In 1991, the outbreak of a brutal civil war in sierra leone upended the lives of millions. The book is a firsthand account of beahs time as a child soldier during the civil war in sierra leone 1990s. The civil war was the result of varied interactions between structural problems. British military intervention in the sierra leone civil war. It collected a lot of information about the recent history of sierra leone and about the war and its causes and.
Civil war crippled sierra leone between 1991 and 2002, forcing the displacement of half of the estimated 4. Dec 27, 2016 in free slaves, freetown, and the sierra leonean civil war, joseph kaifala provides a readable narrative historical account of various periods in sierra leones history from the fifteenth. It is distinguished by its careful and learned attention to the causes and nature of the atrocities of the war, rather than to the war itself. Memoirs of a boy soldier 2007 is a memoir written by ishmael beah, an author from sierra leone. Rail transport in sierra leone railway stations in sierra leone sierra leone government railway historyformation, colonial era, education, corruption, civil war sierra leone company sierra leone colony and protectorate hut tax war of 1898 fourah bay college njala university bai bureh sierra leone 19611971 operation khukri sierra leone.
Peters sheds light on the ruf militia and the role they played during the sierra leonean. It explores the genesis of the crisis, the contradictory roles of. Peters sheds light on the ruf militia and the role they played during the sierra leonean civil war. Rail transport in sierra leone railway stations in sierra leone sierra leone government railway historyformation, colonial era, education, corruption, civil war sierra leone company sierra leone. Apr 05, 2018 2002 july british troops leave sierra leone after their twoyear mission to help end the civil war. The conflict in sierra leone and the engagement of the united nations the conflict in sierra leone dates from march 1991 when fighters of the revolutionary united front ruf launched a war from the east of the country near the border with liberia to overthrow the government. But the wars aftermath with its environment in which christians and muslims regularly pray together for peace embodies a story of healing and forgiveness unequaled in any time or place. The brutality of that civil war in sierra leone is on a par with the worst atrocities of the 20th century. War and the crisis of youth in sierra leone is a work of unique empirical depth and ethnographic knowledge.
Similarly, a 2015 retrospective on barras in the independent talks up its epic importance in having rescued sierra leone from a hell on earth the piece never even mentions the ruf. This book is a historical narrative of sierra leone from the midfifteenth century to the end of its civil war in 2002. Best on sierra leone 14 books meet your next favorite book. Inside the war provides readers with an detailed overview of the 19912002 civil cluding descriptions of sierra leones culture and prewar history, a yearbyyear account of the civil war, and narratives from 30 people who describe their experiences as both civilians and fighters. This fleeting and particular interest, however, obscured two. Sierra leone is rebuilding its economy following the longterm repercussions of the devastating civil war and the more recent ebola crisis, during which nearly 4,000 lives were lost. The 32 best sierra leone civil war books, such as salone, no tears, what rebels want, the war machines and soldiers of light. Although small numbers of british personnel had been deployed previously, palliser. After a decadelong civil war, whose media images of ak47toting child soldiers and atrocities committed against civilians shocked a world already stunned by genocide in rwanda and the. This lesson will briefly summarize the sierra leone civil war, how and why it started, and the key events of sierra leone s civil war from its beginning in 1991 to its end in 2002.
In 1992, i was living in sierra leone as a 4 year old boy in freetown, when the conditions forced my mother to take myself and my older sister and flee the country. Diamond miners in sierra leone sifting through the sand in search of diamonds. It collected a lot of information about the recent history of sierra leone and about the war and its causes and consequences. The january 1999 offensive against freetown marked the most intensive and concentrated period of human rights violations in sierra leones eightyear civil war, said peter takirambudde. The difficulties in the country were compounded in march 1991 when conflict in neighbouring liberia spilled over the border into sierra leone.
