This is a very emotional subject for me and I will do my best to put aside all personal biases.

I will first start with a background on the political situation of Sierra Leone. The civil war in Sierra Leone and the surrounding countries did not just miraculously happen. The problem stems from early on. The struggles in Sierra Leone reflect the struggles of many other countries facing the same economic and political strife. My main concentration in this section will be on the past, what happened to the p

What is inhumane? It is lacking pity, kindness, and mercy. It is not domesticated (6).

The RUF began a rebel war in 1991. Foday Sankoh led the RUF into Sierra Leone to take control over the diamond fields. The RUF stated its purpose was to overthrow the government, demanding fair elections and social and economic justice (4). When we look a little farther into the past, we see the RUF’s motivation was something completely different. Stevens imprisoned Sankoh, leader of the RUF, in the 1970’s. Sankoh sought revenge for many years. With the forming of the RUF and Charles Taylor, leader of Liberia, acting as mentor and banker for the RUF, Sankoh’s revenge could be implemented (3). This is why and how civil war in Sierra Leone erupted; power, greed, revenge, and coercion. This is where the term “conflict diamonds” or “blood diamonds” comes from. They are diamonds, which finance the raging wars of the rebels.

We can somewhat see that the wars in Sierra Leone are not necessarily fought for political gain or victory, but to engage war over the lucrative and profitable diamond trade. What has surprised most people has been the role of NGO’s. The RUF used NGO’s to purchase arms and medicine by use of the illicit diamond trade (5). Who is on whose side anymore? This is a hard question to answer when trying to peer through a looking glass with something blocking the view called “corruption”.

Some topics in this essay:
Sierra Leone, Africa Africa, sierra leone, Peace Agreement, John Bull, Foday Sankoh, RUF NGO’s, British Africa, , Siaka Stevens, civil war, CIVIL WAR, diamond trade, peace agreement, war sierra leone, war sierra, diamond fields, civil war sierra, situation sierra, situation sierra leone, political situation, people sierra leone, diamonds sierra leone, people sierra, women children,