'Sierra Leone', officially the 'Republic of Sierra Leone', is a country in
West Africa. It is bordered by
Guinea on the north and
Liberia on the south, with the
Atlantic Ocean on the west. The name Sierra Leone was adapted from the
Portuguese name for the country: ''Serra Leoa'', literally "Lion Mountain Range". During the 18th century Sierra Leone was an important center of the transatlantic trade in
enslaved Africans. The capital
Freetown was founded in 1787 by the
Sierra Leone Company as a home for
enslaved Africans who had fought for the
British in the
American War of Independence. In 1808, Freetown became a
British Crown Colony, and in 1896, the interior of the country became a British
Protectorate. The Crown Colony and Protectorate joined and gained
independence in 1961. From 1991 to 2002, Sierra Leone suffered greatly under the devastating effects of
rebel activities, which were stopped by
UN and
British forces disarming 17,000 militia and rebels. Sierra Leone has been at peace since 2002.
[1]
History
Main articles: History of Sierra Leone
Early history
Archaeological findings show that Sierra Leone has been inhabited for thousands of years. Traditional
historiography has customarily presented it as peopled by successive waves of invaders; but the language pattern suggests that the coastal Bulom (
Sherbro),
Temne, and
Limba have been in continuous settled occupation for a long time, with subsequent sporadic immigration from inland by
Mande-speaking peoples, including
Vai,
Loko, and
Mende. They organized themselves in small political units—independent kingdoms or chiefdoms — whose rulers' powers were checked by councils. Secret societies, notably the
Poro secret society, also exercised political power as well as instructing initiates in the customs of the country.
Portuguese voyagers gave the name Serra Lyoa (Lion Mountains), later changed to Sierra Leone by the
British. From the 15th century onward, European traders congregated near the site of present-day Freetown, under the protection of African rulers, who welcomed them for the commercial opportunities they provided, exchanging imported manufactured goods for ivory and slaves to be employed across the Atlantic.
After the
Treaty of Utrecht (1713) ended the
War of the Spanish Succession (1701 - 1714), Spain ceded
Gibraltar and
Minorca to the British. In an additional clause, the
Asiento, Britain was granted the exclusive rights over the sea-transport of enslaved Africans to North America and the Caribbean Islands.
Queen Anne's government (1702 – 1714) sold the exclusive rights to the
South Sea Company for £7 million to cover the costs of its participation in the Spanish Succession War, and to compensate the forces of
John Churchill of Marlborough.
Map of Sierra Leone showing the capital Freetown
During the
American Revolutionary War (1775–83) enslaved Africans were promised freedom if they sided with the British and many did. A group of freed slaves known as the
Black Poor, supported by a charity called the
Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor, arrived in Sierra Leone from
England in
1787 to form a settlement. The ones who finished the voyage and arrived at the Sierra Leone Peninsula bought land from local
Temne leaders and established the Province of Freedom near present-day
Freetown. Many of the settlers died of disease in the first year. A renewed attempt at settlement was made in
1792, when about 1,100 freed slaves under the leadership of
John Clarkson, brother of
abolitionist Thomas Clarkson, landed on the Sierra Leone peninsula and founded Freetown. They were joined by about 500 freed slaves from
Jamaica in 1800. These settlers were English-speaking, and many were
literate and
Christian. The new colony was controlled by the Sierra Leone Company, which forcefully held off the Temne while the settlers supported themselves by farming.
Muslim traders brought
Islam, which became firmly established in the
Northern Province and subsequently spread throughout the rest of the country.
In
1807, Great Britain passed the
Slave Trade Act 1807, outlawing the trade of enslaved Africans, but not slavery itself. In early
1808 the
British government took over Freetown from the financially troubled company, using it as a naval base for fighting the traffic in slaves. The British government, which had profited most from the
transatlantic trade in captured Africans, now undertook a key role in the suppression of the trade.
Between 1808 and 1864 approximately 50,000 liberated Africans settled at
Freetown. Protestant missionaries were active there, and in 1827 they founded
Fourah Bay College, where Sierra Leoneans were educated and became active as
missionaries,
traders, and
civil servants along the Sierra Leone coast and on
Sherbro Island as well as in other regions in West Africa, especially among the
Yoruba people.
The Colonial Era
During the periods 1821 to 1827, 1843 to 1850, and 1866 to 1874, British holdings on the
Gold Coast (now
Ghana) were placed under the governor of Sierra Leone. In 1863 an advisory legislative council was established in Sierra Leone. The British were reluctant to assume added responsibility by increasing the size of the colony, but in 1896 the interior was proclaimed a British protectorate, mainly in order to forestall
French ambitions in the region, and the Colony and Protectorate of Sierra Leone was established.
Bai Bureh
The protectorate was ruled “indirectly” (i.e., through the rulers of the numerous small states, rather than by creating an entirely new administrative structure) and a hut tax was imposed in 1898 to pay for administrative costs. The Africans protested the tax in 1898 and fought the British in a war later became known as the
Hut Tax War of 1898. The uprisings, led in the north by
Bai Bureh and in the south by
Kai Londo, started on
27 April 1896 and lasted over two years. The Sandé and
Poro secret societies played a great role in mobilizing resistance to the British.
Under the British, little economic development was undertaken in the protectorate until the 1950s, although a railroad was built and the production for export of palm products and peanuts was encouraged.
After
World War II, Africans were given more political responsibility, and educational opportunities were enlarged. In the economic sphere, mining (especially of
diamonds and iron ore) increased greatly. The Creoles of the colony, who had been largely excluded from higher government posts in favor of the British, sought a larger voice in the affairs of Sierra Leone. A constitution adopted in 1951 gave additional power to Africans. However, the Creoles were a small minority in the combined colony and protectorate, and in the elections of 1951 the protectorate-based
Sierra Leone People's Party(SLPP), led by
Sir Milton Augustus Margai (a
Mende), emerged victorious.
