04/05/2004

These soldiers are located at the border crossing at the Mano River between Liberia and Sierra Leone, which is much more open and less treacherous than it was in 2002 when RI last visited it. UNMIL forces from Namibia control the Liberian side and Sierra Leonean Army (RSLAF) controls it from the Sierra Leone side. Unfortunately, as a possible harbinger of things to come as UNAMSIL draws down in Sierra Leone, the RSLAF are still illegally collecting fees from people entering and leaving Sierra Leone instead of protecting the people.