What's going on in Sierra Leone that their athletes are fleeing?

[icymist]

Sierra Leone athletes 'fear reprisals'
By Paul Osborne
March 27, 2006
SIX athletes from Sierra Leone who have been granted temporary visas in Australia say they fear for their lives if they are returned to the troubled west African nation.

The immigration department today granted the three women and three men bridging visas after they took a train from Melbourne, where they had been competing in the Commonwealth Games, to Sydney last week.

Eight other Sierra Leone team members remain unaccounted for.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18623751%255E29277,00.html

Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone Leave for Home Without 12 Athletes



March 27, 2006
Posted to the web March 27, 2006

Patrick Omorodion


TWELVE Sierra Leone athletes were still missing yesterday as the team's remaining 10 slipped away from the Commonwealth Games village and flew out of Melbourne. Team managers officially reported the disappearance of all 12 athletes late yesterday. "The whole matter has now been handed to Victoria Police," a team spokesman said.

Downcast about the disappearances, the depleted ranks of the team checked their bags for the long flight home.

The team's frustrated chef de mission, Mohammed Alpha Kaba, brushed aside questions with the words: "Please tell the whole world I am not going to comment."

http://allafrica.com/stories/200603270075.html

Sierra Leone athletes now illegal

FOURTEEN Sierra Leone athletes missing from the Commonwealth Games had their accreditation cancelled and lost their legal status in Australia from midnight last night.

http://www.dispatch.co.za/2006/03/27/Foreign/aathletes.html