Sierra Leone History
Sierra Leone is a small country in West Africa which shares its borders with Guinea and Liberia. It was a British colony until 1961 when it gained its independence. In 1991, the country descended into a devastating civil war. The conflict was extremely chaotic, with various armed groups (both governmental and non-governmental), from different countries in the region (in particular from Liberia) ignoring peace agreements that had been signed. On several occasions the violence and danger proved so great that nearly all aid organizations had to leave the country. At the end of eleven years of civil war, the situation is extremely difficult. The figures show: 75,000 dead, by murder, rape and other torturous acts, 2 million people displaced, nearly 20,000 people mutilated including 5,000 with damage to their upper limbs; and 80% of the country’s infrastructure destroyed.
Despite these grim statistics, certain calm has returned to the country today. All child soldiers have been demobilized, the disarmament of the various factions is considered to be complete and most displaced people and refugees have returned to their towns and villages. Peace was declared in 2002 and Sierra Leone is beginning to blossom. Life is slowly returning to normal and today it is one of West Africa’s safest destinations. Reconstruction continues apace, investors are returning and travelers are trickling in.
Sierra Leone is an ethnic mosaic, made up of sixteen ethnic groups. The largest are the Mende, Temne and Limba. The most widely-spoken language is Krio, which is also the name given to the descendents of freed slaves. Although the Krio are few in number they are well-represented in government offices and hold key positions. Due to its colonial past, many people understand English, especially in Freetown, the country's capital. There is an influential Lebanese minority which suffered heavy losses at the start of the conflict but currently runs the country’s main trade sectors.
The two main religions in the country are Christianity and Islam (75% the majority religion), but animism still has a strong influence. There are also a large number of churches and religious groups in the country which can be defined as sects.
Sierra Leone is rich in natural resources (diamonds, gold, minerals etc.) with a coastline of endless white sandy beaches, a wide variety of flora and considerable agricultural potential (rice, coffee, cocoa etc.). Despite these natural riches however, according to the UNDP (United Nations Development Program) Sierra Leone is among the poorest countries in the world. With life expectancy of just 41 years and a higher infant mortality rate than any other country, this poverty runs far deeper than income alone.
In terms of security, a great deal of prudence is still necessary. Sierra Leone is a devastated country with its infrastructure still being rebuilt and an administration still being organized. It is hoped that progress and healing can be made from new elected President, Ernest Koroma, who may help the country move beyond its troubled past. Sierra Leone still has problems. It ranked second to last in the UN’s most recent Human Development Index, unemployment remains high and the education system hasn’t met expectations, but most locals hang on to their optimism. More and more people are aware of Sierra Leone’s struggle to return to normal life, and in time, this beautiful country can rise again!
