In sierra leones civil war, young girls were captured, raped, forced to take up arms and kill innocent civilians. Eldred jones led a remarkable and distinguished life personally and professionally, but also contributed to the social and educational developments in. Since 1991, this west african nation has been brought to its knees by a series of coups, violent conflicts, and finally, outright war. The search for africas fighting spirit by tim butcher, a long way gone by ishmael beah, sierra leone by k. Oct 25, 2012 though it was originally a civil war, the bloody conflict in sierra leone was also closely intertwined with varied external factors prevalent in west african politics. War and the crisis of youth in sierra leone the international. Sierra leone lion mountain was embroiled in a civil war that resulted in the death of over 50,000 civilians. Sierra leone s civil war internally displaced as many as 2 million people, or almost half the population, and forced almost another half million to seek refuge in neighboring countries 370,000 sierra leoneans fled to guinea and 120,000 to liberia. The 26 best sierra leone civil war books, such as no tears, what rebels want, the war machines, soldiers of light and surviving civil war. The united kingdom began a military intervention in sierra leone on 7 may 2000 under the codename operation palliser.
Sierra leones trc describes the violence during the civil war thus. Sankoh was a military corporal in the army before he was imprisoned by the apc government for his alleged involvement in an abortive military coup. Aug 31, 2016 a decade on, the guardian cast it as the last significant event in sierra leones long civil war, suggesting that it tied up all loose ends. Based on a wealth of original interviews with perpetrators of violence in sierra leones civil war, this book provides a detailed response.
This book is a historical narrative covering various periods in sierra leones history from the fifteenth century to the end of its civil war in 2002. More than a decade later, they share their stories, and. The capital of the country is freetown, which was founded for former repatriated slaves in 1787. This lesson will briefly summarize the sierra leone civil war, how and why it started, and the key events of sierra leone s civil war from its beginning in 1991 to its end in 2002. A decade on, the guardian cast it as the last significant event in sierra leones long civil war, suggesting that it tied up all loose ends. She then attended college in the united states, where she remained during sierra leones decadelong civil war, trying to awaken the international community to her countrys need for help. The people of kono, sierra leone have experienced the horrors of civil war and blood diamonds. Free slaves, freetown, and the sierra leonean civil war joseph.
A former child soldier imagines tomorrow in sierra leone. This is the most authoritative study of the sierra leone civil war to emanate from africa, or indeed any publications programme on africa. A political history rebels in a rotten state is an important and interesting addition to the remarkably vast, and growing, literature on the war in sierra leone. The war in sierra leone was started by the late foday sankoh and the revolutionary united front ruf when they invaded sierra leone from the eastern border with liberia in 1991. A message from a blood diamond victim sierra leones. This book is a historical narrative of sierra leone from the midfifteenth century to the end of its civil war in 2002. Exchild soldiers literary bestseller is factually flawed. Apr 05, 2018 2012 april the unbacked sierra leone war crimes court in the hague concludes its work with the conviction of former liberian leader charles taylor of aiding and abetting war crimes in the. First, as widely known through the recent conviction of taylor, the civil war in sierra leone cannot be explained separately from the liberian civil war. During the war an estimated 50,000 sierra leoneans were killed, over one million were displaced from their homes, and thousands were victims of brutal amputations, rapes, and assaults human rights. It claims that the orphan and teenage survivor of sierra leones civil war, in which tens of thousands of people were massacred and much of the population displaced, appears. The war has ended today, but it is clear that things are hardly settled. Beginning in march 1991, driven by the desire to overthrow the current government, oust corrupt politicians, and redistribute the resources of sierra leone, the.
