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Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone. Facts. Population: 5.7 million Median age: 19 years Capitol: Freetown Language: English, Krio (Creole language that comes from English), various African languages Religion: 60% Islam, 30% Christianity, 10% African Indigenous

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Sierra Leone

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  1. Sierra Leone

  2. Facts • Population: 5.7 million • Median age: 19 years • Capitol: Freetown • Language: English, Krio (Creole language that comes from English), various African languages • Religion: 60% Islam, 30% Christianity, 10% African Indigenous • Sierra Leone is known for its religions residing peacefully with each other

  3. The beginning of Civil War • Sierra Leone is rich in minerals, especially diamonds • The government had a long history of corruption, including pocketing money from diamonds and smuggling • Anyone who tried to take overthe government was tried fortreason and hung.

  4. Revolutionary United Front • The RUF wanted the government to share the wealth amongst the people from the diamond mines • Wanted free education and health care • Slogan: “No more Slaves, no more Masters. Power and Wealth to the People.” • The people of Sierra Leone originally believed the RUF would bring about positive change

  5. RUF Leaders Fodaysankoh Charles taylor • Was trained in military tactics in Libya and Liberia • Led the RUF • Wanted the government to give more money to the people • 22nd President of Liberia • Backed the RUF in order to keep other rebel groups from Liberia • Provided arms to the RUF in exchange for smuggled diamonds

  6. Sankoh and the RUF attacked eastern Sierra Leone in 1991, marking the start of the 11 year civil war • The government did not have the resources to fight off the RUF • Not a year after the RUF first attacked Sierra Leone, the army turned on the government and took over

  7. The RUF soon controlled most of the cash crops and the government diamond mines • Instead of giving the money from diamonds back to the people, Sankoh used the money to buy more arms • The people who originally supported the RUF soon began to question what the RUF stood for

  8. Presidential elections were held in 1996 • Alhaji Dr. Ahmed TejanKabbah won • The RUF would not recognize the results • In 1996, a UN Envoy tried to negotiate a peace treaty, but before one could be reached, the military joined forces with the RUF to take over the government in a joint junta • President Kabbah went into exile

  9. By 1998, the RUF had taken Freetown and had control of over half the country • Multiple attempts at peace and ceasefires had failed

  10. In 1999, the UN ordered 6,000 peacekeeping forces into Sierra Leone to help the government fight the RUF • By 2000, the UN led forces had increased to 13,000 • The RUF responded by kidnapping hundreds of UN peacekeepers and refusing to ceasefires

  11. By 2002, the UN army peacekeepers had unarmed over 75,000 soldiers from both sides and declared the war officially over • In 2004, the UN war crimes court began holding trials for leaders on both sides • In 2005, UN peacekeeping forces officially pulled out of Sierra Leone

  12. War Atrocities • The RUF is most known for the crimes committed against civilians and children

  13. Child Soldiers • 10,000 child soldiers are estimated to have participated in the war • Today, 2000 children are still soldiers in the army

  14. Children were often given drugs such as cocaine to make them numb to what they were doing • Initiations into the RUF included cutting the letters into the chest, killing prisoners, and raiding villages for supplies and more recruits

  15. The RUF was notorious for cutting off the limbs of civilians as a message to the government • They also forced prisoners to work in the diamond mines and in other slave like jobs

  16. Causalities of War • It is estimated anywhere between 150,000 and 200,000 people died in the war from various causes • More then half the country became homeless • 600,000 people became refugees • 200,000 women were raped • 1,000 civilians had one or more limbs amputated

  17. Present Day Sierra Leone • While much progress has been made, there is still a long way to go • The government still struggles with corruption based on the diamond trade • Only half of the population has access to clean water • Only 35% of the population is literate • 47% of males • 23% of females

  18. Conflict, or Blood, diamonds are still a source of controversy in the international community • The country has worked hard to reinstate schools, continue to fight HIV/AIDS and rehabilitate child soldiers • Most of its funding comes from international investors

  19. E-luminate • E-luminate is proud to be able to continue its mission of raising global awareness in American students and helping the education of others in Sierra Leone • We thank you for your interest in the program and for helping children reach their educational goals

  20. References • www.enotes.com/genocide-encyclopedia/sierra-leone • www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sl.html • www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/past/unamsil/background.html • Beah, Ishmael. (2007). A long way gone: Memoirs of a boy soldier. Sarah Crichton Books. New York. • www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting-programs/conflict/focus_areas/natural_resources.html • www.diamondboycott.com • www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2000/08/junger200008 • www.polarisimages.com/Polaris-News/archives/2007/07/yannis_kontos_w_4.html • Gberie, Lansana (2005). A dirty war in West Africa: the RUF and the destruction of Sierra Leone. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. • www.cocorioko.net

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