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