DOCSLIB.ORG

Sierra Leone

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Sierra Leone SIERRA LEONE National Flag and Emblem Locator Map TEXT HIGHLIGHTS: Diaries updates, key events, brief analysis and relating news articles in timeline Overview Sierra Leone literally meaning for "the mountain of Lions", became a British colony in 1808 and a protectorate in 1896. Sierra Leone was founded as a state by returned slaves from Britain and North America in 1787. The colony of Sierra Leone (roughly the current day Western Province around Freetown) was administered by the British. Became a British colony in 1808 and a protectorate in 1896. Heavily influenced by a blend of native Bantu and western culture. The hinterland came under British control as a protectorate in 1896. The diamond rich West African nation of Sierra Leone lost the fight to the encroaching British imperial forces and became a British colony in 1896. As Soon as the Brits set their foot on the soils of Freetown, they started roaming the interior of Serra Leone looking for wealth to be looted and exported to the United Kingdom. The nation of Sierra Leone was rich and there was much to be looted by the Brits, so much so that they quickly started building a railway from the capital Freetown to the interior. Though the motive of the British for building the railway to the south was to rule Sierra Leone, by 1967 when the late Siaka Stevens won a close election and came to power, the railway was playing a crucial role in Sierra Leone’s economy transporting coffee, cocoa, and diamonds. Siaka Stevens was a Lumba, from the north, but the farmers who grew coffee and cocoa were Mende from the south, and the railway was Mendeland’s outlet to the world. Following the Second World War, the indigenous populations of the protectorate gained greater political voice, culminating in the election of Dr (later Sir) Milton Margai of the SLPP as Chief Minister in 1953 and later Prime Minister in 1958. He led the country to full independence on April 27th 1961. The SLPP ruled until 1967 when the electoral victory of the opposition APC was cut short by the country's first military coup. The military eventually handed over to the APC and its leader Siaka Probyn Stevens through local elections in 1968. He turned the country into a one -party state in 1978. In the election that brought Siaka Stevens to power, the Mendeland voted hugely for the opposition Sierra Leone People’s party (SLPP). When Sergeant Siaka Stevens came to power, he was more interested in holding power than promoting Mendeland’s export economy. He thought what was good for the Mende was good for SLPP, and bad for Siaka Stevens. Hence, he pulled up the railway line to Mendeland and sold off the track. By doing so, Siaka Stevens crippled one of the most vibrant sectors of Sierra Leone’s economy. To Siaka Stevens, Lumba was Sierra Leone and Siera Leone was Lumba. He finally retired in 1985, handing over to his deputy, General Saidu Momoh. Under popular pressure, one party rule was ended in 1991, and a new constitution providing for a return to multi-party politics was approved in August of that year. Elections were scheduled for 1992. But, by this stage, Sierra Leone's institutions had collapsed, mismanagement and corruption had ruined the economy and rising youth unemployment was a serious problem. The Sierra Leone Conflict: The armed conflict in Sierra Leone started in March, 1991, when armed fighters known as the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) led by Sergeant Foday Sankoh attacked Sierra Leone from Liberian soil. The RUF continued their insurgency against the government despite a peace accord signed in Abidjan, Cote D’ Ivoire, in November, 1996. In a coup on 25 May, 1997, members of the Sierra Leonean Army overthrew the democratically elected government of Al-Haji Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and invited the RUF to join its junta government called the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), headed by Majour Johnny Paul Koroma. As leader of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), and later as president of Liberia, Charles Ghankay Taiyor was alleged to have acted in concert with members of the RUF, AFRC, and the RUF/AFRC alliance, all Liberian fighters, and members and ex-members of the NPFL to take control of Sierra Leone and exploit its rich diamond resources. Specifically in that capacity, Charles Taylor was alleged to have assisted, encouraged directed, and or