MARTIN ROWAN,
Sir, - Declan Walsh's timely report from Freetown (January 26th) does full justice to a rare good news story from Africa. It is also good news that the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs has committed €635,000 to the special court for Sierra Leone that "will seek to prosecute the 30 'most responsible' war criminals".
Mr Walsh's assertion that a miracle has happened in Sierra Leone is not an exaggeration. The country has hauled itself back from the brink and has put a process in place for the reconstruction of civil society and the creation of good governance.
Tony Blair's government has made a very serious contribution to the creation of the new peace. His visit to Freetown proves that he appreciates the possibility that Sierra Leone could become a model for many other conflict-ridden African countries. - Yours, etc.,
MARTIN ROWAN, (Secretary), Sierra Leone Ireland Partnership, Phibsboro, Dublin 7.