PROFILE OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT : SIERRA LEONE Compilation of the information available in the Global IDP Database of the Norwegian Refugee Council (as of 22 February, 2002) Also available at http://www.idpproject.org Users of this document are welcome to credit the Global IDP Database for the collection of information. The opinions expressed here are those of the sources and are not necessarily shared by the Global IDP Project or NRC Norwegian Refugee Council/Global IDP Project Chemin Moïse Duboule, 59 1209 Geneva - Switzerland Tel: + 41 22 799 07 00 Fax: + 41 22 799 07 01 E-mail : [email protected] CONTENTS CONTENTS 1 PROFILE SUMMARY 6 SUMMARY 6 CAUSES AND BACKGROUND OF DISPLACEMENT 10 BACKGROUND TO THE CONFLICT 10 CHRONOLOGY OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS SINCE INDEPENDENCE (1961 - 2000) 10 HISTORICAL OUTLINE OF THE FIRST EIGHT YEARS OF CONFLICT (1991-1998) 14 CONTINUED CONFLICT DESPITE THE SIGNING OF THE LOME PEACE AGREEMENT (JULY 1999-MAY 2000) 17 PEACE PROCESS DERAILED AS SECURITY SITUATION WORSENED DRAMATICALLY IN MAY 2000 19 RELATIVELY STABLE SECURITY SITUATION SINCE SIGNING OF CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT IN ABUJA ON 10 NOVEMBER 2000 21 UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS BAN ON "CONFLICT DIAMONDS" FROM JANUARY 2002 23 SECURITY IMPROVES WITH FULL DEPLOYMENT OF UNAMSIL AND THE COMPLETION OF DISARMAMENT BY JANUARY 2002 24 MAIN CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT 24 COUNTRYWIDE DISPLACEMENT CAUSED BY MORE THAN NINE YEARS OF WIDESPREAD CONFLICT- RELATED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES (1991- 2000) 24 MAJOR NEW DISPLACEMENT AFTER BREAK DOWN OF THE PEACE PROCESS IN MAY 2000 25 NEW DISPLACEMENT AS CONFLICT EXTENDED ACROSS THE GUINEA-SIERRA LEONE BORDER (SEPTEMBER 2000 – MAY 2001) 28 REBELS AND PRO-GOVERNMENT MILITIA ATTACK CIVILIANS IN THE NORTH OF COUNTRY (JUNE 2001) 30 POPULATION PROFILE AND FIGURES 32 GLOBAL FIGURES 32 UN CITES FIGURE OF 247,590 IDPS IN CONSOLIDATED APPEAL 2002 FOR SIERRA LEONE (NOVEMBER 2001) 32 302,000 REGISTERED IDPS IN CAMPS AND HOST COMMUNITIES BY AUGUST 2001 32 ONLY BROAD ESTIMATES AVAILABLE FOR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF IDPS BETWEEN 1994 AND 1997 33 GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION 34 MORE THAN HALF OF ALL IDPS STAYING IN 19 OFFICIAL CAMPS (SEPTEMBER 2001) 34 LARGE NUMBER OF IDPS HAVE SOUGHT SHELTER IN THE PORT LOKO DISTRICT (2000-2001) 34 MORE THAN 7,000 NEWLY DISPLACED PEOPLE IN THE NORTHERN TOWN BUMBUNA (AUGUST 2000) 35 SUBSTANTIAL DISPLACEMENT IN KENEMA/DARU AREA AS CONFLICT ESCALATED (JULY 2000) 35 MAJOR INFLUX OF IDPS TO MILE 91 AREA DURING JUNE 2000 36 DISAGGREGATED FIGURES 37 CHILDREN COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THE DISPLACED POPULATION (1998-2001) 37 PATTERNS OF DISPLACEMENT 40 THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN THE ARMED CONFLICT AND DISPLACEMENT 40 COMPLEX MOVEMENT PATTERNS OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF DISPLACED DURING FIRST HALF OF 2001 40 MANY DISPLACED MOVE TOWARDS URBAN AREAS CONSIDERED SAFE (2000-2001) 40 MOVEMENT PATTERNS IN NORTHERN AND EASTERN PROVINCES OUTLINED IN COMPREHENSIVE STUDY (DECEMBER 1999) 41 PHYSICAL SECURITY & FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 43 GENERAL 43 REBELS AS WELL AS PRO-GOVERNMENT FORCES EXTORTING "TAXES" FROM FLEEING CIVILIANS (JULY 2001) 43 MANY OF THE DISPLACED IN CAMPS CONTINUE TO BE EXPOSED TO THE SAME PROTECTION THREATS AS THOSE CAUSING THEIR DISPLACEMENT (2000-2001) 43 IDPS CONCENTRATED IN MILE 91 AREA FACE FRAGILE SECURITY SITUATION (JUNE-NOVEMBER 2000) 44 WOMEN AND CHILDREN 45 PHYSICIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (PHR) STUDY