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 CAUSED BY MORE THAN NINE YEARS OF WIDESPREAD CONFLICT- RELATED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES (1991- 2000) 28 MAJOR NEW DISPLACEMENT AFTER BREAK DOWN OF THE PEACE PROCESS IN MAY 2000 30 NEW DISPLACEMENT AS CONFLICT EXTENDED ACROSS THE GUINEA-SIERRA LEONE BORDER (SEPTEMBER 2000 – MAY 2001) 32 REBELS AND PRO-GOVERNMENT MILITIA ATTACK CIVILIANS IN THE NORTH OF COUNTRY (JUNE 2001) 34 ESCALATING VIOLENCE IN LIBERIA CONTINUES TO THREATEN PEACE AND SECURITY IN SIERRA LEONE (2002) 35 ROOT CAUSES OF WAR IN SIERRA LEONE REMAIN UNADDRESSED, WARNS HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH (JULY 2002) 37 UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS BAN ON "CONFLICT DIAMONDS" FROM DECEMBER 2002 37 POPULATION PROFILE AND FIGURES 39 GLOBAL FIGURES 39 CIVILIANS STILL RESIDING AT CLAY FACTORY AND AT NATIONAL WORKSHOP IN FREETOWN (JUNE 2003) 39 RESETTLEMENT OF REMAINING 12,800 REGISTERED IDPS OFFICIALLY ENDS DISPLACEMENT IN SIERRA LEONE (NOVEMBER 2002) 39 UN CITES FIGURE OF 247,590 IDPS IN CONSOLIDATED APPEAL 2002 FOR SIERRA LEONE (NOVEMBER 2001) 40 ONLY BROAD ESTIMATES AVAILABLE FOR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF IDPS BETWEEN 1994 AND 1997 40 PATTERNS OF DISPLACEMENT 42 THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN THE ARMED CONFLICT AND DISPLACEMENT 42 COMPLEX MOVEMENT PATTERNS OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF DISPLACED DURING FIRST HALF OF 2001 42 MANY DISPLACED MOVE TOWARDS URBAN AREAS CONSIDERED SAFE (2000-2001) 42 MOVEMENT PATTERNS IN NORTHERN AND EASTERN PROVINCES OUTLINED IN COMPREHENSIVE STUDY (DECEMBER 1999) 43 PHYSICAL SECURITY & FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 45 GENERAL 45 FRAGILITY OF SECURITY SITUATION IN BORDER AREAS HIGHLIGHTED AS CIVILIANS ARE ABDUCTED BY ARMED MEN FROM LIBERIA (JULY 2002) 45 CULTURE OF IMPUNITY MUST BE ADDRESSED IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN IMPROVED HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION, SAYS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL (MAY 2002) 45 WOMEN AND CHILDREN 46 THOUSANDS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS SUBJECTED TO ‘WIDESPREAD AND SYSTEMATIC SEXUAL VIOLENCE’ DURING THE CONFLICT IN SIERRA LEONE, REPORTS HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH (JANUARY 2003) 46 EXTENSIVE ABUSE OF WEST AFRICAN REFUGEE AND IDP CHILDREN REPORTED (FEBRUARY 2002) 48 PHYSICIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (PHR) STUDY SHOWS WIDESPREAD WAR-RELATED SEXUAL ABUSE AGAINST IDPS (JANUARY 2002) 49 EXPERTS TRAVEL TO SIERRA LEONE, GUINEA AND LIBERIA TO ASSESS WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES DURING AND AFTER WAR (JANUARY 2002) 49 CHILDREN EXPOSED TO HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND ABDUCTIONS (1999-2001) 50 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS (HEALTH NUTRITION AND SHELTER) 53 GENERAL 53 POVERTY STATISTICS (2002) 53 RETURNING IDPS FACE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, SAYS WOMEN’S COMMISSION REPORT (OCTOBER 2002) 53 ASSISTANCE AND PROTECTION NEEDS OF RETURNING IDPS, AS WELL AS RETURNING