This interactive story follows the life of a family trying to survive a brutal war in west africa. Beginning with a general sociocultural and historical. But for some warwounded or amputees in sierra leone in west africa, victims of that countrys civil war of the 90s, it is depriving them of their source of livelihood begging in the streets of. Many had an arm or leg, and sometimes even both arms or legs cut off. Murder, rape, torture, and abduction were common tactics. Ishmael beah was 12 when he was orphaned by sierra leone s civil war and recruited as a child soldier. The war has ended today, but it is clear that things are hardly settled. The sierra leone civil war took a lot from its people. Despite various international supports to boost the living conditions of sierra leoneans, the result is still not encouraging. Justice minister frederick carew said this amount was unreasonable, but other benefits were being considered. Those maimed in sierra leone war still victims amputees say rebels who cut their limbs get help, but they dont. The difficulties in the country were compounded in march 1991 when conflict in neighbouring liberia spilled over the. After the 11year struggle that ended in 2002, more than 27,000 people were left as amputees after rebels cut off their limbs.
One of the most brutal aspects of the conflict was the use of amputation. The thousands of voters who had both hands cut off by rebels in sierra leone are being instructed to leave a print of their big toe on ballot papers for the presidential and parliamentary. This was the classic case scenario in sierra leone. In the background one is faced with the breakdown of the state with vast human rights abuses, abject poverty and other social ills. Joseph winter bbc african service a harrowing, decadelong civil war endured by the citizens of sierra leone is now over, but many scars still remain. The authors have presented a very readable history of the bloody sierra leone conflict, the blood diamond war. It collected a lot of information about the recent history of sierra leone and about the war and its causes and consequences. Amputees still waiting for reparations almost 10 years on. The sierra leone civil war was an armed conflict in the west african country of sierra leone from 1991 t0 2002. Making sense of a senseless war university of denver. This report examines the causes and influences of intentional amputation perpetrated during the sierra leone civil war between 1991 and 2002. Civil war devastated sierra leone in the 1990s, and today it is the poorest country in the world. The war took place in in liberia and sierra leone during the 1990s. Since 1991, this west african nation has been brought to its knees by a series of coups, violent conflicts, and finally, outright war.
Civil war that has pushed sierra leone to brink of disintegration takes even more brutish turn as fighting reaches capital of freetown. The civil war was the result of varied interactions between structural problems. Since 1991, this west african nation has been brought to its knees by a series of coups. Lockdowns are helping a lot of countries flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic. In 1991 a brutal civil war broke out in sierra leone a war that engulfed this thirdworld african nation for ten years. The work of fr maurizio with amputee victims of the civil war in sierra leone. War and the crisis of youth in sierra leone by krijn peters. Sheku was 12 years old when both his arms were cut off and his parents were murdered during sierra leone s brutal civil war. The war had actually begun eight years earlier when former sierra leone army corporal foday sankoh and his ruf rebels invaded sierra leone with the support of muammar qaddafi, president of libya, and charles taylor, a liberian who was, at the same time, waging a war to take over his own country which is sierra leone s neighbor to the southeast. Beginning with a general sociocultural and historical analysis of what is understood by impairment and disability, it also explains how disability was politically created both during the conflict and postconflict. Hands on sierra leone was founded in 2016 by sheku mansaray and a small team of professionals in the united states and africa. The causes of the sierra leone civil war einternational relations.
The sierra leone civil war 19912002 was a civil war in sierra leone that began on 23 march 1991 when the revolutionary united front ruf, with support. Amputation has been the signature atrocity of sierra leone s civil war, which went on for eleven years and ended last january. William reno, northwestern university a dirty war in west africa recounts lansana gberies harrowing experiences as a journalist during the decadelong civil war in sierra leone. During sierra leone s 10year civil war, thousands of innocent civilians had their limbs hacked off. Sierra leone measures terror in severed limbs the new. The decadelong civil war in sierra leone formally ended in january 2002. The west side boys, also known as the west side niggaz or the west side junglers, were an armed group in sierra leone, sometimes described as a splinter faction of the armed forces revolutionary council they captured and held peacekeepers from the united nations mission in sierra leone unamsil and, in august 2000, captured a patrol of british soldiers from the royal irish regiment and. War and the crisis of youth in sierra leone the international.