An independent nation
Sir Milton Margai
On
April 27 1961,
Sir Milton Margai led Sierra Leone to independence from the
United Kingdom; and became the nation's first
Prime minister. He died three years later in 1964. Sir Milton Margai's
Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) named his brother
Sir Albert Margai to succeed him. On April 29, 1964, Sir Albert Margai was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Sierra Leone.
Albert Margai was highly criticized during his three year reign as prime minister; he was accused of
corruption and of a policy of
affirmative action in favor of the
Mende tribe. In a closely contested general elections in March 1967, Sierra Leone Governor General
Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston declared
Siaka Stevens, candidate of the
All People's Congress (APC) and
Mayor of Freetown as the new Prime Minister of Sierra Leone. However, a
military coup led by
Brigadier David Lansana ousted Stevens within a few hours after he took office. Lansana insisted the determination of office should await the election of the tribal representatives to the house.
On
March 23,
1968, a group of senior military officers, led by
Brigadier Andrew Juxon-Smith, overrode this action by seizing control of the government, arresting Brigadier Lansana, and suspended the constitution. The group constituted itself as the
National Reformation Council (NRC) with brigadier Andrew Juxon Smith as its chairman.
On April
1968, the NRC was overthrown by a group of junior military officers who called themselves the Anti-Corruption Revolutionary Movement (ACRM), led by
Brigadier John Amadu Bangura. The ACRM imprisoned NRC members, restored the constitution, returned the nation to parliamentary government, and reinstated Siaka Stevens as prime minister. The following years were marked by considerable
unrest, caused by
ethnic and
army disaffection with the central government.
On
April 19,
1971 Parliament declared Sierra Leone to be a
republic. Siaka Stevens, then prime minister, became the nation's first president.
Guinean troops requested by Stevens to support his government were in the country from 1971 to 1973. Parliamentary elections were held in 1973; Stevens' APC party won 74 seats and the opposition SLPP party won 15 seats in parliament. An
alleged plot to overthrow Stevens failed in July 1974. The leaders of the unsuccessful Coup were tried and
executed, and in March 1976, he was elected without opposition for a second five-year term as president. In 1978, a new constitution was adopted, creating a
one-party state; The 1978
constitution made the APC the only legal
political party in Sierra Leone.
Siaka Probyn Stevens, who had been President of Sierra Leone for fourteen years, retired from that position in November 1985, although he continued his role as chairman of the ruling APC party. In August
1985, the APC named commander of the Republic of Sierra Leone military forces,
Major General Joseph Saidu Momoh, Stevens' own choice, as the party candidate to succeed him. Momoh was elected President in a one-party
referendum on
October 1, 1985. A formal
inauguration was held in January 1986, and new parliamentary elections were held in May
1986. Following an
alleged attempt to overthrow president Momoh in March
1987, more than 60 senior government officials were arrested, including
Vice-President Francis Minah, who was removed from office and was
executed by
hanging in
1989, along with five others after being
convicted for allegedly plotting the 1987 coup.
In October 1990, President Momoh set up a constitutional review commission to review the 1978 one-party constitution with a view to broadening the existing political process, guaranteeing fundamental
human rights and the rule of law, and strengthening and consolidating the democratic foundation and structure of the nation. The commission, in its report presented January 1991, recommended re-establishment of a multi-party system of government. Based on that recommendation, a constitution was approved by Parliament in July 1991 and
ratified in September; it became effective on
October 1,
1991.
Civil war
Main articles: Sierra Leone Civil War
The outbreak of
corruption within the government, and mismanagement of
diamond exports are the main reasons civil war broke out in Sierra Leone. With the breakdown of all state structures, complemented by the effective suppression of all civilian opposition, wide corridors of Sierra Leonean society were opened up to the trafficking of arms and ammunitions. Drugs also eroded national and regional security as well as facilitating
crime within the country.
In addition to these internal tensions, the brutal civil war going on in neighbouring Liberia played an undeniable role in the actual outbreak of fighting in Sierra Leone.
Charles Taylor, the then leader of the
National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) reportedly helped form the
Revolutionary United Front (RUF) under former Sierra Leone army
corporal,
Foday Sankoh. Sankoh met Taylor in
Libya in the 1980s, during guerrilla training, and the two men quickly established a relationship. In return for helping Sankoh, Taylor was rewarded with
diamonds from Sierra Leone.
On
March 23 1991, The RUF, led by Foday Sankoh and backed by Charles Taylor, crossed from Liberia and attacked
villages in the
Kailahun District, in the
Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leone government was unable to put up significant resistance. Within a month, the RUF controlled much of the Eastern Province. The rebels were quick to demonstrate their brutality against the civilian population; the forced recruitment of
child soldiers was also an early feature of the rebels.
On
April 29,
1992, a group of young military officers led by a 25-year old
Captain,
Valentine Strasser, apparently frustrated by the government's failure to deal with rebels, launched a
military coup, which sent president Momoh into
exile in
Guinea and they established the
National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) with fellow NPRC member
Colonel Yahya Kanu as its chairman. Kanu was
assassinated by his fellow NPRC colleagues shortly after he took office, who accused him of trying to negotiate with the toppled APC government lead by Joseph Saidu Momoh. Valentine Strasser eventually took over as the chairman of the NPRC and self proclaimed president of Sierra Leone.
Sergeant Solomon Musa, a close friend of Strasser became the vice chairman of the NPRC. On
May 2, Valentine Strasser arrested two senior officers under the APC Administration, after they were accused of organizing a counter coup against him;
Major K. M. S. Dumbuya and
Bambay Kamara, Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police Forces under the Mommoh Administration. They were held at the Pademba Road prison in Freetown, and the two were allegedly executed under the command of NPRC vice chairman
Sergeant Solomon Musa.