Jun 21, 2017 eleanor massah is a civil war amputee in sierra leone and was 9 yrs old when she lost her leg in a landmine incident. Eleanor massah is a civil war amputee in sierra leone and was 9 yrs old when she lost her leg in a landmine incident. Inside the war provides readers with an detailed overview of the 19912002 civil cluding descriptions of sierra leones culture and prewar history, a yearbyyear account. Ibrahim kamara 2000 to the economist, this is war motivated by greed. Sierra leone is a country located towards the northwest side of the african continent. Sierra leones civil war internally displaced as many as 2 million people, or almost half the population, and forced almost another half million to seek refuge in neighboring countries 370,000.
It entails the history of sierra leone from its days as a slave harbor through to its founding as a home for free slaves, and toward its political. Aug 07, 2015 sierra leones trc describes the violence during the civil war thus. From the series diamond road, produced by kensington communications. The armed conflict in sierra leone human rights watch. A dirty war in west africa recounts lansana gberies harrowing experiences as a journalist during the decadelong civil war in sierra leone. Underlying grievances and the role of the revolutionary united front the root of the conflict is and remains diamonds, diamonds and diamonds. Conflict diamonds in sierra leone excerpt from diamond road. It began in march 1991, as the revolutionary united front ruf. The sierra leone civil war 19912002 was a civil war in sierra leone that began on 23. Diamond miners in sierra leone sifting through the sand in search of diamonds. A former child soldier imagines tomorrow in sierra leone ishmael beah was 12 when he was orphaned by sierra leones civil war and recruited as a child soldier. Although small numbers of british personnel had been deployed previously, palliser was the first largescale intervention by british forces in the sierra leone civil war.
Aug, 2008 the people of kono, sierra leone have experienced the horrors of civil war and blood diamonds. War and the crisis of youth in sierra leone by krijn peters. May 20, 2014 interesting facts about sierra leone and its civil war. In early may 2000, the revolutionary united front rufone of the main parties to the civil waradvanced. Sierra leone has been a source of and destination for refugees. Inside the war provides readers with an detailed overview of the 19912002 civil war. Inside the war provides readers with an detailed overview of the 19912002 civil cluding descriptions of sierra leones culture and prewar history, a yearbyyear account of the civil war, and narratives from 30 people who describe their experiences as both civilians and fighters. This civil war erupted because of the mounting dissatisfaction of the people, especially the youth that were engrossed by the rebellious revolutionary united front ruf, towards the politics of the country that was set apart by its corruption, negligence and electoral violence. Sierra leones army came under attack not only from the npfl but also from the revolutionary united front ruf, led by former sierra leone army corporal foday sankoh, who was collaborating with the liberian rebels. Apr 25, 2017 civil war in sierra leone and the role of blood diamonds the civil war in sierra leone has been one of the most grotesque ones in history, and the nations rich diamond reserves have driven much of the violence.
Except for the sound of the rain, on the road, on the roofs, on the umbrella, there was absolute silence. Free slaves, freetown, and the sierra leonean civil war african. The amazing story of sierra leone, with jariatu sesay, by. Reports emerged of indiscriminate amputations, abductions of women and children, recruitment of children as combatants, rape, sexual slavery, cannibalism, gratuitous killings and wanton destruction of villages and towns. Similarly, a 2015 retrospective on barras in the independent talks up its epic importance in having rescued sierra leone from a hell on earth the piece never even mentions the ruf. The book is clearly written and accessible, although i found myself referencing an. Conflict diamonds in sierra leone excerpt from diamond. War and the crisis of youth in sierra leone is among the rare breed of books.
He covered the sierra leone civil war as a journalist for inter press service. Best on sierra leone 14 books goodreads share book. Jariatu sesay, of mamas mothers against military advancement, grew up in sierra leone, africa. Civil war in sierra leone and the role of blood diamonds. A message from a blood diamond victim sierra leones civil. It entails the history of sierra leone from its days as a slave harbor through to its founding as a home for free slaves, and toward its political independence and civil war.