REFUGEES, ARE NOT BEING MET, REPORTS MSF (APRIL 2002) 53 MAJOR MOVEMENTS OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS, RETURNEES AND EX-COMBATANTS CAUSES HEAVY STRAIN ON BASIC SERVICES (2001) 54 2 HEALTH AND NUTRITION 55 AREAS OF MAJOR RETURN HAVE POOREST HEALTH CARE PROVISION (NOVEMBER 2002) 55 WAR HAS PUSHED SIERRA LEONE TO THE BRINK OF AN HIV/ AIDS EPIDEMIC (JULY 2002) 56 SIERRA LEONE POPULATION MOST VULNERABLE TO ILL HEALTH IN THE WORLD (NOVEMBER 2001) 57 FOOD 58 RETURNING POPULATIONS WILL REQUIRE FOOD AID FOR AT LEAST ONE HARVEST SEASON (NOVEMBER 2002) 58 WATER AND SANITATION 59 RISK OF WATERBORNE DISEASES INCREASED IN AREAS WITH LARGE-SCALE RESETTLEMENT (2002) 59 SHELTER 59 SHELTER ASSISTANCE IS PRIORITY NEED OF RETURNING POPULATIONS (2002) 59 ACCESS TO EDUCATION 61 GENERAL 61 EDUCATION IS ONE OF MAIN INCENTIVES FOR RETURN OF IDPS (NOVEMBER 2002) 61 RETURNING IDPS HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO EDUCATION (2002) 61 WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS IN 1997 AND 1999 62 ISSUES OF SELF-RELIANCE AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 64 GENERAL 64 RETURNING IDPS, ESPECIALLY YOUTH, LACK SKILLS AND RESOURCES TO CREATE A LIVELIHOOD (2002) 64 URGENT NEED FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES (NOVEMBER 2002) 64 RETURNING IDPS FACE SERIOUS OBSTACLES TO ACHIEVING AGRICULTURAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY (2002) 65 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 67 INTERNALLY DISPLACED WOMEN IN SIERRA LEONE GO TO THE POLLS (MAY 2002) 67 ISSUES OF FAMILY UNITY, IDENTITY AND CULTURE 68 GENERAL 68 DISPLACEMENT IN SIERRA LEONE HAS SEVERELY AFFECTED FAMILY AND COMMUNITY LINKS (2001) 68 PROPERTY ISSUES 69 GENERAL 69 SUBSTANTIAL DESTRUCTION IN THE KAMBIA DISTRICT CAUSED BY RUF OCCUPANCY AND BOMBING BY THE GUINEAN MILITARY (2001) 69 RETURNEE WOMEN WHO HAVE LOST THEIR HUSBANDS FACE PROBLEMS IN RECLAIMING PROPERTY (2001) 69 WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION OF HOMES AND PROPERTY BY THE REBEL FORCES (1999-2001) 69 3 PATTERNS OF RETURN AND RESETTLEMENT 72 GENERAL 72 RESETTLEMENT PROCESS OFFICIALLY ENDS IN NOVEMBER 2002 72 RESETTLEMENT PROCESS BESET BY PROBLEMS, SAYS WOMEN’S COMMISSION REPORT (OCTOBER 2002) 74 A TOTAL OF SOME 230,000 REGISTERED IDPS RESETTLED SINCE APRIL 2001 (JULY 2002) 75 MSF CRITICIZES RESETTLEMENT PROCESS IN SIERRA LEONE (MAY 2002) 78 GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF IDP RESETTLEMENT (MARCH 2002) 78 HUMANITARIAN ACCESS 81 GENERAL 81 ALL BUT TWO OF COUNTRY'S 149 CHIEFDOMS OFFICIALLY DECLARED "SAFE" (AUGUST 2002) 81 SOME SUCCESSES IN DISARMAMENT PROCESS LEAD TO OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN SECURITY SITUATION (NOVEMBER 2001) 81 SOME IMPROVMENTS IN ACCESS DURING FIRST HALF OF 2001 AS UNAMSIL WAS DEPLOYING TO NEW AREAS 82 CONCERN THAT HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE ATTRACTS THE ATTENTION OF ARMED GROUPS IN NEED OF SUPPLIES (JULY 2000) 83 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES 84 NATIONAL RESPONSE 84 SIERRA LEONE GOVERNMENT PUBLISHES NATIONAL RECOVERY STRATEGY, PARTLY AIMED AT REINTEGRATION OF RESETTLED IDPS (OCTOBER 2002) 84 