History

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Sierra Leone is a small country in West Africa which shares its borders with Guinea and Liberia. It was a British colony until 1961 when it gained its independence. In 1991 the country descended into a devastating civil war. The conflict was extremely chaotic with various armed groups (both governmental and non-governmental), from different countries in the region (in particular from Liberia), ignoring peace agreements that had been signed. On several occasions the violence and danger proved so great that Handicap International’s expatriate personnel had to be evacuated.

At the end of eleven years of civil war the situation is extremely difficult. The figures show: 75,000 dead, 2 million people displaced, nearly 20,000 people mutilated including 5,000 with damage to their upper limbs and 80% of the country’s infrastructure destroyed.

Despite these grim statistics, today a certain calm has returned to the country. All child soldiers have been demobilised, the disarmament of the various factions is considered to be complete and most displaced people and refugees have returned to their towns and villages. Presidential and government elections took place in May 2002 with Doctor Tejan Kabbah, the instigator of the peace process, being re-elected with 68% of the vote. In 2004 the election of district representatives finalised the implementation of political and administrative institutions. Following its four-year mandate involving 15,000 troops, the UN peace-keeping force (UNAMSIL) withdrew definitively in June 2005. The situation in the region remains precarious however, given the political situations in Guinea Conakry and Ivory Coast.

Sierra Leone is an ethnic mosaic, made up of sixteen ethnic groups. The largest are the Mende, Temme and Limba. The most widely-spoken language is Krio, which is also the name given to the descendents of freed slaves. Although the Krio are few in number they are well-represented in government offices and hold key positions. Due to its colonial past many people understand English, especially in Freetown, the countries capital. There is an influential Lebanese minority suffered heavy losses at the start of the conflict and currently runs the country’s main trade sectors.

The two main religions in the country are Christianity and Islam (the majority religion) but animism still has a strong influence. There are also a large number of churches and religious groups in the country which can be defined as sects.

Sierra Leone is rich in natural resources (diamonds, gold, minerals etc.) with a coastline of endless white sandy beaches, a wide variety of flora and fauna and considerable agricultural potential (rice, coffee, cocoa etc.). Despite these natural riches however, according to the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Sierra Leone is among the poorest countries in the world. With life expectancy of just 41 years and a higher infant mortality rate than any other country, this poverty runs far deeper than income alone.

In terms of security, a deal of prudence is still necessary. Sierra Leone is a devastated country with its infrastructure still being rebuilt and an administration still being organised. 2007 will be marked by two major events: the presidential and governmental elections in July and the trial of Charles Taylor, the former Liberian president, indicted for his role in Sierra Leone's civil war. It is hoped that progress and healing can be made from these two key events that may help the country move beyond its troubled past.