Civil War in Sierra Leone

1
Civil War in Sierra Leone
When British rule ended in 1961, the poor class
of Sierra Leone resented the upper ruling class
of Freetown because they had control over the
diamond mines. These resentments lead to conflict.
In addition to this, it became clear by 1989 that
Sierra Leone would be affected by the Liberian
War.

• Former army colonel Foday Sankoh formed an
  alliance with forces in neighboring Liberia and
  with rebel militia leader Charles Taylor.

Sankoh is recruited to become the undisputed
leader of the Revolutionary United Front.
2
The Main Antagonists

• Revolutionary United Front
• (RUF)
• National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC)
• Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC)

3
RUF

• A Liberian-backed movement connected to Charles
  Taylor and his faction in the Liberian civil war
  
• Ideas were based on a student-led debate on the
  Green Book that began in the 1970s. In the
  1980s, the group was formalized with the
  intentions of changing the political system.
  Although these ideologies withdrew, the movement
  still rapidly spread. The group split when one
  faction said the RUF must go through an armed
  struggle.
• Also known as rebels without a cause.
• Continued fighting consolidates the values of
  RUFs participation in war
  
• Took control of the diamond mines and wealth
  system
  
• Stage Operation Fine Woman go into villages and
  take women/girls for wives (ages 11-25)
  
• Whole army stages military coup calling
  themselves the AFRC (RUF called into to form
  government with Jonny Paul Koroma)

4
Foday Sankoh
1937-2003
5
AFRC

• Also called the former Sierra Leone army
• Emerged from the middle and lower ranks of the
  army mutiny
  
• Formed by Johnny Paul Koroma (former Sierra Leone
  military leader) and other former military
  officers in 1997
  
• 1997 coup detat against government of Sierra
  Leone President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah
  
• Reasons for coup detat anger for implementation
  of 1996 peace agreement with RUF, perceived
  discrimination in the appointed highest ranks of
  government, perceived financial neglect of armed
  forces, favoritism for Mende Kamarjos (led by
  Samuel Hinga Norman)
• AFRC suspended the constitution, banned political
  activity, and announced rule by military decree
  
• Foday Sankoh named chairman of AFRC
• AFRC and RUF join forces to control country (9
  months reign)

6
Rebel Children Soldiers
7
RUF/AFRC

• In 1998, the RUF and AFRC are forced out of
  Freetown by a West African force(Economic
  Community of Western African States Cease-Fire
  Monitoring Group (ECOMOG))
• This force eventually put president Kabbah back
  to power
  
• After losing power, the AFRC/RUF started a war
  against civilians
  
• Were known for their using extreme violence and
  for committing atrocities in an attempt to regain
  power.
  
• RUF rebels launched an attack against Freetown in
  January 1999. This attack captured Freetown from
  ECOMOG forces and government troops.
  
• July 1999 intense international pressure--the
  government and the RUF rebels entered into a
  dialogue and signed the Lome Peace Accord
  
• Accord created an autonomous quasi-judicial
  national Human Rights Commission within 90
  days.
  
• RUF violates the Lome Peace Accord and in May
  2000, Sankoh is arrested. He remained in custody
  until his death.

8
NPRC

• Suspend constitution, call state of emergency,
  and enact rule-by-decree policy in 1991
  
• Military junta that ruled Sierra Leone between
  1992 and 1996
  
• Welcomed by citizens because seen as a change
  from previous dictatorship
  
• Military government formed by Valentine Strasser
• Restrict reporting on human right violations to
  protect image as unified force against RUF but
  ultimately damaged its impact on the RUF
  
• In 1995, call ceasefire with RUF, but the rebels
  refuse RUF is not registered as a political
  party in the elections that year
  
• Later, they created the National Commission for
  Democracy (NCD) to educate the public about the
  constitution to create a sense of nationalism,
  patriotism, and loyalty to the state

9
RUF War Tactics

• Place spies in villages to assess loyalty
• Took control of border villages that were largely
  unopposed
  
• April 25th send letter to threaten villagers to
  flee
  
• Amputated hands and limbs of victims
• Received arms from Burkina Faso, Niger, and
  Liberia
  
• Attacks economic targets (i.e. diamond mines,
  government convoys)
  
• Used child soldiers
• 1) unknowledgeable of rules of warfare
• 2) had no idea of surrender
• Children were brainwashed
• Could have been driven by magic, drugs, or
  blind courage
  
• Instead of targeting seat of government, uses
  rural resentment and brutal tactics against
  civilians to show the governments failure to
  protect its citizens
• Victims become perpetrators
• Undermine values of society break taboos
• Target women systematic rape

10
Mutilation
11
Mutilation
12
AFRC War Tactics

• Join forces with the RUF
• Military coup
• Widespread of human rights abuses
• Complete breakdown of the rule of law

13
NPRC War Tactics

• Sought assistance from groups/individuals with
  skills necessary to maintain control of the
  government
  
• Military junta suspended the constitution in
  1991, declared a state of emergency, and enacted
  a rule-by-decree policy
  
• Retaliated against journalists rapidly
• Dissolved parliament and political parties

14
Effects on Civilian Population

• Rape Trauma Syndrome
• HIV/AIDS infections
• Widespread STDs
• Vast population of children that are products of
  war sex
  
• Psychological effect on women (entire
  generations)
  
• Exploited population through control of diamond
  mines and other mineral wealth devastate
  civilian population
  
• Population displaced
• UN placed Sierra Leone on bottom of list of
  countrys the needs of its people
  
• Citizens from surrounding countries displaced
• Many victims mutilated
• Economy and infrastructure destroyed

15
Operation Fine Girl

• Documented stories of women who had been affected
  by the rebel organizations
  
• Women were kidnapped, raped, and forced to play
  the role of wives to the major rebel
  authorities
  
• Targets were young girls mostly 11-25 years old
• 90 of women were unable to escapecreated major
  psychological disorders
  
• This contributed to the spread of STDs
  (especially HIV)

16
Operation Fine Girl Abie
17
Why did it take until 2002 for the conflict to
end?

• More than one rebel group -- several coups all
  struggling for power
  
• Military juntas dont allow for free elections
• Peace accords and ceasefires not respected
• No strong government to stop the rebels -- no
  real power
  
• Because so many people were displaced, the
  country couldnt find stability
  
• International organizations (like the UNAMSIL)
  not organized properly
  
• Truth and Reconciliation Committee established
  2002

18

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  Militias and the International Human Rights
  Discourse in Sierra Leone and Beyond." Hunter
  Militias and the International Human Rights
  Discourse in Sierra Leone and Beyond. 2004. 9
  Nov. 2008 ay/v050/50.4ferme.html.
• Richards, Paul. "War as Smoke and Mirrors Sierra
  Leone 1991-2, 1994-5, 1995-6." War as Smoke and
  Mirrors Sierra Leone 1991-2, 1994-5, 1995-6.
  2005. Wageningen University Research Centre. 5
  Nov. 2008 gical_quarterly/v078/78.2richards.html
• Anyu Ndumbe, J. "Diamonds, Ethnicity, and Power
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  and Power The Case of Sierra Leone. 2001. 5 Nov.
  2008 uarterly/v012/12.4ndumbe.html.
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  opening up old wounds." New York
  
•             Amsterdam News 20/01/2005
•  
• "Sierra Leone Origin and Mandate." Government
  Human RIghts Commissions in
  
•            Africa. 2001. 15 Nov 2008
  
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  Dissent Politics and the War in Sierra Leone.
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