Politically, since independence in 1961, Sierra Leone has experienced ‘democratic’ elections, one-party rule, multi-party rule, military coups, and civil war. Financially, it was during the 1960’s & 1970’s that Sierra Leone was in its glory. The people were prospering, cities and towns were scattered with first class hotels and guest houses hosting multitudes of wealthy Europeans…beaches littered with tourists coming to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and warm hospitality …oh yes Sierra Leone was a treasure to behold…so much so that foreign exploitation of resources – particularly diamonds - lured many to this land in search of their fortunes. (Diamond exploitation did begin much earlier during British rule, was a primary factor in fuelling the civil war and continues today to be a major cause of government corruption) As usual with an abundance of wealth comes an abundance of corruption and Sierra Leone was no exception! The government and foreign ‘investors’ being the main perpetrators in it’s rapid decline from country of abundance to what the UN repeatedly listed as the ‘worst country’ in the world in which to live. In three short decades since independence, Sierra Leone found itself sunk into a bloody civil war that would last over a decade.
To summarize this country’s recent history into a few short lines is near impossible…years of corrupt government and mismanaged resources left the country ripe for rebel abuse. It is not in the scope of this writing to offer an extended overview, argument, or explanation of the 10 year long civil war…what I will offer is a brief account of general abuses, survival strategies, and Sierra Leone’s current situation.
Kailahun, in the far east of the country (Freetown – the capital – is in the extreme west) is where the rebels began their terrorizing – raping women, looting homes, threatening young & old, stealing young boys drugging them and teaching them how to kill - abuse of all sorts was rampant – little girls as ‘bush wives’, little boys as ‘child soldiers’, pregnant women having their stomachs sliced open, anyone at risk to have their hands and arms chopped off – your choice ‘short or long’ they would ask before they took a machete to you…this went on for over 10 years…in time they moved all over the countryside.
In the northern province in the city of Makeni (the poorest area in all of Sierra Leone) the rebels took over the military base where supplies and ammunition was in large supply…they terrorized without discretion first in the city then when they got bored they moved into the surrounding villages…as one friend tells me, “when the rebels came into the city they began destroying everything – we were staying my uncles home at the time…then my parents moved us to a village about 15km away – there we spent two weeks…when the rebels came into the villages my parents were smart and we moved out into the bush…we stayed there for one week then we got word it was okay for us to move to the capital (Freetown)…we walked for two weeks where our brothers met us at a bridge outside Freetown and brought us into the city where we stayed for a few weeks until we could return to our fathers house in the North, my uncles house had been completely destroyed”
They were some of the lucky ones…over 50 000 innocent people were killed during the war, many more lost limbs, and everyone was a victim. Nowhere in Sierra Leone was left untouched, buildings in the capital looted than burned, homes raided and used as slaughter houses, people beaten and killed in the streets, bombs dropped randomly in communities…it was every person for themselves, you could only pray to God that you and your family would survive and that this horror would end…then one day it did end…after 10 long years of civil war the terror ceased and the people rejoiced - grateful for their lives, troubled by the task of rebuilding.
But rebuild they have or at least it has begun…Sierra Leone is a very special place – abundant in beauty and natural resources…despite years of government abuse, poor living conditions, and a civil war Sierra Leonean's continue to smile, continue to laugh, they look to their future with hopeful glances, praying for good governance and proper management of their resources, desiring better education and a chance to use their skills...they want the world to recognized them again, not because of civil war and the abuse suffered, but for the promise that is held here in this little nation on the west coast of Africa – oh the potential! Sweet…Sweet…Sierra Leone.
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