controlled the above mentioned warring factions in conducting armed attacks in the territory of Sierra Leone from 30th November, 1996 to 18th January, 2002, which that is the indictment period. The attacks included terrorizing the civilian population including the burning of civilian homes, murder, sexual and physical violence, illegal recruitment of child soldiers, abduction, and forced labour and looting. Taking advantage of the government collapse in Sierra Leone, a rebel movement, called as the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) emerged, with backing from a warlord, Charles Taylor, in neighbouring Liberia, and in 1991 led a rebellion against the APC government. The government was unable to cope with the insurrection, and was overthrown in a junior Officers coup in April 1992. Its leader, Capt Strasser, was however unable to defeat the RUF. Indeed, the military were more often than not complicit with the rebels in violence and looting. Strasser was deposed in January 1996 by his fellow junta leaders. His replacement, Brigadier Julius Maada Bio, under international pressure, agreed to organise elections in February 1996. The RUF refused to take part and continued the conflict. The elections were won by Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and the SLPP. The new government signed a peace agreement with the RUF in Abidjan 1996 but it failed to stop the rebellion. Kabbah's government was subsequently overthrown in a further coup in 1997 and took refuge in neighbouring Guinea. The military junta, headed by Major Johnny Paul Koroma, invited the RUF to join the government. But the junta was complicit in looting and violence, often in association with the RUF, and was unable to consolidate its position. It was eventually overthrown and The Kabbah government was re-instated in 1998 with the help of troops from ECOWAS. The destructive force of the rebellion reached Freetown for the first time when the RUF, combined with renegade elements of the army, invaded the capital in January 1999, committing appalling acts of violence against the civilian population in the process. They were repulsed by the Nigerian troops of ECOMOG, but at great human cost. A second peace agreement, the Lome Accord of 1999, to be supervised by a UN peacekeeping force, brought the RUF officially into government. But this collapsed in 2000 when the RUF attacked UN peacekeepers upcountry and threatened to invade Freetown again. Some UN peacekeepers were killed and others detained by the rebels. Security was restored with the intervention of British troops in May 2000 and RUF ministers, including its leader Foday Sankoh, were arrested. The signing of the Abuja peace agreement in November 2000, together with the deployment of UNAMSIL across the country, allowed the gradual restoration of government authority throughout the territory. The war was officially declared over in February 2002. Since the end of the war, Sierra Leone has become increasingly stable and has done much to restore public services and create the conditions for economic growth and good governance. Sierra Leone gained independence "within the commonwealth of nations" in April, 1961 with Sir Henry John Lightfoot Boston as it's first native Governor-general and commander in chief of Sierra Leone, when the headship of self-rule government goes to Sir Milton Margai under "Independence within the British commonwealth", general elections were held in 1962. Elections were held in 1962. Headship since independence; Head of instrumental self-administration A Republic in West Africa on the Atlantic coast The Bulom people were thought to have been the earliest inhabitants of Sierra Leone, followed by the Mende and Temne peoples in the 15th century and thereafter the Fulani, Creoles (freed slaves) later returned in the late 1700s. Became a British colony in 1808 and a protectorate in 1896. Heavily influenced by a blend of native Bantu and western culture. The earliest inhabitants were probably the Buloms, the Mendes, and the Temnes arrived in the area about fifteenth century. It's meaning for "the mountain of Lions". It became a British colony in 1808 and a protectorate in 1896. Sierra Leone was founded as a state by returned slaves from Britain and North America in 1787. In an election held on the 17th May, 1967, the All Peoples Party (APC) won by an extremely narrow margin, the ex-Police sergeant in the name of Siaka Probyn Stevens, was elected the third prime minister of Sierra Leone but he was