SHOWS WIDESPREAD WAR-RELATED SEXUAL ABUSE AGAINST IDPS (JANUARY 2002) 45 EXPERTS TRAVEL TO SIERRA LEONE, GUINEA AND LIBERIA TO ASSESS WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES DURING AND AFTER WAR (JANUARY 2002) 46 UN RAPPORTEUR VISITS SIERRA LEONE (AUGUST 2001) 47 REPORTS OF WOMEN BEING EXPOSED TO GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES (2001) 47 NO LARGE-SCALE ABDUCTION OR CONSCRIPTION OF CHILDREN BY REBEL FORCES WAS REPORTED IN 2001 (NOVEMBER 2001) 48 CHILDREN EXPOSED TO HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND ABDUCTIONS (1999-2001) 49 NATIONAL PROTECTION MECHANISMS 52 BRITAIN SUSTAINS ITS SUPPORT TO REFORMED SIERRA LEONE ARMY (2002) 52 LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM REMAINS WEAK (1998-2001) 52 TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS CREATING THEIR OWN PROTECTION FORCES (1994-2001) 54 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS (HEALTH NUTRITION AND SHELTER) 56 GENERAL 56 MAJOR MOVEMENTS OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS, RETURNEES AND EX-COMBATANTS CAUSES HEAVY STRAIN ON BASIC SERVICES (2001) 56 CONCERN THAT LARGE INFLUX OF VARIOUS WAR-AFFECTED PEOPLE IN DARU TOWN MAY CAUSE A DETERIORATING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION (MAY 2001) 57 HEALTH 57 2 SIERRA LEONE POPULATION MOST VULNERABLE TO ILL HEALTH IN THE WORLD (NOVEMBER 2001) 57 HIV/AIDS ON THE INCREASE, BUT AWARENESS REMAINS LOW (OCTOBER 2001) 59 MSF REPORTS ENORMOUS MEDICAL NEEDS IN CURRENT, AND FORMER, RUF TERRITORIES (SEPTEMBER 2001) 59 HEALTH OF IDPS AND REFUGEES IN THE LOKOMASSAMA CHIEFDOM FOUND TO BE "SAFE" (MARCH 2001) 59 HEALTH SURVEY IN KENEMA REVEALS SEVERE EFFECTS OF DISRUPTION OF THE HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE (JANUARY 2001) 60 SURVEY OF MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT OF FIGHTING IN FREETOWN (2000) 61 NUTRITION AND FOOD 62 CHRONIC FOOD DEFICIT IN MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY (2001/2002) 62 ACF CARRIES OUT FOOD SECURITY ASSESSMENT ON IDPS IN DARU (JULY 2001) 62 NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF IDPS IN CAMPS FOUND TO BE BETTER THAN IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES (APRIL 2001) 63 WATER AND SANITATION 64 CIVIL WAR CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO WATER AND SANITATION FACILITIES (2001) 64 NEW INFLUX OF DISPLACED AFTER MAY 2000 CREATED ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON WATER AND SANITATION FACILITIES 64 SHELTER 65 AS IDPS AND OTHERS RETURN TO AREAS OF ORIGIN, SHELTER IS A PRIORITY NEED (2001/2002) 65 ACCESS TO EDUCATION 67 GENERAL 67 ACCESS TO EDUCATION IS LOW (NOVEMBER 2001) 67 ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR WAR-AFFECTED YOUTH ESSENTIAL FOR PEACE, SAYS REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL (JULY 2001) 67 WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS IN 1997 AND 1999 68 ISSUES OF SELF-RELIANCE AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 70 GENERAL 70 IDPS UTILIZE VARIOUS COPING MECHANISMS DURING PERIOD OF DISPLACEMENT (NOVEMBER 2001) 70 DETRIMENTAL IMPACT OF THE CIVIL WAR ON THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR (2000-2001) 70 ISSUES OF FAMILY UNITY, IDENTITY AND CULTURE 73 GENERAL 73 DISPLACEMENT IN SIERRA LEONE HAS SEVERELY AFFECTED FAMILY AND COMMUNITY LINKS (2001) 73 IDPS IN YURIKA AREA AND KAKUM ISLAND SEEKING REFUGE AMONG HOST COMMUNITIES WITH COMMON ETHNIC AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND (2000) 73 PROPERTY ISSUES 75 3 GENERAL 75 SUBSTANTIAL DESTRUCTION IN THE KAMBIA DISTRICT CAUSED BY RUF OCCUPANCY AND BOMBING BY THE GUINEAN MILITARY (2001) 75 RETURNEE WOMEN WHO HAVE LOST THEIR HUSBANDS FACE