A COMPREHENSIVE RESETTLEMENT STRATEGY ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE IN DECEMBER 2000 85 INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL RESPONSE 87 LARGEST UN MILITARY MISSION IN THE WORLD STARTS TO DOWNSIZE (2002-2003) 87 UN PEACEKEEPING MISSION (UNAMSIL) TO FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE AGREEMENT (1999-2001) 89 DONOR RESPONSE 92 DELAYS IN THE COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES HAMPERED EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT PLANNED ACTIVITIES IN TIME (JUNE 2003) 92 UN REQUESTS TOTAL OF US$ 82.9 MILLION IN 2003 CONSOLIDATED INTERAGENCY APPEAL (NOVEMBER 2002) 93 SIERRA LEONE NEEDS $650 MILLION FOR RECONSTRUCTION, SAY DONORS (NOVEMBER 2002) 93 UK GOVERNMENT PLEDGES £120 MILLION OF SUPPORT FOR SIERRA LEONE’S RECONSTRUCTION OVER NEXT 3 YEARS (NOVEMBER 2002) 94 US GOVERNMENT PROVIDES MORE THAN US$ 37 MILLION FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN SIERRA LEONE (JUNE 2002) 95 AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FUND SUPPORTS REHABILITATION OF EDUCATION IN SIERRA LEONE (OCTOBER 2002) 96 ASSISTANCE FROM AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK INCLUDES RESETTLING IDPS AND IMPROVING THEIR LIVING STANDARDS (JUNE 2002) 97 SELECTED UN ACTIVITIES 97 UN STRATEGY INCLUDES THE PROMOTION AND ASSISTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE REINTEGRATION (OCTOBER 2002) 97 4 UNICEF SUPPORTS WIDE-RANGING PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT RETURNING IDPS, AMONG OTHERS (2002) 98 WFP PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO RETURNEES (2003) 101 UN SPONSORS FORENSIC TEAM TO INVESTIGATE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN SIERRA LEONE (JUNE 2002) 101 HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES IN SIERRA LEONE ACT ON ISSUES OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF REFUGEE AND IDP CHILDREN (JUNE 2002) 102 SELECTED ACTIVITIES OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS 103 ICRC ASSISTS RESETTLED WOMEN FARMERS (2002) 103 IOM PROVIDES RETURN AND REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE TO SIERRA LEONEAN IDPS (2002) 104 SELECTED NGO ACTIVITIES 105 NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL IN SIERRA LEONE FOCUSES LARGELY ON REHABILITATION, CAMP MANAGEMENT AND EDUCATION (1998-2003) 105 WORLD VISION LAUNCHES SHELTER PROJECT FOR DEVASTATED KONO DISTRICT (AUGUST 2002) 108 MSF TREATS NEUROPATHIC PAIN OF AMPUTEE IDPS (JULY 2002) 108 MERLIN FIGHTS LASSA FEVER IN SIERRA LEONE (1996-2002) 109 CHURCH WORLD SERVICE PARTNERS TACKLING CRISIS OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT IN SIERRA LEONE (2002) 110 REFERENCES TO THE UN GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT 110 KNOWN REFERENCES TO THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES (AS OF OCTOBER 2003) 110 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS 112 LIST OF SOURCES USED 114 5 PROFILE SUMMARY Executive Summary Almost one quarter of a million displaced Sierra Leoneans were resettled or had returned in their areas of origin by the end of 2002, according to UN figures, officially ending the situation of internal