arrested briefly after taking office during a military coup. After a brief period of military rule, he re-assumed the post on the 26th April, 1968, elected founder-president and reelected from 1967 to 1971to 1985 unopposed. Mr. Siaka Probyn Stevens was generally criticized for his dictatorial methods of government in which many of his political opponents were executed, as well as for mismanaging the economy, on a positive note, he reduced ethnic polarization in the government by incorporating members of various ethnic groups into the government. Mr. Siaka Stevens joined the Sierra Leone Police Force from 1923 to 1930, and he rose to the rank of First Class Sergeant, his political party the All Peoples Congress (APC) won the closely contested the 1967 general election over the incumbent PM Sir Albert Margai of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) In April 1971, a Republic founded and he became the first president of Sierra Leone a day after the constitution had been ratified by the Parliament.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 1 Sierra Leone
    Sierra Leone – Researched and compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on 18 March 2010 Information as to what recent wars Sierra Leone has been involved in and when they ended. In a section titled “History” the United Kingdom Foreign & Commonwealth Office country profile for Sierra Leone states: “The SLPP ruled until 1967 when the electoral victory of the opposition APC was cut short by the country's first military coup. But the military eventually handed over to the APC and its leader Siaka Stevens in 1968. He turned the country into a one -party state in 1978. He finally retired in 1985, handing over to his deputy, General Momoh. Under popular pressure, one party rule was ended in 1991, and a new constitution providing for a return to multi-party politics was approved in August of that year. Elections were scheduled for 1992. But, by this stage, Sierra Leone's institutions had collapsed, mismanagement and corruption had ruined the economy and rising youth unemployment was a serious problem. Taking advantage of the collapse, a rebel movement, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) emerged, with backing from a warlord, Charles Taylor, in neighbouring Liberia, and in 1991 led a rebellion against the APC government. The government was unable to cope with the insurrection, and was overthrown in a junior Officers coup in April 1992. Its leader, Capt Strasser, was however unable to defeat the RUF. Indeed, the military were more often than not complicit with the rebels in violence and looting.” (United Kingdom Foreign & Commonwealth Office (25 February 2009) Country Profiles: Sub-Saharan Africa – Sierra Leone) This profile summarises the events of the period 1996 to 2002 as follows: “Strasser was deposed in January 1996 by his fellow junta leaders.
    [Show full text]
  • Sierra Leone
    SIERRA LEONE 350 Fifth Ave 34 th Floor New York, N.Y. 10118-3299 http://www.hrw.org (212) 290-4700 Vol. 15, No. 1 (A) – January 2003 I was captured together with my husband, my three young children and other civilians as we were fleeing from the RUF when they entered Jaiweii. Two rebels asked to have sex with me but when I refused, they beat me with the butt of their guns. My legs were bruised and I lost my three front teeth. Then the two rebels raped me in front of my children and other civilians. Many other women were raped in public places. I also heard of a woman from Kalu village near Jaiweii being raped only one week after having given birth. The RUF stayed in Jaiweii village for four months and I was raped by three other wicked rebels throughout this A woman receives psychological and medical treatment in a clinic to assist rape period. victims in Freetown. In January 1999, she was gang-raped by seven revels in her village in northern Sierra Leone. After raping her, the rebels tied her down and placed burning charcoal on her body. (c) 1999 Corinne Dufka/Human Rights -Testimony to Human Rights Watch Watch “WE’LL KILL YOU IF YOU CRY” SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN THE SIERRA LEONE CONFLICT 1630 Connecticut Ave, N.W., Suite 500 2nd Floor, 2-12 Pentonville Road 15 Rue Van Campenhout Washington, DC 20009 London N1 9HF, UK 1000 Brussels, Belgium TEL (202) 612-4321 TEL: (44 20) 7713 1995 TEL (32 2) 732-2009 FAX (202) 612-4333 FAX: (44 20) 7713 1800 FAX (32 2) 732-0471 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] January 2003 Vol.
