Sierra Leone
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PROFILE OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT : SIERRA LEONE Compilation of the information available in the Global IDP Database of the Norwegian Refugee Council (as of 23 September, 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 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 UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS BAN ON "CONFLICT DIAMONDS" FROM JANUARY 2002 22 CIVIL WAR DECLARED OVER FOLLOWING THE FULL DEPLOYMENT OF UNAMSIL AND THE COMPLETION OF DISARM AMENT (JANUARY 2002) 23 REGIONAL EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN PEACE IN SIERRA LEONE (2002) 24 SIERRA LEONEANS GO TO THE POLLS TO RE-ELECT AHMAD TEJAN KABBAH AS PRESIDENT (MAY 2002) 25 MAIN CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT 26 COUNTRYWIDE DISPLACEM ENT CAUSED BY MORE T HAN NINE YEARS OF WIDESPREAD CONFLICT- RELATED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES (1991- 2000) 26 MAJOR NEW DISPLACEMENT AFTER BREAK DOWN OF THE PEACE PROCESS IN MAY 2000 27 NEW DISPLACEMENT AS CONFLICT EXTENDED ACROSS THE GUINEA-SIERRA LEONE BORDER (SEPTEMBER 2000 – MAY 2001) 30 REBELS AND PRO-GOVERNMENT MILITIA ATTACK CIVILIANS IN THE NORTH OF COUNTRY (JUNE 2001) 32 ESCALATING VIOLENCE IN LIBERIA CONTINUES TO THREATEN PEACE AND SECURITY IN SIERRA LEONE (2002) 33 ROOT CAUSES OF WAR IN SIERRA LEONE REMAIN UNADDRESSED , WARNS HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH (JULY 2002) 34 POPULATION PROFILE AND FIGURES 36 GLOBAL FIGURES 36 APPROXIMATELY 12,000 REGISTERED IDPS REMAIN TO BE RESETTLED (JULY 2002) 36 UN CITES FIGURE OF 247,590 IDPS IN CONSOLIDATED APPEAL 2002 FOR SIERRA LEONE (NOVEMBER 2001) 36 ONLY BROAD ESTIMATES AVAILABLE FOR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF IDPS BETWEEN 1994 AND 1997 37 GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION 37 MORE THAN HALF OF ALL IDPS STAYING IN 19 OFFICIAL CAMPS (SEPTEMBER 2001) 37 DISAGGREGATED FIGURES 38 CHILDREN COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THE DISPLACED POPULATION (1998-2001) 38 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 FRAGILITY OF SECURITY SITUATION IN BORDER AREAS HIGHLIGHTED AS CIVILIANS ARE ABDUCTED BY ARMED MEN FROM LIBERIA (JULY 2002) 43 CULTURE OF IMPUNITY M UST BE ADDRESSED IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN IMPROVED HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION, SAYS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL (MAY 2002) 43 REBELS AS WELL AS PRO-GOVERNMENT FORCES EXTORTING "TAXES" FROM FLEEING CIVILIANS (JULY 2001) 44 MANY OF THE DISPLACED IN CAMPS CONTINUE TO BE EXPOSED TO THE SAME PROTECTION THREATS THAT CAUSED THEIR DISPLACEMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE (2000-2001) 44 WOMEN AND CHILDREN 46 EXTENSIVE ABUSE OF WEST AFRICAN REFUGEE AND IDP CHILDREN REPORTED (FEBRUARY 2002) 46 PHYSICIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (PHR) STUDY SHOWS WIDESPREAD WAR-RELATED SEXUAL ABUSE AGAINST IDPS (JANUARY 2002) 46 EXPERTS TRAVEL TO SIERRA LEONE, GUINEA AND LIBERIA TO ASSESS WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES DURING AND AFTER WAR (JANUARY 2002) 47 REPORTS OF WOMEN BEING EXPOSED TO GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES (2001) 48 CHILDREN EXPOSED TO HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND ABDUCTIONS (1999-2001) 49 NATIONAL PROTECTION