War and Development

I have completed my in-country training. I learned a lot about the country, it’s people and development history. Here’s the dirty version:

1961 – Sierra Leone independent from UK.
1964 – the prime minister died and his brother was appointed to office. (Democracy slide begins?)
1967 to 86 – several coups took place.
1968 – Siaka Stevens became prime minister and turned SL into a republic state, thus he became President. He led with violence, using young men to fight opposition. These young men were sent to Cuba to train as fighters and became known as Siaka’s Dogs.
By 1977 there was no opposition. But students became fed-up with the government and revolted, almost over throwing the government. Violent rule continued. Things were really ruff by the mid 80s when Stevens brought military heads into government, not trusting his own corrupt party.
1989 – War broke out in neighbouring Liberia, spilling into Sierra Leone in 1991. The brutal civil war in Liberia played an undeniable role for the outbreak of fighting in Sierra Leone. The leader of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia reportedly helped form the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) under the command of a former Sierra Leone army corporal. In return, there were rewards of diamonds from Sierra Leone. The RUF launched its first attack in villages in Kailahun District in the diamond-rich Eastern Province of Sierra Leone in 1991.
1992 – the military, run by young leaders, staged a coup. In power, the military abused power including arbitrary arrests.
1996 – An internal coup was successful. A peace agreement was underway, but the civil society and the international community wanted a democratic election.
1996 – first democratic election in years. Peace accord signed.
1997 – Peace deal unravels, followed by another Military coup. The commonwealth suspends Sierra Leone; the UN imposes sanctions barring arms and fuel supply.
1998 – the West African “intervention force” ECOMOG drives rebels out of Freetown.
1999 – The rebels/RUF seize parts of Freetown from ECOMOG. After weeks of bitter fighting they are driven out, leaving behind 5,000 dead and a devastated city.
The UN intervenes.
1999 – May - A ceasefire is greeted with cautious optimism in Freetown amid hopes that eight years of civil war may soon be over.
2000 – May - Rebels close in on Freetown; 800 British paratroopers sent to Freetown to evacuate British citizens and to help secure the airport for UN peacekeepers.
2001 – May - Disarmament of rebels begins, and British-trained Sierra Leone army starts deploying in rebel-held areas.
2002 – January - War declared over. UN mission says disarmament of 45,000 fighters is complete.
2004 – February - Disarmament and rehabilitation of more than 70,000 civil war combatants officially completed.

Around this time development agencies started returning to Sierra Leone. In 2005 VSO SL reopened after shutting down in 1995. It was difficult at first to secure volunteers for placement in SL because of the fresh memory of the brutal civil war that left the country dilapidated and it’s people the most unfortunate in the world. VSO started with 5 volunteers in 2005, and now has around 48 in country. There seems to be an early return rate, as I see the names of volunteers stricken from the contact list.

This turbulent history is so recent. It is hard to believe coming from Canada. You can smell it in the air. I see the places where battles took place. It will take some time getting used to the fact that everyone you meet has been affected by the war. The kids across the street with no parents. They may have been victims of the war. Or maybe they fled to a neigbouring country. There are many more women than men here. You cannot go one block without seeing the victims of the RUF – amputees. Every current teenaged kid did not go to school during the 10-year civil war. He more-than-likely carried a gun and fought for one side or the other. Most of the educated professionals fled the country. Once a prestigious institution, the Sierra Leone University is now hopeless.

Desmond, was a military commander during the war. A strong man, now in his late twenties. No one messes with Desmond. Not just because he looks like he could win a battle against a gorilla, but because people know who he was. He’s now a driver for a group of development workers, and a close friend of us white dudes. I can only image what he did and saw. I feel that way about everyone I meet.


(Photo. Julian on our way home from work)

Development: Cold War. Sierra Leone aligned with the communists, thus training and development funding came from countries like Russia and China. Some of the nicest buildings including the national stadium were built by China.

In 1991 there was an emergency situation with food shortages and inflation. This is when aid relief started and continued until the war ended. After the war, some refugees returned and aid relief was slowly replaced by development funding.

Development is undertaken by many international agencies and NGOs. Big players like the UN and CARE (CARE is the longest standing, having been here since 1961). There are many local NGOs, like the one I work for (Campaign for Good Governance). Local NGOs are run by local people.

The development bodies are funded through various sources, but major funding comes from the likes of the World Bank, UK Foreign Affairs, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) etc. They get there money from well-to-do tax payers! An interesting theme that keeps being mention is that funds for “relief” are much more sexy than “development”. So Sierra Leone, now out of the war and headline news, is seeing a major drop in funding support.

On the lighter side: Dirty. Everything is dirty here. Do not lick your fingers. Our water comes from a tank on the roof. When it’s empty we yell across the way to our neighbour (our landlord) to fill it up using his pump. No electricity no pump. No pump, no water. No water, no shower or toilet. Well, who takes a #2 when there’s no power. Yup. To the enjoyment of my roommates, it was preserved for a good half day till the power came on. My office is well equipped (SL standards). I even have AC in my office (shared with 4 others). But no water. Mango and Banana trees out my window. But no water. I must remember to ensure there is a bucket of water in the can before I go for my daily 10am meeting with John Brown. (I really do work with a John Brown).