1. Ishmael Beah’s Story

2. Memoir
Memoir = a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge or special sources.

3. Sierra Leone in West Africa size: 27,699 sq miles
languages: English, Krio (Creole language),
and a range of African languages
religions: Islam, indigenous beliefs, Christianity
life expectancy: 39 yrs (M), 42 yrs (F)
exports: diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

4. Civil War in Sierra Leone
March 1991: The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) began attacking villages in eastern Sierra Leone.
*Goal: To rid the country of the APC government
* Rebel leader: Foday Sankoh
April 1992: The National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) was established, but it proved to be as ineffective as the APC at repelling the RUF.
1995: The RUF held much of the countryside in their control.

5. Factors Leading to Civil War in Sierra Leone
Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire)
civil war to oust dictator
bloodbath over resources
timber
copper
gold
diamonds
RUF (Revolutionary United Front)
liberation army
former corporal, Foday Sankoh
Sierra Leone diamond mines
to capital, Freetown

6. The Diamond Trade in Sierra Leone
During the civil war in Sierra Leone, people who purchased diamonds in the West unknowingly funded the mission of Foday Sankoh and the RUF
These diamonds came to be known as “blood diamonds” or “conflict diamonds”
Specifically mined in war zones of Africa to fund the invading army’s efforts.
Liberia would trade weapons and training to Sierra Leone in exchange of their diamonds.

7. Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
Created in 2002 to control the flow blood diamonds.
A Kimberley Certification must be presented by a gems owner before it can leave the country.
This forces the government to keep track of the diamonds they are importing and exporting and their value.

8. Blood Diamonds in the U.S.
Executive Order ( Jan 2001) and (May 2001) specifically ban the importation of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Clean Diamond Trade Act (2003): U.S. recognizes that as a major consumer of diamonds, it has a responsibility to severe its ties to any diamond trade that funds war and conflict.
This was crucial to the success of the KPCS.

9. Child Soldier at War Age 12 Age 13
rebels to Beah’s small town
separated from parents
fled with a group of boys
wandered village to village
barely surviving
reached Atlantic Ocean
recruited into Sierra Leone Army
Age 13
received his first AK-47
trained to kill
“We walked around the village and killed everyone who came out of the houses and huts.”
— Beah

10. Historical Tradition 1861 US Civil War 1914 WWI 1964 Vietnam War
1846 Mexican American War
1967 Cambodia
1918 Russian Civil War
1943 Hitler Youth in Nuremburg

11. Contemporary Crisis 250,000 child soldiers worldwide
recent United Nations estimation:
250,000 child soldiers worldwide
current Amnesty International count:
over 300,000 child soldiers
in more than 85 countries
both boys & girls
ages 8 to 18

12. A Global Issue Afghanistan Sri Lanka Congo Chechnya Thailand Nepal
Sudan
Iraq
Columbia
Somalia
Palestine

13. Trained to Kill
Thailand
Liberia
Uganda
Iraq
Palestine

14. Intimidated by Fear extreme punishments death for desertion
rejection upon return
orphaned, homeless
no where else to go
"These are brutally thuggy people who don't want to rule politically and have no strategy for winning a war.''
— Professor Neil Boothby
Columbia University

15. Weakened by Deprivation
separated from families
denied educational opportunities
denied health care
denied a childhood

16. Trapped in Abuse mental & emotional physical sexual chemical
15-year-old soldier with
her infant in Liberia

17. Amputation
Rebels called the amputation of just four fingers “one love” after the rastafarian phrase “thumbs up.”
There are more than 6,000 amputees in Sierra Leone as a result of civil war. Former Liberian leader, Charles Taylor, is accused of backing a rebel group that cut off limbs, mutilated and raped thousands of civilians in Sierra Leone.

18. Rescue, Rehabilitation & Hope
Above: Maxwell Fornah and Victor Musa, members of the Single Leg Amputee Sports Club of Sierra Leone, Freetown April 2006.