Sierra Leone: Information
Stories: Chipping Granite
Common Phrases: Click Here
Requirements to Enter: Click Here
|
|
Current Status
Nine years of civil war ended in Sierra Leone in 1999. Before the war it was known as the “Jewel of West Africa”. Since the war, the nation now ranks as the very bottom of the United Nations Human Development Index. That makes Sierra Leone the poorest country in the entire world.
Statistics
Population - 5.1 million
Area - 72,325 sq km
Official Language - English.
Others - Krio, Mende and Temne
Currency - Leone.
Exchange rate- www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi
Economics
Average SL income is about $200 per person per year. Residents under age 18 comprise 50% of the population and 57% of the people live on less than $1.50 per day. The nation is well known for its fabulous diamond mines, many of them are alluvial. At one time the country produced 60% of the worlds diamonds, but the mineral wealth did not benefit the people.
The Freetown economy is driven by nongovernmental organizations (NGO’s). This has inflated the economy such that hotels and restaurants are expensive by western standards and a two-tier economy exists. This makes it an expensive country to visit. Labourers get paid $3 per day and the more skilled up to $6.
Overall Health Status
Infant mortality is high – 208/1000 compared with 8/1000 in USA – and life expectancy is only 37. Due to the nine- year civil war polio vaccinations were interrupted and many children contracted the disease. Also many were severely wounded from the war as soldiers cut off people’s limbs.
National History
Slave Trade
The slave trade in the 15th century forcibly abducted the population, taking them to Europe and America. When slavery was abolished in 1787, the freed slaves were resettled in Sierra Leone, which was named by the Portuguese, the first colonizers. In 1808 it became a British colony until independence in 1961. The All People’s Congress, led by President Siaka Stevens, maintained a one party stronghold on power for 25 years from 1967 to 1992.
Civil War
In 1991 a brutal civil war commenced. Rebel Groups from Liberia and Burkina Faso joined national rebel bands to form the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). Multi-party parliamentary and presidential elections were held in 1996 after four years of military rule.
The SL Peoples Party won the majority and Ahmad Kabbah, a UN official for 20 years, was elected President. The RUF, under Foday Sankoh, boycotted the elections and did not accept the result. They terrorised the population, killing, looting, burning homes, raping women and abducting children. They fought for control of the diamond mines and used the revenue to finance their military campaign. One of their most horrendous tactics was to cut off the arms or legs of any who opposed them. Many of the rebel soldiers were children who had been abducted and drugged and incited to commit these violent acts. In 1997 a military coup was led by Jonny Paul Koroma and his Armed Forces Revolutionary
Religion
There is freedom of religion. Religions compose: Traditional 48%, Muslim 40% and Christian 12% (Prot. 7%, Evang. 3% and Catholic 2%). Christian missionaries arrived over 200 years ago. The returning slaves brought their Christian faith with them and consequently Freetown has a strong Christian presence with churches of many denominations. A good number of these churches were destroyed during the civil war but the spirit of unity is growing among Christians.
Today Islamic influence is growing rapidly. The large offers of Saudi and Libyan aid, tied to conversion are causing many to adopt Islam. The government is taking the nation in that direction. The sounds of the Mullah’s calls to prayer are all over Freetown.
Much of the Christian church is vibrant and all night prayer meetings are not uncommon. There is a spiritual battle going on for this nation.
Council (ARFC). They suspended the Constitution and democratic institutions. The President and his government fled to Guinea.
An African peace keeping force was sent to re-establish law and order and legitimate government. Despite several agreements the fighting intensified in 1998 culminating in the invasion of Freetown in January 1999. Terrible atrocities were committed and most of the east side of the city was destroyed.
Refugees & Internally displaced people
Over the nine years of war many Sierra Leoneans fled to neighbouring countries or to safer regions such as the Freetown Peninsula. At least 500,000 became registered refugees and hundreds of thousands were displaced. It’s estimated that half the population were disrupted by war. Peace returned in 2002, and the UN concluded its role in restoring order. December of 2005 the UN pulled out and Sierra Leone officially regained control of the nation.
Peace Keeping and Peace Building
A peace agreement was signed in Lome, Togo, in June 1999. Both Muslim and Christian leaders participated in the process. The biggest UN Peacekeeping force in the world, 11,000 troops, was deployed to control rebel activity particularly in the North and East of the country. The Western area, around Freetown, was stabilized with a strong British military presence training and supporting the Sierra Leonean army and a 5,000 strong rapid reaction force offshore as a deterrent.
Programs were started to disarm ex-combatants and prepare them for life in a peaceful society. United Nations humanitarian agencies such as the World Food Program and UNICEF have extensive programs to help the displaced. However, it is the amazing faith and courage of the Sierra Leonean people themselves that is enabling them not just to survive, but to overcome the horrors of the past and rebuild their beautiful nation.
TODAY, the presence of foreign forces is greatly diminished. Peace and stability are returning allowing the continued influx of NGO’s and relief organizations to lend a hand in the rebuilding, healing and reconciliation process.
Other Useful References
Operation World - ref. book. How to pray for in each country
Lonely Planet - West Africa on a Shoestring
Time Zone - www.timeanddate.com/worldclock
Exchange rate - www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi