied in the United States, before returning to Sierra Leone in 2003. Next year's elections - likely to take place in the autumn - will fall ten years after the end of the civil war and will be a bellwether of the country's return to stability. While Bio's platform is vague -- promising a minerals review and to lift barriers to investment -- it is his personal history that is getting most of the domestic attention. Last week the ruling APC party put out a statement attacking his association with the NPRC junta -- which critics in the 1990s mocked as 'Na Pikin Run Contri' or 'the children are running the country' in the local Krio language. Victor Foh, the national secretary general of the APC, told Reuters he does not think Bio is fit to hold power in a democracy. "We don't want recycled military people with very bad, very poor human rights records," he said. Bio has been accused of involvement in the execution of around 26 people around Christmas 1992 after his junta's coup, and also of overseeing brutality by soldiers during his short reign in 1996. Bio says he accepts "collective responsibility" for the 1992 killings, as he was a member of the junta, but denies he was behind the killings. And he says military brutality in 1996 was the result of rogue army units running amok. "Every solder was armed, not all of them wanted me to hand over (power in elections)," he said. Others in Sierra Leone though strongly contest Bio's take on his spell as head of state. According to Desmond Luke, a former chief justice of the country, he was "reluctant to even contemplate handing over" and only did so under massive pressure. "They were trying to prevent the elections," he said. "They shot people, they cut people's fingers." Politics in Sierra Leone is drawn largely on ethnic and regional rather than ideological lines. The APC draws its support from the Temne and Limba peoples of the north, the SLPP from the Mende of the south and east. Bio is a Mende. He is also likely to profit from a change in the political landscape since the last election. In the 2007 election a third party, the People's Movement for Democratic Change, split the SLPP vote. Since then though not only has the PMDC's star waned, but its leader Charles Margai also says that he intends to support the SLPP in next year's poll. "Come 2012 the chances of us collaborating with SLPP in the event of a run-off are 95 percent," he told Reuters. (Editing by Richard Valdmanis) World Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above. Social Stream (What's this?) Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index Mobile Legal Bankruptcy Law California Legal New York Legal Securities Law Support & Contact Contact Us Advertise With Us Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electric trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Monday, 15 August 2011
Edwin Encarnacion drives in winning run in 10th as Blue Jays nip Angels
Mike Stanton belts 26th homer of season, gives Marlins 1-0 lead vs. Giants
MLS: Quakes’ woes continue; winless run reaches to 11 games vs. Rapids
Gaddafi defiant as government said to be talking with rebels |
UK's Cameron: will mend broken society after riots |
NHL's Comrie sits while wife celeb wife Hilary Duff gets set to deliver baby
Back on Utoeya Island, Norway killer describes carnage |
Pakistan quizzes suspects over abducted American |
Tank, navy attack on Syria's Latakia kills 26: witnesses |
Djokovic tops Fish in Rogers Cup; resurging Serena Williams wins second straight tourney
Egypt's ex-president Mubarak to return to court |
Morgan lifts Brewers to sweep of Pirates
Former Ohio State quarterback Pryor awaits decision on entering supplemental draft
Suicide bombers, gunmen kill 22 in central Afghanistan |
PGA History: rookie Keegan Bradley gets major win in playoff with Dufner
Disgruntled Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora may return to team Monday
Algerian suicide attack wounds 29 |
Rains pushes NASCAR Cup race back to Monday
Pena's two-run blast powers Cubs past Braves; Uggla's hitting streak ends at 33
Syrian navy boats, tanks shell port city of Latakia, 26 killed
Pakistan let China see crashed U.S. stealth copter |
Manila bus hijacking survivors, victims' kin to sue Philippine government
Libyan rebels, government hold talks in Tunisia: source |
Security expert warns hackers can attack Android |
Computer Sciences a likely target for breakup |
Verizon, union swap labor complaints |
$25 billion Groupon valuation very high: analyst |
Sprint ditches 4G model of RIM PlayBook |
Exclusive: Wal-Mart changes e-commerce leadership |
Toshiba to narrow varieties of chips: report |
Apes hangs on to domestic box office lead |
Hilary Duff pregnant with first child |
Weddings for View hosts take place days apart |
Brooke Burke, David Charvet tie the knot |
Tina Fey gives birth to second child |
Film producer Jon Peters accused in harassment case |
Don't Stop Believin: Glee cast will be back |
Coldplay's new Mylo Xyloto album gets October release |
Singer Pablo Milanes urges more freedom in Cuba |
Egypt's ex-president Mubarak to return to court |
Two bombs kill at least 34 in Iraq's Kut: officials |
Iran's nuclear partner Russia seeks to revive global talks |
America’s Cup experience to return to Rhode Island
Ryan Hunter-Reay wins NH IndyCar race
Grand coalition floated as Japan eyes new PM |
In political death zone, Australia PM faces season of protest |
Primary win boosts chances of Argentina's Fernandez |
Activist renews anti-graft fast to pressure India government |
Electronic Arts upbeat about holiday season sales |
Gold falls, stocks rise as traders take profits
Syrian tanks shell Latakia, 31 killed in assault |
Diamondbacks top Mets, but lose pitcher Jason Marquis to injury
UK's Cameron: will mend broken society after riots |
Exxon back on top of 10 most valuable U.S. firms
British boy gets helping hand with bionic arm
Former fighter turns candidate in Sierra Leone elections |
Analysis: Medicare, liberals and the lesser of two evils
Sri Lankans besiege government office over Grease Devils |
Landslide risk as rains drench eastern districts of Uganda
Ramadan in Dubai: a month of soaring food waste? |
Cesc Fabregas' move from Arsenal to Barcelona is official
Cholera hits crowded Mogadishu refugee camps
Siblings of autistic children at much greater risk for disorder
Primary win boosts chances of Argentina's Fernandez |
eHealth Ontario employees initiate class action suit to hike wages
Pakistan let China see crashed U.S. stealth copter |
Google to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion |
InterDigital tanks after Google's Motorola Mobility buy |
Huawei closes in on Ericsson, sees growth in consumer sector |
Nokia jumps as Motorola Mobility bid rekindles M&A hope |
BBC America travels beyond Doctor Who for new hits |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01