    [Show full text]
  • Profile of Internal Displacement : Sierra Leone
    PROFILE OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT : SIERRA LEONE Compilation of the information available in the Global IDP Database of the Norwegian Refugee Council (as of 15 October, 2003) 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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 CAUSES AND BACKGROUND OF DISPLACEMENT 9 BACKGROUND TO THE CONFLICT 9 CHRONOLOGY OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS SINCE INDEPENDENCE (1961 - 2000) 9 HISTORICAL OUTLINE OF THE FIRST EIGHT YEARS OF CONFLICT (1991-1998) 13 CONTINUED CONFLICT DESPITE THE SIGNING OF THE LOME PEACE AGREEMENT (JULY 1999-MAY 2000) 16 PEACE PROCESS DERAILED AS SECURITY SITUATION WORSENED DRAMATICALLY IN MAY 2000 18 RELATIVELY STABLE SECURITY SITUATION SINCE SIGNING OF CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT IN ABUJA ON 10 NOVEMBER 2000 20 CIVIL WAR DECLARED OVER FOLLOWING THE FULL DEPLOYMENT OF UNAMSIL AND THE COMPLETION OF DISARMAMENT (JANUARY 2002) 22 REGIONAL EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN PEACE IN SIERRA LEONE (2002) 23 SIERRA LEONEANS GO TO THE POLLS TO RE-ELECT AHMAD TEJAN KABBAH AS PRESIDENT (MAY 2002) 24 SIERRA LEONE’S SPECIAL COURT AND TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION START WORK (2002-2003) 25 MAIN CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT 28 COUNTRYWIDE DISPLACEMENT
    [Show full text]
  • African Coups
    Annex 2b. Coups d’Etat in Africa, 1946-2004: Successful (1), Attempted (2), Plotted (3), and Alleged (4) Country Month Day Year Success Leaders Deaths Angola 10 27 1974 2 Antonio Navarro (inter alia) 0 Angola 5 27 1977 2 Cdr. Nito Alves, Jose van Dunen 200 Benin 10 28 1963 1 Gen. Christophe Soglo 999 Benin 11 29 1965 1 Congacou 0 Benin 12 17 1967 1 Alley 998 Benin 12 13 1969 1 de Souza 998 Benin 10 26 1972 1 Maj. Mathieu Kerekou 0 Benin 10 18 1975 2 Urbain Nicoue 0 Benin 1 16 1977 2 unspecified 8 Benin 3 26 1988 2 Capt. Hountoundji 0 Benin 5 1992 2 Pascal Tawes 0 Benin 11 15 1995 2 Col. Dankoro, Mr. Chidiac 1 Burkina Faso 1 3 1966 1 Lt. Col. Sangoule Lamizana 0 Burkina Faso 11 25 1980 1 Col. Saye Zerbo 0 Burkina Faso 11 7 1982 1 Maj. Jean-Baptiste Ouedraogo 20 Burkina Faso 8 4 1983 1 Capt. Thomas Sankara 13 Burkina Faso 10 15 1987 1 Capt. Blaise Campaore 100 Burkina Faso 10 20 2003 4 Norbert Tiendrebeogo, Capt. Wally Diapagri 0 Burundi 10 18 1965 2 unspecified 500 Burundi 11 29 1966 1 Capt. Micombero 999 Burundi 5 1972 4 unspecified 100000 Burundi 11 1 1976 1 Lt. Col. Jean-Baptiste Bagaza 0 Burundi 9 3 1987 1 Maj. Pierre Buyoya 0 Burundi 3 4 1992 2 Bagaza? 0 Burundi 7 3 1993 2 officers loyal to Buyoya 0 Burundi 10 21 1993 2 Gen. Bikomagu, Francois Ngeze 150000 Burundi 4 25 1994 2 Tutsi paratroopers 999 Burundi 7 25 1996 1 army 6000 Burundi 4 18 2001 2 Lt.
    [Show full text]
  • Sierra Leone Assessment
    Sierra Leone, Country Information http://194.203.40.90/ppage.asp?section=...erra%20Leone%2C%20Country%20Information SIERRA LEONE ASSESSMENT April 2002 Country Information and Policy Unit I SCOPE OF DOCUMENT II GEOGRAPHY III HISTORY IV STATE STRUCTURES V HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES VI HUMAN RIGHTS - SPECIFIC GROUPS VII HUMAN RIGHTS - OTHER ISSUES ANNEX A: CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS ANNEX B: POLITICAL ORGANISATIONS ANNEX C: PROMINENT PEOPLE REFERENCES TO SOURCE MATERIAL I. SCOPE OF DOCUMENT 1.1. This assessment has been produced by the Country Information & Policy Unit, Immigration & Nationality Directorate, Home Office, from information obtained from a variety of sources. 1.2. The assessment has been prepared for background purposes for those involved in the asylum determination process. The information it contains is not exhaustive, nor is it intended to catalogue all human rights violations. It concentrates on the issues most commonly raised in asylum claims made in the United Kingdom. 1.3. The assessment is sourced throughout. It is intended to be used by caseworkers as a signpost to the source material, which has been made available to them. The vast majority of the source material is readily available in the public domain. 1.4. It is intended to revise the assessment on a 6-monthly basis while the country remains within the top 35 asylum producing countries in the United Kingdom. 1.5. An electronic copy of the assessment has been made available to the following organisations: Amnesty International UK 1 of 43 07/11/2002 5:44 PM Sierra Leone, Country Information http://194.203.40.90/ppage.asp?section=...erra%20Leone%2C%20Country%20Information Immigration Advisory Service Immigration Appellate Authority Immigration Law Practitioners' Association Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants JUSTICE Medical Foundation for the care of Victims of Torture Refugee Council Refugee Legal Centre UN High Commissioner for Refugees 2.