MECHANISMS 51 NATIONAL SECURITY FORCES STILL FACE SERIOUS SHORTCOMINGS (SEPTEMBER 2002) 52 BRITAIN SUSTAINS ITS SUPPORT TO REFORMED SIERRA LEONE ARMY (2002) 53 LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM REMAINS WEAK (1998-2001) 53 TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS CREATING THEIR OWN PROTECTION FORCES (1994-2001) 55 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS (HEALTH NUTRITION AND SHELTER) 57 GENERAL 57 2 ASSISTANCE AND PROTECTION NEEDS OF RETURNING IDPS, AS WELL AS RETURNING REFUGEES, ARE NOT BEING MET, REPORTS MSF (APRIL 2002) 57 MAJOR MOVEMENTS OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS, RETURNEES AND EX-COMBATANTS CAUSES HEAVY STRAIN ON BASIC SERVICES (2001) 58 HEALTH 59 WAR HAS PUSHED SIERRA LEONE TO THE BRINK OF AN HIV/ AIDS EPIDEMIC (JULY 2002) 59 SIERRA LEONE POPULATION MOST VULNERABLE TO ILL HEALTH IN THE WORLD (NOVEMBER 2001) 60 MSF REPORTS ENORMOUS MEDICAL NEEDS IN CURRENT, AND FORMER, RUF TERRITORIES (SEPTEMBER 2001) 61 SURVEY OF MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT OF FIGHTING IN FREETOWN (2000) 62 NUTRITION AND FOOD 62 CHRONIC FOOD DEFICIT IN MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY (2001-2002) 63 ACF CARRIES OUT FOOD SECURITY ASSESSMENT ON IDPS IN DARU (JULY 2001) 63 NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF IDPS IN CAMPS FOUND TO BE BETTER THAN IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES (APRIL 2001) 64 WATER AND SANITATION 65 CIVIL WAR CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO WATER AND SANITATION FACILITIES (2001) 65 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 RETURNING IDPS FACE SERIOUS OBSTACLES TO ACHIEVING AGRICULTURAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY (APRIL 2002) 70 IDPS UTILIZE VARIOUS COPING MECHANISMS DURING PERIOD OF DISPLACEMENT (NOVEMBER 2001) 71 DETRIMENTAL IMPACT OF THE CIVIL WAR ON THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR (2000-2001) 72 ISSUES OF FAMILY UNITY, IDENTITY AND CULTURE 74 GENERAL 74 DISPLACEMENT IN SIERRA LEONE HAS SEVERELY AFFECTED FAMILY AND COMMUNITY LINKS (2001) 74 IDPS IN YURIKA AREA AND KAKUM ISLAND SEEKING REFUGE AMONG HOST COMMUNIT IES WITH COMMON ETHNIC AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND (2000) 74 PROPERTY ISSUES 76 3 GENERAL 76 SUBSTANTIAL DESTRUCTION IN THE KAMBIA DISTRICT CAUSED BY RUF OCCUPANCY AND BOMBING BY THE GUINEAN MILITARY (2001) 76 RETURNEE WOMEN WHO HAVE LOST THEIR HUSBANDS FACE PROBLEMS IN RECLAIMING PROPERTY (2001) 76 WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION OF HOMES AND PROPERTY BY THE REBEL FORCES (1999-2001) 76 PATTERNS OF RETURN AND RESETTLEMENT 79 GENERAL 79 A TOTAL OF SOME 230,000 REGISTERED IDPS RESETTLED SINCE APRIL 2001 (JULY 2002) 79 MSF CRITICIZES RESETTLEM ENT PROCESS IN SIERRA LEONE (MAY 2002) 81 GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF IDP RESETTLEMENT (MARCH 2002) 82 IMPROVED SECURITY ALLOWS FOR RETURN OF SOME 45, 000 IDPS IN 2001, BUT RETURN PROCESS ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS (NOVEMBER 2001) 83 HUMANITARIAN ACCESS 85 LIMITATION OF ACCESS CAUSED BY THE CONFLICT 85 ALL BUT TWO OF COUNTRY'S 149 CHIEFDOMS OFFICIALLY DECLARED "SAFE" (AUGUST 2002) 85 SOME SUCCESSES IN DISARMAMENT PROCESS LEAD TO OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN SECURITY SITUATION (NOVEMBER 2001) 85 SOME IMPROVMENTS IN ACCESS DURING FIRST HALF OF 2001 AS UNAMSIL