The NPRC proved to be nearly as ineffectual as the Momoh government in repelling the RUF. More and more of the country fell to RUF fighters, so that by 1995 they held much of the countryside and were on the doorsteps of the national capital
Freetown. To retrieve the situation, NPRC hired several hundred mercenaries from the private firm
Executive Outcomes. Within a month they had driven RUF fighters back to enclaves along Sierra Leone’s borders. On January 17, 1996, after nearly four years in power, President Strasser was ousted in a coup led by his
minister of defence,
Brigadier General Julius Maada Bio.
Promises of a return to civilian rule were fulfilled by Bio, who handed power over to
Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of the Sierra Leone People's party (SLPP) in 1996, after he had defeated
John Karefa-Smart of the
United National People's Party (UNPP) in the second round of the 1996 presidential election. Kabbah's government reached a cease-fire in the war with former
Corporal Foday Sankoh-led,
Revolutionary United Front (RUF), which had launched its first attacks in 1991; rebel terror attacks continued, however, apparently aided by
Liberia.
On
May 25,
1997, a group of military officers lead by
Major General Johnny Paul Koroma overthrew president Kabbah. They established the
Armed Forces Revolutionary Council(AFRC) with Major General Johnny Paul Koroma as its leader. Koroma suspended the
constitution; banned
demonstrations; abolished
political parties; shut down all of the country's private radio stations; and invited the
RUF to join the government.
The United Nations imposed
sanctions against the military government in October 1997, and the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sent in its forces led by
Nigeria. Clashes between the rebels and Ecowas troops followed in the capital, forcing 12,000 Freetown residents to flee the capital. In February, 1998 Ecowas troops drove the rebels out of Freetown, and president Kabbah was returned to office on
March 10,
1998. However, rebel forces remained firmly in control of the
Northern Province, the Kono diamond field, and areas along the Liberian border.
In January, 1999 Over 6,000 people were killed in fighting between Ecowas troops and the rebels in the Western Area. In March, Nigeria announced it would withdraw its forces by May. A peace accord was signed in July between President Kabbah and Foday Sankoh, leader of the RUF. The agreement granted the rebels seats in a new government and forces a general amnesty from prosecution. The government had largely ceased functioning effectively, however, and at least half of its territory remained under rebel control.
In October, the
United Nations agreed to send peacekeepers to help restore order and disarm the rebels. The first of the 6,000-member force began arriving in December, and the Security Council voted in February, 2000, to increase the UN forces to 11,000 (and subsequently to 13,000). In May, when nearly all Nigerian forces had left and UN forces were attempting to disarm the RUF in the
Eastern province, Sankoh's forces clashed with the UN troops, and some 500 peacekeepers were taken hostage as the peace accord effectively collapsed.
An 800-member British force entered the country to secure Western Freetown and evacuate
Europeans; some also acted in support of the forces fighting the RUF, including Koroma's AFRC group. After Sankoh was captured in Freetown, the hostages were gradually released by the RUF, but clashes between the UN forces and the RUF continued, and in July the
West Side Boys — part of the AFRC — clashed with the peacekeepers. In the same month the
UN Security Council placed a ban on the sale of rough
diamonds from Sierra Leone in an attempt to undermine the funding of the RUF. In late August, senior RUF
commander Sam Bockarie became head of the RUF; also, British troops training the Sierra Leone army were taken hostage by the West Side Boys, but were freed by a British raid,
Operation Barras, in September (described in "Operation Certain Death" by Damien Lewis).
General elections scheduled for early 2001 were postponed, due to the insecurity caused by the civil war. In May, 2001, sanctions were imposed on
Liberia because of its support for the
rebels, and UN peacekeepers began to make headway in disarming the various factions. Although disarmament of rebel and progovernment militias proceeded slowly and fighting continued to occur.
End of civil war
In January, 2002, most of the estimated 45,000 fighters had surrendered their weapons. As
disarmament progressed, the government began to re-assert its authority in formerly rebel-held areas. By early 2002, most of the ex-combatants were disarmed and demobilized, although many still awaited re-integration assistance. In a
ceremony on 18 January 2002, President Kabbah declared the civil war officially over. An estimated 50,000 people had been killed; a further 500,000 people had been displaced in neighbouring countries; and thousands of people had had their arms or legs hacked off by rebels.
Post civil war
Presidential and parliamentary elections were finally held in May, 2002. President Kabbah was re-elected, gaining 70% of the vote, and his
Sierra Leone People's Party won a majority of the parliamentary seats.
The Sierra Leone government asked the
United Nations to help set up a Special Court for Sierra Leone, which would try those who "bear the greatest responsibility for the commission of
war crimes, and
crime against humanity, during the civil war. On
January 16,
2002, the UN and the Government of Sierra Leone signed an agreement establishing the Court in the national capital, Freetown.
In
March 2003 the Special Court for Sierra Leone issued its first
indictments. Foday Sankoh, already in
custody, was indicted, along with notorious RUF field commander Sam "Mosquito" Bockarie, Johnny Paul Koroma, leader of the AFRC, and
Samuel Hinga Norman, the Minister of Interior and former head of the
Civil Defense Forces (commonly known as the
Kamajors), and among several others. Norman was arrested when the indictments were announced, while Bockarie and Koroma remained in hiding. On May 5, 2003 Bockarie was killed in Liberia, allegedly on orders from President Charles Taylor, who feared Bockarie’s testimony before the Special Court. Johnny Paul Koroma was also rumored to have been killed, though his death remains unconfirmed. Two of the accused, Foday Sankoh and Hinga Norman, have died while
incarcerated. On March 25, 2006, with the election of Liberian President
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Nigerian President
Olusegun Obasanjo permitted transfer of Charles Taylor, who had been living in
exile in the Nigerian coastal town of Calabar, to Sierra Leone for
prosecution. Two days later, Taylor attempted to flee Nigeria, but he was apprehended by Nigerian authorities and transferred to Freetown under UN guard. Taylor is now being held in The Hague, where he awaits trial before the Special Court on 11 indictments of war crimes and crimes against humanity. His trial began in June 2007 but was rescheduled for August 2007 to give his defense team more time to prepare.