    [Show full text]
  • G U I N E a Liberia Sierra Leone
    The boundaries and names shown and the designations Mamou used on this map do not imply official endorsement or er acceptance by the United Nations. Nig K o L le n o G UINEA t l e a SIERRA Kindia LEONEFaranah Médina Dula Falaba Tabili ba o s a g Dubréka K n ie c o r M Musaia Gberia a c S Fotombu Coyah Bafodia t a e r G Kabala Banian Konta Fandié Kamakwie Koinadugu Bendugu Forécariah li Kukuna Kamalu Fadugu Se Bagbe r Madina e Bambaya g Jct. i ies NORTHERN N arc Sc Kurubonla e Karina tl it Mateboi Alikalia L Yombiro Kambia M Pendembu Bumbuna Batkanu a Bendugu b Rokupr o l e Binkolo M Mange Gbinti e Kortimaw Is. Kayima l Mambolo Makeni i Bendou Bodou Port Loko Magburaka Tefeya Yomadu Lunsar Koidu-Sefadu li Masingbi Koundou e a Lungi Pepel S n Int'l Airport or a Matotoka Yengema R el p ok m Freetown a Njaiama Ferry Masiaka Mile 91 P Njaiama- Wellington a Yele Sewafe Tongo Gandorhun o Hastings Yonibana Tungie M Koindu WESTERN Songo Bradford EAS T E R N AREA Waterloo Mongeri York Rotifunk Falla Bomi Kailahun Buedu a i Panguma Moyamba a Taiama Manowa Giehun Bauya T Boajibu Njala Dambara Pendembu Yawri Bendu Banana Is. Bay Mano Lago Bo Segbwema Daru Shenge Sembehun SOUTHE R N Gerihun Plantain Is. Sieromco Mokanje Kenema Tikonko Bumpe a Blama Gbangbatok Sew Tokpombu ro Kpetewoma o Sh Koribundu M erb Nitti ro River a o i Turtle Is. o M h Sumbuya a Sherbro I.
    [Show full text]
  • Taylor Trial Transcript
    Case No. SCSL-2003-01-T THE PROSECUTOR OF THE SPECIAL COURT V. CHARLES GHANKAY TAYLOR THURSDAY, 4 NOVEMBER 2010 9.00 A.M. TRIAL TRIAL CHAMBER II Before the Judges: Justice Julia Sebutinde, Presiding Justice Richard Lussick Justice El Hadji Malick Sow, Alternate For Chambers: Mr Artur Appazov For the Registry: Ms Rachel Irura Mr Alhassan Fornah For the Prosecution: Ms Brenda J Hollis Mr Nicholas Koumjian Ms Kathryn Howarth Ms Maja Dimitrova For the accused Charles Ghankay Mr Terry Munyard Taylor: Mr Silas Chekera Ms Logan Hambrick Ms Kimberley Punt CHARLES TAYLOR Page 48670 4 NOVEMBER 2010 OPEN SESSION 1 Thursday, 4 November 2010 2 [Open session] 3 [The accused present] 4 [Upon commencing at 9.02 a.m.] 09:02:58 5 PRESIDING JUDGE: Good morning. We'll take appearances, 6 please. 7 MR KOUMJIAN: Good morning, Madam President. Good morning, 8 your Honours, and good morning to Defence counsel. This morning 9 for the Prosecution, Kathryn Howarth, Maja Dimitrova, an intern 09:03:24 10 with our office Jacqueline Greene, and myself, Nicholas Koumjian. 11 MR MUNYARD: Good morning, Madam President, your Honours, 12 counsel opposite. For the Defence this morning, myself, Terry 13 Munyard, Silas Chekera, Logan Hambrick and our legal assistant 14 Kimberley Punt and intern Szilvia Csevar. 09:03:54 15 PRESIDING JUDGE: Mr Witness, we're going to continue with 16 your testimony this morning and I'm required to remind you that 17 you took an oath to tell the truth and that oath is binding on 18 you today. 19 THE WITNESS: Yes.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights Chronology: 1991-1997