Rebels in a rotten state is an important and interesting addition to the remarkably vast, and growing, literature on the war in sierra leone. Reports emerged of indiscriminate amputations, abductions of women and children, recruitment of children as combatants, rape, sexual slavery, cannibalism, gratuitous killings and wanton destruction of villages and towns. It entails the history of sierra leone from its days as a slave harbor through to its founding as. This book is a historical narrative covering various periods in sierra leones history from the fifteenth century to the end of its civil war in 2002. It took some doing, but on april 25, 1822, this group moved off the lowlying islands and took possession of the highlands behind cape mesurado, thereby founding presentday monrovia, which was named after u.
Life and war in sierra leone in a novel, aminatta forna writes about the effects of sierra leones civil war on the countrys women. It entails the history of sierra leone from its days as a slave harbor through to its founding as a home for free slaves and toward its political independence and civil war. It entails the history of sierra leone from its days as a slave. This fleeting interest, however, obscured much of the longer history of the region, and made sierra leone a laboratory for postcold war interventions. Sierra leone came to world attention in the 1990s when a catastrophic civil war linked to the diamond trade was reported globally. Although diamonds seemingly played a significant role in financing the war once it started, diamonds more likely contributed to corrupting.
Although small numbers of british personnel had been deployed previously, palliser was the first largescale intervention by british forces in the sierra leone civil war. Apr 25, 2017 the civil war in sierra leone has been one of the most grotesque ones in history, and the nations rich diamond reserves have driven much of the violence. Popular sierra leone books meet your next favorite book. The conflict in sierra leone and the engagement of the united nations the conflict in sierra leone dates from march 1991 when fighters of the revolutionary united front ruf launched a war from the east. In free slaves, freetown, and the sierra leonean civil war, joseph kaifala provides a readable narrative historical account of various periods in sierra leones history from the fifteenth.
Since 1991, this west african nation has been brought to its knees by a series of coups, violent conflicts, and finally, outright war. After a decadelong civil war, whose media images of ak47toting child soldiers and atrocities committed against civilians shocked a world already stunned by genocide in rwanda and the former yugoslavia, sierra leone voted in may 2002 for a government that would restore order and rebuild a country in which almost every educational, medical. Download citation free slaves, freetown, and the sierra leonean civil war this book is a historical narrative of sierra leone from the midfifteenth century to the end of its civil war in 2002. Sierra leone has been a source of and destination for refugees. Free slaves, freetown, and the sierra leonean civil war. The armed conflict in sierra leone human rights watch. I as well as my entire my family are from sierra leone. The sierra leone civil war 19912002 was a civil war in sierra leone that began on 23 march 1991 when the revolutionary united front ruf, with support from the special forces of charles taylors national patriotic front of liberia npfl, intervened in sierra leone in an attempt to overthrow the joseph momoh government. The sierra leone civil war 19912002 was a civil war in sierra leone that began on 23. Momoh responded by deploying troops to the border region to repel the incursion of liberian rebels known as the national patriotic front of liberia npfl, led by charles taylor. The war has ended today, but it is clear that things are hardly settled. Inside the war provides readers with an detailed overview of the 19912002 civil cluding descriptions of sierra leones culture and prewar history, a yearbyyear account. The definitive book on the sierra leone civil war about the book sierra leone. Introduction between 1991 and 2002, sierra leone was heavily damaged by a tremendously violent civil war.
Free slaves, freetown, and the sierra leonean civil war joseph. The ebola crisis has had a huge impact on children in particular, creating many thousands of orphans and disrupting education services, with all schools closed for. Ishmael beahs parents and two brothers were killed and he was forcibly recruited into the war at age. The united kingdom began a military intervention in sierra leone on 7 may 2000 under the codename operation palliser. But the wars aftermath with its environment in which christians and muslims regularly pray together for. Inside the war provides readers with an detailed overview of the 19912002 civil cluding descriptions of sierra leones culture and prewar history, a yearbyyear account of the. The trade in blood diamonds was the focal point of the trial, which demonstrated how natural resource exploitation can serve to fund armed conflict and lead to the abuse of human rights. It took some doing, but on april 25, 1822, this group moved off the lowlying islands and took possession of the highlands behind cape mesurado, thereby founding presentday monrovia, which was named. Understanding atrocity in the sierra leone civil war hurst publishers.