In June 2007, the Special Court convicted three former leaders of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council; Alex Tamba Brima, Brima Bazzy Kamara, and Santigie Borbor Kanu of crimes against humanity.
[2]
Government and politics
Sierra Leone is a
constitutional republic with a
directly elected president and a
unicameral legislature. The current system of government in Sierra Leone, established under the
1991 Constitution, is modeled on the following structure of government:
★ The
Legislature
★ The
Executive
★ The
Judiciary
Within the confines of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, supreme legislative powers are vested in
Parliament, which is the law making body of the nation. Supreme executive authority rests in the President and members of his cabinet and judicial power with the judiciary of which the
Chief Justice is head.
The President is the
head of state, the
head of government and the
commander-in-chief of the
The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. The president appoints and heads a cabinet of ministers (including the vice president), which must be approved by the
Parliament of Sierra Leone . The president is elected by
popular vote to a maximum of two five-year terms. The president power is checked by the parliament of Sierra Leone. To be elected president of Sierra Leone, a candidate must gain at least 55 percent of the vote. If no candidate gets the 55 percent requirement, there will be a
second-round runoff between the top two candidates with the most votes in the first round. For qualification to be elected President of Sierra Leone, the person must be a natural born citizen of Sierra Leone; Should have attained the age of 40 years; should be a member of a political party; and Should be able to speak and read the English language. The current president of Sierra Leone is
Alhaji Ahmad Tejan
Kabbah.
[3]
The last parliamentary and presidential elections were held on August 11, 2007. The main opposition party the
All People's Congress (APC) candidate,
Ernest Bai Koroma, took 44% of the vote, and the ruling
Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) candidate and Vice-President
Solomon Berewa, polled 38%. Second round run-off election will be held on September 8, 2007, between the main opposition party candidate Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People's Congress (APC) and the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) candidate and vice president Solomon Berewa.
The
Parliament of Sierra Leone is
unicameral, with 124 seats. 112 members are elected concurrently with the presidential elections; the other twelve seats are filled by
Paramount chief from each of the country's twelve
administrative districts. All members serve five-year terms. The most recent parliamentary elections were held on August 11 2007. Sierra Leone's opposition party, the
All People's Congress (APC), won 59 of the 112 parliamentary seats, defeating the governing
Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP).
The Judiciary Section 120(1) of the Constitution states that the judicial power of Sierra Leone shall be vested in the judiciary. The judiciary of Sierra Leone, headed by the
Chief Justice comprises the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the High Court. These constitute the Superior Court of Jurisdiction. The inferior courts comprise the Magistrates courts and the Local courts. The Magistrates Courts exist in each district. Local courts administer
customary law. The president appoints and parliament approves justices for the three courts.
Local Government elections were held in 2004 (for the first time since 1972), electing 456 councillors sitting in nineteen local councils.
Administrative divisions
Main articles: Provinces of Sierra Leone,
Districts of Sierra Leone
The Republic of Sierra Leone is composed of three provinces and one area; the provinces are further divided into twelve districts.
| District | capital | Area km² | Province |
|---|
| Bombali | Makeni | 7,895 | Northern Province |
| Tonkolili | Magburaka | 7,003 | Northern Province |
| Koinadugu | Kabala | 12,121 | Northern Province |
| Port Loko | Port Loko | 5,719 | Northern Province |
| Kambia | Kambia | 3,108 | Northern Province |
| Kenema | Kenema | 6,053 | Eastern Province |
| Kono | Koidu Town | 5,641 | Eastern Province |
| Kaihalun | Kailahun | 3,859 | Eastern Province |
| Bo | Bo | 7,003 | Southern Province |
| Bonthe | Bonthe | 3,468 | Southern Province |
| Moyamba | Moyamba | 6,902 | Southern Province |
| Pujehun | Pujehun | 4,105 | Southern Province |
'Western area'
★ comprises
Freetown, the nation's
capital, and its surrounding
countryside. It covers an area of 557 km²
Major cities by population
Freetown, the capital and largest city is the leading commercial, educational and cultural center of the country. Bo is the
second city, followed by Kenema, Koidu Town and Makeni. Other major cities include
Magburaka,
Kailahun,
Port Loko,
Waterloo,
Kabala,
Bonthe and
Kambia.
Foreign relations
Sierra Leone has maintained cordial relations with the west, in particular with the
United Kingdom. Sierra Leone also maintains diplomatic relations with
China,
Libya,
Iran, and
Cuba. Former President of Sierra Leone
Siaka Stevens' government had sought closer relations with other
West African countries under the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The present government is continuing this effort.
Sierra Leone is a member of the
United Nations and its specialized agencies, the
Commonwealth, the
African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the
African Development Bank (AFDB), the
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and the
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Sierra Leone, along with
Liberia, and
Guinea formed the Manor River Union (MRU). The Manor River Union is primarily designed to implement development project and promote regional economic integration between the three nations.
Sierra Leone is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98).
The government maintains 16 embassies/high commissioners across the world.
Geography and climate
Main articles: Geography of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is located on the west coast of Africa, north of the
equator. With a land area of 71,740 square kilometers (27,699 square miles). Sierra Leone is bordered by
Guinea to the north and northeast,
Liberia to the south and southeast, and the
Atlantic Ocean to the west.
