Sierra Leone
Background
The civil war that began in March of 1991 and ended in 2002 has left devastating effects for the country and its people, leaving it to be ranked one of the poorest countries globally. The Sierra Leone war is considered one the bloodiest wars in Africa with 50,000 people dead, and half a million people displaced. Considering that Sierra Leone’s population is only about 4 million people, the amount of people severely wounded by this war is severe.
With assistance from others, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) made an effort to overthrow President Joseph Momah's administration in Sierra Leone. The formation of the RUF was due to widespread dissatisfaction with Momah's administration's economic inequalities, political repression, and systematic corruption. Since elites and foreign corporations mostly benefited from the country's wealthy diamond trade while common citizens lived in poverty, many Sierra Leoneans felt disenfranchised. Tensions between the countryside and urban areas were heightened because rural groups, in particular, felt abandoned by the government. These complaints and long-standing tensions caused the war to escalate quickly, leading to the intervention of international powers including the United States, Guinea, and Great Britain to help the government of Sierra Leone. The RUF was ultimately vanquished by the government, which established a new administration bringing the war to an end.
Lasting effects
Despite this, rape, looting, and murder increased after this change of government. Further the effects of displacement were unwavering causing many family structures and community bonds to be disrupted. In the midst of these displacements, around 20-30,000 people were kidnapped, many of whom were children that would forcibly become child soldiers. UNICEF reports that 8,466 children were documented as missing during the war and 4,448 missing after the war in 1999 alone. The United Nations Mission Assistant in Sierra Leone estimated that 10,000 children were part of the numerous violent events during the years of the war. Due to this terror, many children continue to suffer from serious mental health disorders such as, ptsd, anxiety, and depression.
A scholarly study was conducted by Kars de Bruijne, a senior fellow with the Clingendael's Conflict Research Unit on the drivers of political violence in post war Sierra Leone. It found that communal violence (mob violence), which is often regarded as one of the deadliest forms of violence, made up approximately 21 percent, while 26 percent of violence was due to electoral violence, which takes place in both large towns and small villages. The study further describes how the electoral violence is an effect of post-war politics and has become a common event for Sierra Leonne’s citizens. Significantly, the main perpetrators of political disorders from January 2012 to June 2020 were protesters and rioters. This was about 335 individuals which were mostly students and existing youth. They protest in concern for the current political state and the devastating leftovers from the war.
Conclusion
Overall, the post-war Sierra Leone continuously suffers from widespread displacement, abuse of human rights, sexual violence, and mass murder due to the overthrow of President Joseph Momah’s administration. Thousands of children suffer from the mental and physical wounds of being child soldiers, including their loss of education. Sierra Leone continues to combat high levels of poverty and the inaccessibility to resources as they rebuild their country. Sierra Leone implemented services such as NAYCOM, which fosters youth employment and development through entrepreneurship initiatives, skill development. The United Nations and the Sierra Leonean government also established the Special Court for Sierra Leone in 2002. The SCSL punished individuals most accountable for war crimes, such as the use of child soldiers, sexual assault, and crimes against humanity. Although the war left horrific conditions, Sierra Leone continues to make efforts in restoring the country through youth empowerment initiatives, prosecution of war crimes, documenting victims of war, and spreading mental health services.
Works Cited
de Bruijne, Kars. “Sierra Leone: 20 years after the civil war.” Clingendael Institute, 15 December 2020, https://www.clingendael.org/publication/sierra-leone-20-years-after-civil-war. Accessed 7 November 2024.
Momodu, Samuel. “The Sierra Leone Civil War (1991-2002) •.” Blackpast, 16 January 2017, https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/sierra-leone-civil-war-1991-2002/. Accessed 7 November 2024.
Okello, Christina. “Sierra Leone still healing its wounds 30 years after the civil war.” RFI, 23 March 2021, https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20210323-sierra-leone-still-healing-its-wounds-30-years-after-the-civil-war-africa. Accessed 7 November 2024.
Rogers, Kara. “Sierra Leone - Post-War Recovery, Economy, Politics.” Britannica, 2 November 2024, https://www.britannica.com/place/Sierra-Leone/Post-civil-war. Accessed 7 November 2024.
Photo Credits:
“Freetown | National Capital, Sierra Leone.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2019, www.britannica.com/place/Freetown.
