Usman Nyallay, Grade 11
UWCEA Arusha Campus
The tragic civil war which started in Sierra Leone on the 23rd march 1991 is one which stands as the deadliest war in west Africa. This disastrous event was pioneered by a group called the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) headed by a certain man called Foday Sankoh whom was aided by the then rebel president of Liberia Charles Taylor and his rebel group the National patriotic front of Liberia (NPFL).
This war started as a result of the longstanding dictatorship and corruption by the then government and also the selfish aim of some people who Wanted to exploit the wealth of the country. The RUF was influenced politically by orthodox Marxism, radical pan Africanism and the populism of the green book of col Gaddafi and some foundation cadres trained in Libya amongst which was Foday Sankoh.
The war first broke out in Kailahun, the eastern region of the country before extending to other parts of the country. Within the first year of the civil war the RUF were able to seize the mining areas of the country especially the district of kono where most of the country’s diamonds come from and hence, they used the diamonds to acquire armunition.
It was originally supposed to be a peaceful and violence free course but it was changed into something that Sierra Leoneans don’t wish to even experience something similar to it.
These 11 years of war devastated the country leading to indiscriminate murders, rape, extortion, displacement of the country population and a lot more.
In 1992 the ruling government was These 11 years of war later over thrown by a military coup headed by captain valentine E.M. Strasser as he said president joseph Momoh could not resuscitate the economy, provide employment and battle the rebels but his coup (NPRC) did not last in power for long and they gave power back to civilian rule as Sierra Leone is a democratic country and cannot be ruled by the military.
Due to the fact that the RUF was heavily armed and also had international allies the country’s military force could not withstand their fire power and as such in 1993, the Economic Community of West African State Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) sent mostly Nigerian troops to fight and they assisted the Sierra Leone armed forces in recapturing the diamond districts and pushing the RUF to the Sierra Leone – Liberia border. By the end of the year 1993, many observers through out the world thought the war had ended because the RUF had ceased most of their military operations. Yet what started as a civil war transpired into an international one with affiliations like that of Libya, Burkina Faso and Liberia (under the rule of Charles Taylor) all involving in supporting the RUF.
After interventions by the international community with the British soldiers coming to assist in the war, it was later brought to an end in 2002 and people like Charles Taylor, Foday Sankoh and others were jailed for their involvement in the 11 years civil war.
These dark days and horrible nights of 11 years of war left the country destabilised, destroying the infrastructure, displacement of the people and more which I cannot say.
Personally, after research and understanding the history behind this war it hurts so much to know that the reasons for which this disaster happened still thrives in the day-to-day governments of our country.
CREDITS
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url/=https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/resrep05512.5.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjFssfQpbf5AhVIxoUK...
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/sierra-leone-civil-war-1991-2002/&ved=2ahUKEwi...
This war started as a result of the longstanding dictatorship and corruption by the then government and also the selfish aim of some people who Wanted to exploit the wealth of the country. The RUF was influenced politically by orthodox Marxism, radical pan Africanism and the populism of the green book of col Gaddafi and some foundation cadres trained in Libya amongst which was Foday Sankoh.
The war first broke out in Kailahun, the eastern region of the country before extending to other parts of the country. Within the first year of the civil war the RUF were able to seize the mining areas of the country especially the district of kono where most of the country’s diamonds come from and hence, they used the diamonds to acquire armunition.
It was originally supposed to be a peaceful and violence free course but it was changed into something that Sierra Leoneans don’t wish to even experience something similar to it.
These 11 years of war devastated the country leading to indiscriminate murders, rape, extortion, displacement of the country population and a lot more.
In 1992 the ruling government was These 11 years of war later over thrown by a military coup headed by captain valentine E.M. Strasser as he said president joseph Momoh could not resuscitate the economy, provide employment and battle the rebels but his coup (NPRC) did not last in power for long and they gave power back to civilian rule as Sierra Leone is a democratic country and cannot be ruled by the military.
Due to the fact that the RUF was heavily armed and also had international allies the country’s military force could not withstand their fire power and as such in 1993, the Economic Community of West African State Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) sent mostly Nigerian troops to fight and they assisted the Sierra Leone armed forces in recapturing the diamond districts and pushing the RUF to the Sierra Leone – Liberia border. By the end of the year 1993, many observers through out the world thought the war had ended because the RUF had ceased most of their military operations. Yet what started as a civil war transpired into an international one with affiliations like that of Libya, Burkina Faso and Liberia (under the rule of Charles Taylor) all involving in supporting the RUF.
After interventions by the international community with the British soldiers coming to assist in the war, it was later brought to an end in 2002 and people like Charles Taylor, Foday Sankoh and others were jailed for their involvement in the 11 years civil war.
These dark days and horrible nights of 11 years of war left the country destabilised, destroying the infrastructure, displacement of the people and more which I cannot say.
Personally, after research and understanding the history behind this war it hurts so much to know that the reasons for which this disaster happened still thrives in the day-to-day governments of our country.
CREDITS
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url/=https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/resrep05512.5.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjFssfQpbf5AhVIxoUK...
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/sierra-leone-civil-war-1991-2002/&ved=2ahUKEwi...
www.unitedworldwide.co