There are a wide variety of
ecological and agricultural zones to which people have adapted. Starting in the
west, Sierra Leone has some 400 kilometers (250 miles) of
coastline, giving it both bountiful marine resources and attractive
tourist potential. This is followed by low-lying mangrove swamps, rain-forested plains and farmland, and finally a mountainous plateau in the east, where Mount Bintumani rises to 1,948 meters (6,390 ft). The
climate is
tropical, with two seasons determining the agricultural cycle: the
rainy season from May to November, followed by the
dry season from December to May, which includes
harmattan, when cool, dry winds blow in off the
Sahara Desert. The national capital
Freetown sits on a coastal
peninsula, situated next to the Sierra Leone Harbor, the world's third largest natural harbor. This prime location historically made Sierra Leone the center of trade and colonial administration in the region.
Economy
Main articles: Economy of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is emerging from a protracted civil war and is showing signs of a successful transition. Investor and consumer confidence continue to rise, adding impetus to the country’s economic recovery. In addition to this there is greater freedom of movement and the successful rehabilitation and resettlement of residential areas. In 2001, Sierra Leone attracted US$4 million in foreign direct investment. The country has also enjoyed an improvement in the terms of trade as a result of the lower of international
petroleum prices.
Rich in minerals, Sierra Leone has relied on the mining sector in general, and
diamonds in particular, for its economic base. In the 1970s and early 1980s, economic growth rate slowed because of a decline in the mining sector and increasing corruption among government officials. By the 1990s economic activity was declining and economic infrastructure had become seriously degraded. Over the next decade much of Sierra Leone’s formal economy was destroyed in the country’s civil war. Since the cessation of hostilities in January 2002, massive infusions of outside assistance have helped Sierra Leone begin to recover. Much of Sierra Leone’s recovery will depend on the success of the Government of Sierra Leone efforts to limit official
corruption, which many feel was the chief culprit for the country’s descent into civil war. A key indicator of success will be the effectiveness of government management of its diamond sector.
About two-thirds of the population engages in
subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 52.5% of national income. The government is trying to increase food and cash crop production and upgrade small farmer skills. Also, the government works with several foreign donors to operate integrated rural development and agricultural projects.
Mineral exports remain Sierra Leone's principal foreign exchange earner. Sierra Leone is a major producer of gem-quality diamonds. Though rich in this resource, the country has historically struggled to manage its exploitation and
export. Annual production estimates range between $250-300 million. However, not all of that passes through formal export channels, although formal exports have dramatically improved since the days of civil war. The balance is
smuggled, where it is possibly used for money
laundering or financing illicit activities. Efforts to improve the management of the export trade have met with some success. In
October 2000, a UN-approved export certification system for exporting diamonds from Sierra Leone was put into place that led to a dramatic increase in legal exports. In
2001, the Government of Sierra Leone created a mining community development fund, which returns a portion of diamond export taxes to diamond mining communities. The fund was created to raise local communities' stake in the legal diamond trade.
Sierra Leone has one of the world's largest deposits of
rutile, a
titanium ore used as paint pigment and welding rod coatings. Sierra Rutile Limited, owned by a consortium of
United States and European investors, began commercial mining operations near the city of
Bonthe, in the Southern Province, in early
1979. Sierra Rutile was then the largest nonpetroleum United States investment in West Africa. The export of 88,000 tons realized $75 million in export earnings in 1990. The company and the Government of Sierra Leone concluded a new agreement on the terms of the company's concession in Sierra Leone in 1990. Rutile and
bauxite mining operations were suspended when rebels invaded the mining sites in
1995, but exports resumed in
2005.
Despite its successes and development, the Sierra Leone economy still faces some significant challenges. There is a high rate of unemployment particularly among the youth and ex-combatants. Authorities have been slow to implement reforms in the civil service and the pace of the privatisation programme is also slacking and donors have urged its advancement.
Currency
Sierra Leone’s
currency is the
Leone. The
central bank of the country is the
Bank of Sierra Leone which is located in the capital, Freetown. The bank is run by the bank Governor and directors. This Governor is Dr. James D Rogers. The central Bank objectives include:
★ promotion of monetary stability and sound financial structure
★ maintenance of the internal and external values of the Leone
★ promotion of credit and exchange conditions
★ issuance and distribution of notes and currency in the country
★ conducive to balanced economy growth
★ formulation and implementation of monetary policy
★ banker and advisor to the Government in financial and economic matters
★ management of domestic and foreign debt
★ acting as custodian of the country’s reserve approved foreign exchange
★ acting as banker to the Commercial Banks
★ supervision and regulation of activities of commercial banks and other financial institutions
★ administration of the operations of structural adjustment programmes where the bank has specific responsibilities
★ diamond certification
the Bank of Sierra Leone is a 100 percent state-owned corporate body.
Sierra Leone operates a floating exchange rate system and foreign currencies can be exchanged at any of the commercial banks, recognised foreign exchange
bureaux and most hotels.
Credit Card use is limited in Sierra Leone, though they may be utilised at some hotels and restaurants, for which visitors should check in advance with local managements. Sierra Leone does not have internationally linked
ATM machines.
Travellers Cheques may be utilised at major hotels or cashed at banks and at a few limited shop outlets.
Currency Exchange: It is important that Sierra Leone exchange regulations be observed. For example, it is illegal to exchange money with unlicensed money dealers. All transactions may only made at banks or recognised foreign exchange bureaux.
Demographics
The population of Sierra Leone is estimated to be just over six million, the majority being
youth. Freetown, the capital and largest city is the leading commercial, educational and cultural center of the country. Bo is the
second city. Other major cities include Kenema, Koidu, and Makeni.
Although
English is the
official language spoken at schools and government administration ,
Krio (language derived from English and several African languages and is native to the The
Sierra Leone Krio people) is widely spoken throughout the country. The Krio Language unites all the different ethnic groups, especially in their trade and interaction with each other.