The book is a firsthand account of beahs time as a child soldier during the civil war in sierra leone 1990s. British military intervention in the sierra leone civil war. Interesting facts about sierra leone and its civil war a. A long way gone sierra leone civil war buy study guide the sierra leone civil war began in 1991 with the attacks of the revolutionary united front ruf, led by former army corporal foday sankoh, on government military and civilian targets. It entails the history of sierra leone from its days as a slave harbor through to its founding as a home for free slaves and toward its political independence and civil war. Sierra leone came to world attention in the 1990s when a catastrophic civil war linked to the diamond trade was reported globally. The sierra leone civil war 19912002 was a civil war in sierra leone that began on 23 march 1991 when the revolutionary united front ruf, with support from the special forces of charles taylors national patriotic front of liberia npfl, intervened in sierra leone in an attempt to overthrow the joseph momoh government.
Free slaves, freetown, and the sierra leonean civil war. The conflict in sierra leone and the engagement of the united nations the conflict in sierra leone dates from march 1991 when fighters of the revolutionary united front ruf launched a war from the east of the country near the border with liberia to overthrow the government. Peters sheds light on the ruf militia and the role they played during the sierra leonean civil war. She then attended college in the united states, where she remained during sierra leone s decadelong civil war, trying to awaken the international community to her countrys need for help. The war was declared to have finished on 18 january 2002 officially. In 2005, the report, comprising four books of almost 2000 pages, was made available to the public. Sierra leones civil war internally displaced as many as 2 million people, or almost half the population, and forced almost another half million to seek refuge in neighboring countries 370,000 sierra leoneans fled to guinea and 120,000 to liberia. David harris, lecturer in african studies, university of bradford, author of sierra leone. Two million were relocated and tens of thousands died in this 11 year war. She is a beneficiary of melqosh mission international rendering a heartfelt. Between 1991 and 2002, sierra leone was heavily damaged by a tremendously violent civil war. It collected a lot of information about the recent history of sierra leone and about the war and its causes and consequences. During the war an estimated 50,000 sierra leoneans were killed, over one million were displaced from their. Jan 20, 2008 it claims that the orphan and teenage survivor of sierra leone s civil war, in which tens of thousands of people were massacred and much of the population displaced, appears mistaken about the.
The sierra leone civil war sierra leone was ravaged by a civil war that started in 1991 and lasted until 2002. The ebola crisis has had a huge impact on children in particular, creating many thousands of orphans and disrupting education services. Cynthia was originally from sierra leone, and i loved the way those two dusky words rolled off her tongue. Why we work in sierra leone sierra leone is rebuilding its economy following the longterm repercussions of the devastating civil war and the more recent ebola crisis, during which nearly 4,000 lives were lost. The trade in blood diamonds was the focal point of the trial, which demonstrated how natural resource exploitation can serve to fund armed conflict and lead to the abuse of human rights. It explores the genesis of the crisis, the contradictory roles of different internal and external actors, civil society and the media. Download citation free slaves, freetown, and the sierra leonean civil war this book is a historical narrative of sierra leone from the midfifteenth century to the end of its civil war in 2002.
Civil war devastated sierra leone in the 1990s, and today it is the poorest country in the world. It was in the year 1991, when the civil war in sierra leone was started by the revolutionary united front led by foday sankoh. Interesting facts about sierra leone and its civil war. Jonathon torgovnik wrote about eight women that he interviewed after the war had ended in his book. Sierra leone has lost a great patriot professor eldred. It is distinguished by its careful and learned attention to the causes and nature of. Sierra leone lion mountain had been embroiled in a civil war that began in march 1991, as the revolutionary united front ruf attempted to overthrow successive. Till 1961, it was a part of the british colonial empire. War and the crisis of youth in sierra leone is a work of unique empirical depth and ethnographic knowledge. The civil war of sierra leone started because the government needed diamonds to make money for the country so they made children as young as. Memoirs of a boy soldier 2007 is a memoir written by ishmael beah, an author from sierra leone. He illuminates the social logics at play and clarifies the motives behind their constitution, conflict engagement, and conciliation.
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