WAS DEPLOYING TO NEW AREAS 86 CONCERN THAT HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE ATTRACTS THE ATTENTION OF ARMED GROUPS IN NEED OF SUPPLIES (JULY 2000) 87 HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS IN MOST AREAS OF THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN PROVINCES CEASED AS WAR ESCALATED IN MAY 2000 88 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES 90 GOVERNMENT RESPONSE 90 A COMPREHENSIVE RESETTLEMENT STRATEGY ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE IN DECEMBER 2000 90 INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL RESPONSE 92 LARGEST UN MILITARY MISSION IN THE WORLD PLANS TO DOWNSIZE (2002) 92 UN PEACEKEEPING MISSION (UNAMSIL) TO FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE AGREEMENT (1999-2001) 93 INTERNATIONAL DONOR RESPONSE 96 US GOVERNMENT PROVIDES MORE THAN US$ 37 MILLION FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN SIERRA LEONE (JUNE 2002) 96 ASSISTANCE FROM AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK INCLUDES RESETTLING IDPS AND IMPROVING THEIR LIVING STANDARDS (JUNE 2002) 97 EUROPEAN COMMISSION ASSISTANCE TARGETS IDPS, AMONG OTHERS (2001-2002) 97 UN CONSOLIDATED APPEAL FOR 2002 CALLS FOR A TOTAL OF US$ 88,624,925 IN FUNDING (NOVEMBER 2001) 98 SELECTED ACTIVITIES OF UN AGENCIES (2001-2002) 100 WFP FOOD AID STILL ESSENTIAL IN SIERRA LEONE (2002) 100 4 UNICEF AND PARTNERS REHABILITATE THE EDUCATION SECTOR (2002) 102 UN SPONSORS FORENSIC TEAM TO INVESTIGATE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN SIERRA LEONE (JUNE 2002) 102 HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES IN SIERRA LEONE ACT ON ISSUES OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF REFUGEE AND IDP CHILDREN (JUNE 2002) 103 WHO HELPS CONTROL EPIDEM IC DISEASE (2001-2002) 104 NUMEROUS AGENCIES PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO IDPS TO REBUILD HOMES AND LIVELIHOODS (2001) 104 SELECTED ACTIVITIES OF INTERNATIONAL NGOS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS (2002) 106 WORLD VISION LAUNCHES SHELTER PROJECT FOR DEVASTATED KONO DISTRICT (AUGUST 2002) 106 MSF TREATS NEUROPATHIC PAIN OF AMPUTEE IDPS (JULY 2002) 106 MERLIN FIGHTS LASSA FEVER IN SIERRA LEONE (1996-2002) 107 CHURCH WORLD SERVICE PARTNERS TACKLING CRISIS OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT IN SIERRA LEONE (2002) 108 IOM PROVIDES RETURN AND REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE TO SIERRA LEONEAN IDPS (2002) 108 ICRC, WITH NATIONAL SOCIETY, DISTRIBUTES AID TO RETURNING FARMERS (JUNE 2002) 110 REFERENCES TO THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT 111 KNOWN REFERENCES TO THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES (AS OF SEPTEMBER 2002) 111 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS 112 LIST OF SOURCES USED 114 5 PROFILE SUMMARY In January 2002, President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leone declared that his country's eleven year civil war was finally over. Just a few days earlier the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) declared that more than 45,000 former fighters had handed in their weapons, marking the end of the government's disarmament programme. At the same time the Sierra Leone government, together with the UN and its implementing partners, intensified their push to resettle large numbers of IDPs (as well as returning refugees) and to phase out the IDP camps.