    QUESTION AND ANSWER SERIES SIERRA LEONE POLITICAL, MILITARY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS CHRONOLOGY: 1991-1997 [QA/SLE/98.001] APRIL 1998 PRODUCED BY: INS RESOURCE INFORMATION CENTER 425 I STREET, N.W. (ULLICO BUILDING, 3RD FLOOR) WASHINGTON, D.C. 20536 DISCLAIMER The July 27, 1990 Regulations, “Aliens and Nationality: Asylum and Withholding of Deportation Procedures,” mandated the creation of a new corps of Asylum Officers to provide an initial, nonadversarial adjudication of asylum claims. Asylum Officers use asylum law, interviews with asylum applicants, and relevant information on country conditions to determine the merits of individual claims for asylum. As specified in the Regulations (8 CFR 208.12), as amended, such information may be obtained from “the Department of State, the Office of International Affairs, other Service offices, or other credible sources, such as international organizations, private voluntary agencies, news organizations, or academic institutions.” Question and Answer Series papers are one means by which information on human rights conditions in a country and/or conditions affecting given groups or individuals deemed “at risk” within a given country is presented to Asylum and Immigration Officers. Question and Answer Series papers are brief descriptions of conditions in countries based on information provided by the sources referred to above. They are prepared by expert consultants and/or the staff of the Resource Information Center, Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Department of Justice. Question and Answer papers cannot be, and do not purport to be either exhaustive with regard to the country surveyed, or conclusive as to the merits of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
    [Show full text]
  • Sierra Leone, Country Information
    Sierra Leone, Country Information SIERRA LEONE ASSESSMENT April 2003 Country Information and Policy Unit I SCOPE OF DOCUMENT II GEOGRAPHY III ECONOMY IV HISTORY V STATE STRUCTURES VIA HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES VIB HUMAN RIGHTS - SPECIFIC GROUPS VIC HUMAN RIGHTS - OTHER ISSUES ANNEX A: CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS ANNEX B: POLITICAL ORGANISATIONS ANNEX C: PROMINENT PEOPLE REFERENCES TO SOURCE MATERIAL 1. SCOPE OF DOCUMENT 1.1 This assessment has been produced by the Country Information and Policy Unit, Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Home Office, from information obtained from a wide variety of recognised sources. The document does not contain any Home Office opinion or policy. 1.2 The assessment has been prepared for background purposes for those involved in the asylum / human rights determination process. The information it contains is not exhaustive. It concentrates on the issues most commonly raised in asylum / human rights claims made in the United Kingdom. 1.3 The assessment is sourced throughout. It is intended to be used by caseworkers as a signpost to the source material, which has been made available to them. The vast majority of the source material is readily available in the public domain. These sources have been checked for currency, and as far as can be ascertained, remained relevant and up to date at the time the document was issued. 1.4 It is intended to revise the assessment on a six-monthly basis while the country remains within the top 35 asylum-seeker producing countries in the United Kingdom. 2. GEOGRAPHY 2.1 The Republic of Sierra Leone covers an area of 71,740 sq km (27,699 sq miles) and borders Guinea and Liberia.