Sierra leone lion mountain was embroiled in a civil war that resulted in the death of over 50,000 civilians. The sierra leone civil war was an armed conflict in the west african country of sierra leone from 1991 t0 2002. He illuminates the social logics at play and clarifies the motives behind their constitution, conflict engagement, and conciliation. New government must address war legacies sierra leone. He covered the sierra leone civil war as a journalist for inter press service.
Civil war in sierra leone and the role of blood diamonds. The sierra leone civil war began in 1991 with the attacks of the revolutionary united front ruf, led by former army corporal foday sankoh, on government military and civilian targets. This is the most authoritative study of the sierra leone civil war to emanate from africa, or indeed any publications programme on africa. In 2005, the report, comprising four books of almost 2000 pages, was made available to the public. Inside the war provides readers with an detailed overview of the 19912002 civil cluding descriptions of sierra leones. Beginning in march 1991, driven by the desire to overthrow the current government, oust corrupt politicians, and redistribute the resources of sierra leone, the. Shocking war crimes in sierra leone human rights watch. Life and war in sierra leone in a novel, aminatta forna writes about the effects of sierra leone s civil war on the countrys women. Oct 25, 2012 the sierra leone civil war was the result of varied interactions between structural problems in sierra leone society which increased grievances among people and, accordingly, led to the emergence of the ruf. Sierra leones trc describes the violence during the civil war thus. Although the civil war of sierra leone did not officially begin until 1991, several events occurred in the.
The decadelong civil war in sierra leone formally ended in january 2002. After two years, with unicef help, he was removed from the army and placed in a rehabilitation home in freetown. It began in march 1991, as the revolutionary united front ruf attempted to. The january 1999 offensive against freetown marked the most intensive and concentrated period of human rights violations in sierra leone s eightyear civil war, said peter takirambudde. Jan 20, 2008 civil war crippled sierra leone between 1991 and 2002, forcing the displacement of half of the estimated 4. Jonathon torgovnik wrote about eight women that he interviewed after the war had ended in his book. Aug 07, 2015 sierra leones trc describes the violence during the civil war thus. The sierra leone civil war was the result of varied interactions between structural problems in sierra leone society which increased grievances among people and, accordingly, led to. Jun 21, 2017 eleanor massah is a civil war amputee in sierra leone and was 9 yrs old when she lost her leg in a landmine incident. A dirty war in west africa recounts lansana gberies harrowing experiences as a journalist during the decadelong civil war in sierra leone. War and the crisis of youth in sierra leone by krijn peters. Exchild soldiers literary bestseller is factually flawed. Sierra leones civil war internally displaced as many as 2 million people, or almost half the population, and forced almost another half. The amazing story of sierra leone, with jariatu sesay, by.
It became the second permanent african american settlement in africa, after freetown, sierra leone. Aug 31, 2016 a decade on, the guardian cast it as the last significant event in sierra leones long civil war, suggesting that it tied up all loose ends. She is a beneficiary of melqosh mission international rendering a heartfelt. It entails the history of sierra leone from its days as a slave harbor through to its founding as a home for free slaves, and toward its political. This civil war erupted because of the mounting dissatisfaction of the people, especially the youth that were engrossed by the rebellious revolutionary united front ruf, towards the politics of the country that. Sierra leones civil war internally displaced as many as 2 million people, or almost half the population, and forced almost another half million to seek refuge in neighboring countries 370,000 sierra leoneans fled to guinea and 120,000 to liberia. The causes of the sierra leone civil war einternational relations. A message from a blood diamond victim sierra leones civil. Since 1991, this west african nation has been brought to its. Reports emerged of indiscriminate amputations, abductions of women and children, recruitment of children as. A decade on, the guardian cast it as the last significant event in sierra leones long civil war, suggesting that it tied up all loose ends. Eleanor massah is a civil war amputee in sierra leone and was 9 yrs old when she lost her leg in a landmine incident.
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