Ethnicity
The population of Sierra Leone comprises about sixteen ethnic groups; each with its own language and customs, the two largest of these being the
Mende and
Temne, each comprises 30% of the country's population
[4]. The Mende predominate in the Southern Province, the Temne likewise to the Northern Province. The third largest ethnic group is the
Limba, representing about 10% of the population. Like the Temne, the Limba primarily live in the Northern Province. The fourth largest ethnic group is the
Kono, comprises 6.8% of the population. The Kono are mostly found in the diamond-rich
Kono District in the
Eastern Province of the country. The
Krio (descendants of freed slaves from the
West Indies,
North America, and Britain landed in Freetown between
1787 and about
1855) make up 3% of the population but their language is widely spoken throughout the Country. Other minority ethnic groups in the country are the
Sherbro,
Mandingo,
Loko,
Kissi,
Kuranko,
Fula,
Susu,
Yalunka Vai and
Sierra Leonean-Lebanese ( descendants of
Lebanese settlers who came to Sierra Leone during the late
nineteenth century) Sierra Leonean-Lebanese constitute 1.14% of Sierra Leone's population. Sierra Leone-Lebanese community live primarily in the major cities, particularly in Freetown, Bo, Kenema and Koidu Town.
Religion
The Sierra Leone constitution provides
freedom of religion and the government generally protects this right, and does not tolerate its abuse.
60% of Sierra Leone population are
Muslim; 30% are
Christian; 10% adhere to their ethno-cultural
religions and faiths.
Unlike many other countries, the religious and tribal mix of Sierra Leone rarely causes religious or tribal conflict.
Education
Education System
Sierra Leone has an education system with six years of
primary school (Class 1-6), and six years of
secondary school (Form 1-6); secondary schools are further divided into Junior secondary school (Form 1-3) and Senior secondary school (Form 4-6). Primary schools usually start from ages 6 to 12, and secondary schools usually start from ages 13 to 18. Primary Education is free and
compulsory in government-sponsored public schools.
The country's two main Universities are the
Fourah Bay College in Freetown, founded in
1827, and
Njala University in
Njala,
Moyamba District and Bo, founded in
1963. Teacher training colleges and religious seminaries are found in many parts of the country.
'Selected Secondary Schools in Sierra Leone'
School Founded Location
CMS / Sierra Leone Grammar School ca. 1845 Murray Town, Freetown
Annie Walsh Memorialk Secondary School ca. 1848 Kissy Road, Freetown
St. Edwards Secondary School ca. 1866 Kingtom, Freetown
Prince of Wales Secondary School ca. 1874 Kingtom, Freetown
Methodist Boys High School ca. 1874 Kissy, Freetown
Methodist Girls High School ca. 1880 Kissy, Freetown
Harford School for Girls ca. 1897 Moyamba Town, Moyamba District
Albert Academy ca. 1904 Berry Street, Freetown
Bo Government Secondary School ca. 1906 Bo Town, Bo District
West African Collegiate School ca. 1911 Wilkinson Road, Freetown
Government Model School ca. 1925 Circular Road, Freetown
Magburaka Government Secondary School ca. 1950 Magburaka, Tonkolili District
Freetown Secondary School for Girls ca. 1955 Brookfields, Freetown
Kenema Government Secondary School ca. 1955 Kenema Town, Kenema District
Environment
Logging, mining, and
slash and burn,
deforestation for alternative land use - such as cattle grazing - have produced a dramatic decrease of forested land in Sierra Leone since the 1980s.
Until 2002, Sierra Leone lacked a forest management system due to a brutal civil war that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. On paper, 55 protected areas covered 4.5 percent of Sierra Leone as of 2003. The country has 2,090 known
species of higher plants, 147
mammals, 626 birds, 67
reptiles, 35
amphibians, and 99 fish species.
In June 2005, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Bird-life International agreed to support a conservation-sustainable development project in the Gola Forest in southeastern Sierra Leone, the most important surviving fragment of rainforest in Sierra Leone.
Deforestation rates have increased 7.3 percent since the end of the civil war.
Media
Main articles: Media in Sierra Leone
The Sierra Leone constitution guarantees
freedom of speech, and
freedom of the press; however, the government at times restricts these rights in practice. Dozens of
newspapers are published in the country, most of them are privately run and are often critical of the government.
Under legislation enacted in 1980, all newspapers must register with the Ministry of Information and pay a sizable registration fee.
All major cities in the country run their own
radio stations. Inaugurated in 1963, The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service(SLBS) is the government-run station in charge of television and radio broadcasting in the country. The UN Mission in Sierra Leone (Unomsil) operates radio services, broadcasting news of
UN activities and human rights information, as well as music and news. FM relays of
BBC World Service and
Radio France Internationale are on the air in
Freetown. Radio Sierra Leone, the oldest broadcasting service in English-speaking West Africa, broadcasts mainly in English, with regular news and discussion programs on several topics.
Sports
Main articles: Sport in Sierra Leone
Football is by far the most popular sport in Sierra Leone.
Cricket,
basketball,
table tennis,
volleyball,
tennis,
boxing and
track are also popular in the country.
Football
Football (soccer) is by far the most popular sport in Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leone national football team popularly known as the
Leone Stars, represents the country in international football competitions. The team has never qualified for the
FIFA World Cup but they have participated in the
1994 and
1996 African Cup of Nations. When Sierra Leone national football team plays a match, the nation comes to a halt, as fans rush to the national stadium in Freetown, traffic disappears from the street. The country's national television network, The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service(SLBS) broadcasts the match, along with several radio stations throughout the country. If the Leone Stars won their match,
Fireworks erupt across the skies and people throughout the country pour into the street to celebrate victory. The country most popular football star is
Mohamed Kallon, who plays for
AS Monaco in
France Ligue 1.
The
Sierra Leone National Premier League is the top football league in Sierra Leone. The league is controlled by the
Sierra Leone Football Association.
East End Lions and
Mighty Blackpool are the two biggest and most successful football clubs in the country, but
Kallon F.C. is closing in on them.