    [Show full text]
  • Edible Diamonds? Exploring the Role of Fisheries As a Resource in Conflict Futures in West and Central Africa
    EDIBLE DIAMONDS? EXPLORING THE ROLE OF FISHERIES AS A RESOURCE IN CONFLICT FUTURES IN WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I AT MĀNOA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (ALTERNATIVE FUTURES) August 2020 By Anna Butchart Dissertation Committee: Jairus Grove, Chairperson Jonathan Goldberg-Hiller John Lynham Krishna Sankaran Nicole Grove Keywords: conflict, future studies, fisheries, fish, West Africa, Central Africa, Sierra Leone, São Tomé & Príncipe, resources, scarcity, environmental security. Acknowledgements Researching and writing this dissertation has been an important and challenging journey that I could not have accomplished alone. I’d like to thank the great colleagues and friends I worked with during my time on the Maritime Security desk, those I met during my field work and the people who gave their time for my interviews, your support, input and advice has been essential to completing this work. I’d also like to thank the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution for awarding me the Nabumoto Tanahashi Peace Graduate Fellowship in 2019. My Committee, particularly Jairus and Jon for helping me navigate some stormy waters and for valuable support and input. And of course, my family and friends who are always there for me, particularly my Mum for her essential proof reading and encouragement during our Covid-lockdown, and Dr. Katrina who has been my cheerleader and guide throughout this whole journey. Thank you all. i Abstract There is much scholarship examining the role of resources in causing, prolonging or preventing conflict.
    [Show full text]
  • Sierra Leone: the Perpetual Struggle for Security
    Sierra Leone: the Perpetual Struggle for Security Between 1991 and 2002, the Sierra Leone civil war left approximately 70,000 people dead, hundreds of thousands mutilated and displaced over half of the population of five million.1 This tragedy is a result of various factors that became intertwined. The country’s “historical, cultural, sociological and political milieu” combined with the complexities of natural resources and economic issues all “contributed to and fueled the conflict.”2 The aim of this research is to investigate the severity of events and violent acts along with how society functions today that can provide pertinent information on Sierra Leone’s stability and what threats to security may currently exist or are likely to occur. Analyzing such a historical event and its aftermath provides crucial information on what is lacking in peace efforts and the significant gaps in programs that hinder developing and maintaining stability in countries that have experienced conflict. The atrocities committed during the civil war are infamous to Sierra Leone. A decade of violence that included drug-induced children who “hacked off the limbs of thousands of civilians, including women and babies,”3 has left a psychological imprint on a nation. Sierra Leone’s civil war and its aftermath can be held as a prime example when attempting to predict probable outcomes and possible solutions in similar conflicts. Examining the situation in post-conflict Sierra Leone can assess the effectiveness of its DDR (disarmament, demobilization and reintegration) program and what issues have remained persistent that can be properly addressed in current and future dilemmas, such as the marginalization of girls.
    [Show full text]
  • Mono 118.Indd
    iv LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES AND MAPS TABLE 1 Sierra Leone poverty lines FIGURE 1 Sierra Leone national poverty headcount TABLE 2 Sierra Leone diamond export data TABLE 3 Liberia DDRR statistics MAP 1 West Africa MAP 2 Liberia MAP 3 Sierra Leone v GLOSSARY AND ABBREVIATIONS AFRC – Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, a militia split from the Sierra Leone Army that staged a coup in 1997 and allied with the RUF. APC – All People’s Congress, Sierra Leone political party. CBO – Community-based organisation DDR – Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration De Beers – The largest diamond mining and selling company in the world. ECOMOG – The ECOWAS Cease-fire Monitoring Group. ECOWAS – The Economic Community of West African States. EO – Executive Outcomes, a South African private military company dissolved in 1999 under South Africa’s anti-mercenary laws. IDMP – Integrated Diamond Management and Policy, a USAID-funded programme to implement new policy on the diamond trade. IMP – Integrated Management Programme, a programme of the IDMP and PDA to empower diamond diggers in Sierra Leone in cooperatives that will monitor their diamonds from “Earth to Export.” Juju – An object used as a fetish, a charm, or an amulet in West Africa, and the supernatural power ascribed to such an object. The Kamajors in Sierra Leone believed that the use of juju, including following strict behavioral codes, kept them safe from attack by their enemies. Kamajors – Mende hunter-warriors who fought the RUF in Sierra Leone under the leadership of Sam Hinga Norman. vi Local catalysts, global reactions: Cycles of conflict in the Mano River Basin KPCS – Kimberley Process Certification Scheme – A process for stopping the flow of rough diamonds from conflict areas.
    [Show full text]