Sierra Leone: Refugees From Guinea Being Returned By Boat

27 January 2001
allAfrica.com
By Staff Reporter

Washington D.C — Some 850 Sierra Leonean refugees are being assisted in their return home this weekend by two vessels belonging to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The first vessel -- The Fanta -- left Conakry Friday night with 500 passengers and arrived in Freetown Saturday morning. The second -- The Overbeck -- left for Freetown saturday night with another 350 passeners.

Earlier in the week the Fanta transported 499 Sierra leone refugees from Conakry to Freetown. Since January 9 over 4,000 refugees have been returned to Sierra Leone.

The IOM was formed in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration to help solve the problem of refugees in the aftermath of world War II. Since its creation more than 11 million refugees and migrants have been assisted by the organization.

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