By David Partridge

 Africa  Second largest continent  Second largest population on earth ▪ Over 1 billion people  Africa and civil conflict ▪ Somalia ▪ Sierra Leone ▪ Conflicts share similar causes ▪ Foreign influence ▪ Poor economic development

 Began in March of 1991  The Revolutionary United Front (RUF)  Attacked a village in southern Sierra Leone  Over 50,000 casualties  Fueled by criminal activity and misleading propaganda

 The Revolutionary United Front (RUF)  Funds gained from illegal diamond trade ▪ weapons and ammunition  Control of mining districts ▪ Sold illicit diamonds to private customers ▪ Conflict or “blood” diamonds  Exploitation of child soldiers. ▪ 5,400 children forced to fight in Sierra Leone ▪ Atrocities in battle  RUF tainted Africa’s diamond industry

 Began on January 26 th, 1991  Two major clan-based armed opposition groups  The Samaal Clan  The Saab Clan.  Formed coalition to overthrow the government  Fueled by long standing ethnic grudges among citizens

 Transitional Federal Government (TFG)  Formed in 2004  Clan-based factions came together  Control of Somalia’s southern conflict zones  TFG and Ethiopian troops  Took power from Islamic Courts Union (ICU)  ICU broke into more radical groups  Al-Shabaab ▪ Fights for control of Southern region of Somalia ▪ Ethnically focused clan-based fighting occurs

 Civil conflicts of Somalia and Sierra Leone  Both caused by: ▪ Corruption ▪ Poor developing economy ▪ Poorly managed foreign involvement.  National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) and Executive Outcomes  April of Young military leaders established the NPRC  Hired mercenary firm Executive Outcomes (EO) ▪ UN - termination of contract with EO ▪ RUF began invading mining fields again  Russia’s influence on Somalia  Somalia’s army superior in Sub-Saharan Africa  Soviet Union collapsed- Somali Army and governmental power declined

When does a regional issue become the world’s responsibility?  Potential to Recover  Sierra Leone ▪ Rebuild mining industry ▪ Child soldier relief programs,  Somalia ▪ Feuding clans could come together ▪ Government representing each individual fairly.  “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding”- Albert Einstein