Kallon F.C. won the Premier League and the
Sierra Leonean FA Cup in 2006, and eliminated 2006
Nigerian Premier League Champions
Ocean Boys FC in the 2007
CAF Champions League first qualifying round, but later lost to
ASEC Mimosas of
Ivory Coast in the second qualifying round for the group stage.
The Sierra Leone U-17 football team
nickname the Sierra Stars finished as runner-up at the 2003 African U-17 Championship in
Swaziland, but came in last place in their group at the
2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship in
Finland.
Many Sierra Leoneans follow the major European football leagues, especially the
English Premier League,
ItalianSerie A, and
Spain La Liga. Cinema are often overcrowed as people gather to watch the likes of
Manchester United,
Arsenal,
Barcelona,
AC Milan,
Real Madrid and
Chealsea. Argument often escalate during the match, between supporter of opposing teams. It is so common in Sierra Leone to find local children nicknamed
Thierry Henry,
Ronaldinho,
Steven Gerard,
Lionel Messi Ronaldo,etc...
Cricket
Main articles: Sierra Leone national cricket team
The
Sierra Leone cricket team represents Sierra Leone in international cricket competitions, and is among the best in
West Africa. They became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council in 2002. [1] They made their international debut at the 2004 African Affiliates Championship, where they finished last out of the eight teams. They returned at the equivalent tournament in 2006, Division Three of the African region of the World Cricket League, where they had a major improvement, this time finishing as
runners-up to
Mozambique, and only just missing out on promotion to Division Two.
Basketball
Main articles: Sierra Leone national basketball team
The Sierra Leone national basketball team represents Sierra Leone in international men's
basketball competitions and is controlled by the
Sierra Leone Basketball Federation. The squad is mostly home-based, with a few foreign-based players.
Sierra Leone in literature
Two major Hollywood films have so far been produced that relate to Sierra Leone.
Steven Spielberg’s Film "
Amistad" (1997 with
Morgan Freeman, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Mathew McCounaghey) is about a 1839 mutiny aboard a slave ship that was travelling towards the Northeast Coast of America. But much of the plot revolves around the court-room drama that lead to the historic supreme court decision recognizing the captives rights to freedom. The heroic role of
Sengbe Pieh (Cinque), who organized and led the revolt was virtually marginalized.
Edward Zwick’s film
Blood Diamond (2006
Leonardo DiCaprio,
Jennifer Connelly and
Djimon Hounsou) is about
conflict diamonds mined in Sierra Leone,
Angola and
Congo and sold in major diamond cutting centers –
Antwerp,
Tel Aviv and
Mumbai – to finance (and prolong) armed conflicts in Africa. The film is centered in Sierra Leone and portrays many of the atrocities including the practice of cutting off people's limbs to spread fear and insecurity in the country side and to gain control over the diamond, gold, bauxite and rutile mining areas. But the action is focused mostly on Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), a white mercenary from Rhodesia (
Zimbabwe), who trades arms for diamonds with an
RUF commander (Corporal Foday Sankoh) and Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an American journalist covering the war and investigating the illegal diamond trade. The role of
De Beers Group, which is the major player in the diamond trade, was bracketed out. It has been suggested that the company pressured the producers of the film to include a disclaimer saying the events are fictional and in the past - De Beers has denied this. This film and the Nollywood Video films (Nigerian Productions) on Blood Diamonds have establish Sierra Leone as the
Blood Diamond Country in the minds of people all over the world.
In literature, Sierra Leone is the setting for
Graham Greene's classic novel
The Heart of the Matter, which deals with diamond smuggling during
World War II. Since the rebel incursion in the early 1990s a number of books have written about the "diamonds or minerals for weapons" trade - including Hugh Paxton's horror/action novel and
Ishmael Beah ("A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier"). Hugh Paxton's novel
Homunculus[5] juxtaposes the realities of the war in Sierra Leone with a fantasy of the exploitation of the war for the trade in
blood diamonds and for the testing, demonstration and sale by auction of bio-weapons to a select clientele of international arms dealers and
mercenaries.
Other Sierra Leone writers of note include Abioseh Nicol (
"The Truly Married Woman And Other Stories"), Robert Wellesley Cole (
"Kossoh Town Boy"), Syl Cheney-Coker (
"The Last Harmattan of Alusine Dunbar"), William Conton (
"Kissimi Kamara"), Amadu Yullisa Maddy (
"No Past, No Present, No Future") and Sheikh Gibril Kamara (
"The Spirit of Badenia).
Bibliography - a selection
# Abraham, Arthur; Mende Government and Politics under Colonial Rule, Freetown and London, 1978.
# Abraham, Arthur, "Cultural Policy in Sierra Leone," UNESCO, c1978.
# Abraham, Arthur, "Sengbe Pieh: A Neglected Hero?", Journal of the Historical Society of Sierra Leone, II (2), 1978.
# Abraham, Arthur, "Topics in Sierra Leone History : A Counter-Colonial Interpretation," Leone Publishers [Sierra Leone], c.1976.
# Bah, M. Alpha, "Fulbe Migration in Sierra Leone: A Case History of Twentieth-Century Migration and Settlement Among the Kissi of Koindu," Peter Lang Publishing [New York], 1998.
# Berger, Daniel; In the Land of Magic Soldiers: A Story of White and Black in West Africa, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003.
# Blyden, Nemata Amelia, "In Her Majesty' Service: West Indians in British Colonial Government, Sierra Leone, 1808-1880: Race, Class and Ethnicity in a British West African Colony."
# Clarke, J.I., Nelson, S.J.A. and Swindell, K.; Sierra Leone in Maps, London, 1966.
# Cole, Bernadette; Mass Media, Freedom And Democracy In Sierra Leone, Freetown, 1995,.
# Conteh-Morgan, Earl and Dixon-Fyle, Mac "Sierra Leone at the End of the Twentieth Century: History, Politics and Society", Peter Lang Publishing [New York], 1999.
