Unpaid Soldiers Demonstrate in Capital, Detain Military Chief
Several dozen heavily armed soldiers marched through the capital of Guinea-Bissau and detained the head of the armed forces on Wednesday to demand the immediate payment of arrears owed to them for their service in the UN peacekeeping force in Liberia. The demonstration initially created panic among diplomats and aid workers in the small West African country who thought they were witnessing a fresh coup. However, several soldiers told IRIN they were only demanding back payments of their salaries, amounting to US$1,428 each, for the six months they had spent in Liberia. Full Story