PROBLEMS IN RECLAIMING PROPERTY (2001) 75 WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION OF HOMES AND PROPERTY BY THE REBEL FORCES (1999-2001) 75 PATTERNS OF RETURN AND RESETTLEMENT 78 GENERAL 78 AN ESTIMATED 94,000 IDPS TO BE RESETTLED IN 2002 – WITH MANY CHALLENGES STILL AHEAD 78 NRC RESETTLES IDPS FROM PORT LOKO CAMP (DECEMBER 2001) 78 SIERRA LEONEAN RETURNEES WHO BECAME IDPS FINALLY GO HOME (DECEMBER 2001) 79 MORE THAN 100 TEACHERS RETURN TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE COUNTRY (DECEMBER 2001) 79 CHIEFS RETURN TO KOINADUGU DISTRICT (DECEMBER 2001) 79 NUMEROUS CHIEFDOMS DECLARED SAFE FOR RESETTLEMENT (2001/ 2002) 80 IMPROVED SECURITY ALLOWS FOR RETURN OF SOME 45, 000 IDPS IN 2001, BUT RETURN PROCESS ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS (NOVEMBER 2001) 80 MULTIPLE NEEDS TO FACILITATE RETURN TO THE KAMBIA DISTRICT AFTER GOVERNMENT REGAINS CONTROL (JUNE 2001) 81 RETURNEES FACE VERY DIFFICULT LIVING CONDITIONS (APRIL 2001) 83 RETURN OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION AND DEPLOYMENT OF UN PEACEKEEPERS NEEDED TO FACILITATE RETURN (2001) 84 RETURNING REFUGEES INTEGRATED INTO IDP PROGRAMMES (2001) 84 IMPROVED OPPORTUNITIES FOR RETURN (END-2000 - 2001) 85 HUMANITARIAN ACCESS 87 LIMITATION OF ACCESS CAUSED BY THE CONFLICT 87 SOME SUCCESSES IN DISARMAMENT PROCESS LEAD TO OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN SECURITY SITUATION (NOVEMBER 2001) 87 SOME IMPROVMENTS IN ACCESS DURING FIRST HALF OF 2001 AS UNAMSIL WAS DEPLOYING TO NEW AREAS 88 CONCERN THAT HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE ATTRACTS THE ATTENTION OF ARMED GROUPS IN NEED OF SUPPLIES (JULY 2000) 89 HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS IN MOST AREAS OF THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN PROVINCES CEASED AS WAR ESCALATED IN MAY 2000 89 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES 92 NATIONAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSE 92 A COMPREHENSIVE RESETTLEMENT STRATEGY ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE IN DECEMBER 2000 92 RESPONSE BY THE UN SYSTEM 93 UNAMSIL REACHES FULL CAPACITY (NOVEMBER 2001) 94 4 UN PEACEKEEPING MISSION (UNAMSIL) TO FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE AGREEMENT (1999-2001) 94 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION MECHANISMS 97 NUMEROUS NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ACTORS WERE OPERATING IN SIERRA LEONE IN 2001 (NOVEMBER 2001) 97 RECENT EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN UN COORDINATION (2001) 98 OCHA PLAYING A MAIN ROLE IN COORDINATION (1995-2000) 99 NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR RECONSTRUCTION, RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION (NCRRR) DESIGNATED BY GOVERNMENT TO COORDINATE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (1999- 2000) 100 JOINT CODE OF CONDUCT AGREED UPON BY UN AGENCIES AND NGOS OPERATING IN SIERRA LEONE (1998) 101 INTERNATIONAL DONOR RESPONSE 102 US GOVERNMENT PROVIDES $11.5 MILLION FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN SIERRA LEONE 102 IMF SUPPORTS GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE'S ECONOMIC PROGRAM 102 EUROPEAN COMMISSION ASSISTANCE TARGETS IDPS, AMONG OTHERS (2001/2002) 102 UN CONSOLIDATED APPEAL FOR 2002 CALLS FOR A TOTAL OF US$ 88,624,925 IN FUNDING (NOVEMBER 2001) 103 80.1% OF UN CONSOLIDATED APPEAL 2001 WAS FUNDED (AS OF FEBRUARY 2002) 104 DONORS RECONFIRM SUPPORT FOR THE DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION (DDR) PROGRAM BUT PLEDGES STILL INSUFFICIENT (JUNE 2001) 105 IDPS IN WESTERN AREA AND PORT LOKO CAMPS RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FOR RETURN OR RESETTLEMENT (MARCH-JUNE 2001) 107