1. Sierra Leone

2. Economic Growth Diverse people Beautiful beaches
Rich in diamonds and minerals
Gems used to fund civil war
Remains one of the poorest countries on earth

3. Early History European contacts in West Africa
Portuguese explorers mapped area-giving the name Serra Lyon
Thriving slave trade to US

4. Corruption and Civil War
Instability
Corruption
Early 1990’s
Rebel Forces attack in the east to get rid of APC
All People’s Congress
Foday Sankoh-rebel leader RUF
Revolutionary United Front
Charles Taylor Liberia

5. RUF Rebellion Child soldier Fueled by: Drugs Brainwashing
Sleep deprivation
Aggressive attacks
Mutilation of civilians
Sex slaves

6. Child Soldiers 10,000 child soldiers
Ripped from their homes-given drugs-mostly amphetamines
Proud to be effective killers
Female captives- “soldier wives/sex slaves”

7. The Long Road to Peace UN Forces Early 2000 peace to Sierra Leone
People
Tense/uncertain

8. Videos

9. Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone special significance in the history of the transatlantic slave trade
The capital, Freetown, was founded as a home for repatriated former slaves in 1787

10. The Scramble 1896-1961-Sierra Leone is a Protectorate of England
No consultation with African People
1951-decolonization
1961-Independence-Sir Milton Margai first Prime Minister
All People’s Congress

11. The RUF Aggressive attacks 1991 at Liberian border
RUF-physical mutiliation
Amputation of arms, legs, lips, fingers hands-all with machetes and axes
W/in few months-RUF has control over the diamond mines in KONO District

12. Religious and Ethnic Diversity

13. Later part of the 1800’s…Provinence of Freedom
Plan implemented by the British to relocate many freed African slaves to Africa.
Returned Africans from all parts of Africa
Joined previous settlers
Flourishing trading post on W.A. coast
One of Britain’s first colonies in W.A.

14. Civil War
The brutal civil war in neighboring Libiera influences the outbreak of fighting in Sierra Leone.
Charles Taylor——reportedly helped form the Revolutionary nited Front (RUF) under the command of former Sierra Leonean army corporal Foday Sankoh
a British trained former army corporal who had also undergone guerrilla training in Libya.

15. From democracy to anarchy
-functioning democracy for several years
-this ends with the election in 1967 of an opposition party led by Siaka Stevens.
From this point Sierra Leone declines into a long era of repressive rule, military coups and - by the end of the century - terrifying and violent anarchy :