Zimmi is a gateway town linking Sierra Leone to Liberia in the Pujehun district of south-eastern Sierra Leone (SLW 4 Aug. 1997; USCR 1997). Sources indicate that since the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) began fighting against successive governments since 1991 (Country Reports 2001, 4 Mar. 2002), control of Zimmi changed hands between the RUF and the Kamajors, (SLW 4 Aug. 1997; ibid. 21 Jan. 2003) an armed pro-government civil defence force (HRW 4 May 1999).

Two references were found to training camps in or around Zimmi (Star Radio 5 Oct. 1999; SLW 21 Jan. 2003). A daily news bulletin by Star Radio announcing talks between the Liberian and Sierra Leonean governments to re-open the road through Zimmi that links the two countries, reported Liberian Defense Minister Daniel Chea as saying that Liberian dissidents were training in Zimmi, though he did not mention the name of the camp (Star Radio 5 Oct. 1999). The editor of Sierra Leone Web, a Web site containing current and archived news summaries based on reports from Western news wire services, the United Nations and the Sierra Leone government, said, in correspondence with the Research Directorate, that the RUF had "training bases" in the Zimmi area and that one of the bases was called Camp Burkina (21 Jan. 2003).

Additional information on the Revolutionary United Front's (RUF) training camp in Zimmi could not be found among the sources consulted.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2001. 4 March 2002. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2001/af/8402.htm [Accessed 21 Jan. 2003]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 4 May 1999. "Parties to Sierra Leone War Urged Not to Recruit Child Soldiers." http://www.hrw.org/press/1999/may/s10504.htm [Accessed 21 Jan. 2003]

Sierra Leone Web (SLW). 4 August 1997. "News Archives." http://www.sierra-leone.org/slnews0897.html [Accessed 21 Jan. 2003]

_____. 21 January 2003. Correspondence with editor.

Star Radio [Monrovia]. 5 October 1999. "Liberia: Liberian Daily News Bulletin." (Africa News/NEXIS)

United States Committee for Refugees (USCR). 1997. "Country Report: Sierra Leone." http://www.refugees.org/world/countryrpt/africa/1997/sierra_leone.htm [Accessed 21 Jan. 2003]

IRB Databases

NEXIS

Internet sites, including:

Africa Online

AllAfrica.com

Amnesty International (AI)

BBC Africa

Campaign for Good Governance

Global IDP

International Christian Concern (ICC)

International Crisis Group (ICG)

International Regional Information Network (IRIN)

Relief Web

Sierra Leone Web

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

World News Connection (WNC)

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