# Cox-George, N. A., "Finance and Development in West Africa: The Sierra Leone Experience," D. Dobson [London], 1961.
# Foray, Cyril P., "Historical Dictionary of Sierra Leone," the Scarecrow Press [Metuchen, N.J. and London], 1977.
# Forna, Aminatta; The Devil that danced on the Water: A daughter’s memoir. London, 2002.
# Fyfe, Christopher, "A History of Sierra Leone," Cambridge University Press, 1962; Oxford University Press [London], 1962. (Reprint edition Gregg International Publications, 1993.)
# Fyle, Christopher; Sierra Leone Inheritance, London, 1964.
# Fyfe, Christopher, "Africanus Horton, 1835-1883 : West African Scientist and Patriot," Aldershot, Hampshire, 1992.
# Gberie, Lansana, Smillie, Ian and Hazleton, Ralph; The Heart of the Matter: Sierra Leone, Diamonds and Human Society“, A Study published by Partnership Africa Canada in January 2000.
# Global Witness, Conflict Diamonds, Possibilities for the Identification, Certification and Control of Diamonds, A briefing document by Global Witness June, 2000.
# Hirsch; John L; Sierra Leone: Diamonds and the Struggle for Democracy , Lynne Rienner Pub (1. Dezember 2000).
# Jalloh, Alusine, "African Entrepreneurship: Muslim Fula Merchants in Sierra Leone (Monographs in International Studies, Africa Series, No. 71)," Ohio University Center for International Studies, 1999.
# Jalloh, S Balimo, Sierra Leone, Länderbericht, Bergisch Gladbach, 1991.
# Jalloh, S Balimo: (1) Conflicts, Resources and Social Instability in Subsahara Africa – The Sierra Leone Case; in Internationasles Afrikaforum, 37. Jg. 2/2001, Pages 166-180. (2) Subsahara Africa – Trade Expansion Through Countertrade, in: Internationales Afrikaforum, 31 Jahrgang, Heft 4/1995, S. 365 –374 (Article) und in: UNCTAD-Bulletin 1995: 365-375.
# Jones, Durosimi Eldred, Othellos Countrymen, Oxford University Press, 1965.
# Jones, Durosimi Eldred Eustace Palmer, African Litterature Today Africa World Press – London, 1995.
# Jones, Howard, "Mutiny on the Amistad: The Saga of a Slave Revolt and its Impact on American Abolition, Law and Diplomacy," Oxford University Press [New York], 1986.
# Kabba, Muctaru, (Editor); Sierra Leonean Heroes, Fifty Great Men and Women who helped to Build Our Nation, Freetown, 1988.
# Koroma, Abdul K. Sierra Leone – The Agony of a Nation, Andromeda Publications, Freetown, 1996.
# Kpundeh, Sahr John, "Politics and Corruption in Africa: A Case Study of Sierra Leone," University Press of America [Lanham, Md.].
# Lewis, Damien, "Operation Certain Death - The Inside Story of the SAS'S Greatest Battle," Arrow Books, 2005.
# Nicol, Davidson, Regionalism and the New International Economic Order; UNITAR-CEESTEM-Club of Rome conference at the United Nations, Pergamon Press, 1981.
# William Reno, Corruption and State Politics in Sierra Leone, The African Studies Centre, Cambridge University Press, 1995.
# Paul Richards; Fighting for the Rain Forest – War Youth & Resources in Sierra Leone, The International African Institute, James Currey Publishers, London, 1996.
# Sawyerr, Harry, "God, Ancestor or Creator? Aspects of Traditional Belief in Ghana, Nigeria & Sierra Leone," Harlow, Longmans, 1970.
# Turay, Harry; Land Tenure Systems in Sierra Leone, unpublished project report, Njala University College, 1980.
# H.L. van der Laan, The Sierra Leone Diamonds, An Economic Study covering the years 1952-1961, Oxford, 1965.
# Wyse, Akintola J.G. and Deveneaux, Gustav H.K.; The Sierra Leone-German connection, 1787-1987, An Overview, Published by The German Embassy in Freetown, 190093.
# Wyse, Akintola J. G., "H. C. Bankole-Bright and Politics in Colonial Sierra Leone, 1919-1958" (African Studies Series), Cambridge University Press [Cambridge, Eng. and New York], 1990.
References
1. Sierra Leone
2. ''Sierra Leone war crimes court convicts rebel chiefs'' Rod MacJohnson Yahoo News (AFP wire)
3. BBC country profile
4. Languages
5. first published in hardback ISBN 978-0230000490 by Macmillan UK in October 2006 and now available in paperback (March 2007), ISBN 978-0230007369
External links
'Government and Diplomacy'
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The Republic of Sierra Leone official government site
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Sierra Leone High Commission in London
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Diplomatic Representations of Sierra Leone
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British High Commission in Sierra Leone
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US Embassy in Sierra Leone
'Tourism and Travel'
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National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone official site
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Visit Sierra Leone Travel and Tourism information
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US Department of State travel information
'Economy and Business'
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Index of Economic Freedom - Sierra Leone is 48.4% free
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Sierra Leone Business Directory
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Doing Business in Sierra Leone - A Commercial Guide for US Companies
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World Bank Data & Statistics on Sierra Leone
'News Media and Discussion'
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allAfrica.com - ''Sierra Leone'' News Aggregator
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Awareness Times Newspaper
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SierraLeone.com discussion forum
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'Visit Sierra Leone - Travel and Business Advice Forum'
'Other Resources'
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CIA World Factbook - Sierra Leone
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Open Directory Project - ''Sierra Leone'' directory category
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Sierra Leone Web
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War Crimes Trials in Sierra Leone
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