Why sierra leones children of war amputees denied access. A comprehensive reading of the sierra leone civil war and its effects on ordinary people can be found in my book. Byu students create prosthetic sockets for sierra leone. A brutal wars machetes maim sierra leone the new york times. Before the war, edward conteh lead photo, current president of amputee and war wounded association, was a mechanic and construction machinery driver working on sierra leone s hydroelectric dam project. Adapted from bite of the mango by mariatu kamara with susan mcclelland, published by bloomsbury tomorrow, price. Mariatu kamaras inspiring story of how she survived. The book blood diamonds written by greg campbell is a great book that really opens up your eyes to see what has been happening in sierra leone in the 90s and 2000s. Operation fine girl rape used as a weapon of war in sierra leone duration. All wars are cruel, but this one was particularly brutalfought by warlords and their death squads of child soldiers, the war saw the deliberate targeting of civilians.
The rebels of the revolutionary united front ruf were the main perpetrators, but many of those maimed by machetes will accuse government soldiers. The stories of some of the amputees i met in kenema town in eastern sierra leone between september 2007 and march 2008 illustrate four dimensions that link their current settlement choice to external factors deriving directly from the war. The revolutionary united front ruf was a rebel army that fought a failed elevenyear war in sierra leone, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002. Slasa was founded in 2001 at the end of the decade long civil war in sierra leone and runs a. In his book, awardwinning journalist greg campbell explores the role of diamonds during sierra leones civil war and how the big names in the industry, such. A former child soldier imagines tomorrow in sierra leone. He described the ordeal in his 2007 memoir, a long way gone. Mamusu thoronka is a 41year old trader in sierra leone who was brutally disfigured during the countrys civil war. It should be noted that both intentional and unintentional or direct and indirect amputation took place during the civil war. In august 2018, the new government of sierra leone launched president julius maada bios free quality school education initiative.
The ruf and the destruction of sierra leone gberie, lansana. This book goes more deeply into an understanding of ruf fighters their beliefs and their atrocities than previous studies. A comprehensive read on the sierra leone civil war and its effects on other ordinary people can be found in my book. The civil war in sierra leone was declared over in january 2002, after 11 years. Sierra leone amputees still victims world news africa. Blood diamonds really shone light onto the issue bringing more awareness to it, just like the move did aswell. It later developed into a political party, which still exists today.
Sierra leone s amputees soccer club in the conflictravaged west african nation, a football club for onelegged men is bringing hope and opportunity to the disabled. In 1999 the ruf rebels amputated contehs left arm a few inches below the elbow, with an axe. The most credible estimates of the number of war amputees which i. Goal click received our first camera back from sierra leone. As a 12yearold child during the civil war in sierra leone, kamara was raped by a male family friend named salieu. Sierra leone s amputees are a grim legacy of its 19912001 civil war. The latter group bonded under the revolutionary united front sierra leone rufsl banner, and engaged the state in a civil war that lasted from 1991 to 2002. Sierra leone war amputees learn to vote with their feet. In the amputee and war wounded camp, which is run by another aid group, doctors without borders, 28 of 146 amputees have no arms, said wahab shaw, the camps manager. Salieu, whom she was under pressure to marry when she reached the age of 16, was a trusted friend of her aunt marie. Amputations in the sierra leone conflict artemis christodulou1 introduction 1. An extract, harvest of hate marys saga has been published on. War and embodied memory becoming disabled in sierra leone.
The search for political power through armed conflict left the tiny west african country at war for a decade, with a loss of 50 000 lives and scores of amputees. This book describes how an amputee and war wounded community was created after a decade long conflict 19912002 in sierra leone. No compassion for sierra leones amputees pambazuka news. Though designed to help many vulnerable communities, it has failed to extend the programme to the children of war amputees the direct victims of sierra leone s tenyear civil war which ended 16 years ago, says. But for some war wounded or amputees in sierra leone in west africa, victims of that countrys civil war of. The book is clearly written and accessible, although i found myself. It will become a classic for its sober and measured analysis that challenges conventional wisdom and for bringing a critical analysis to bear on the words and actions. Hands on sierra leone changing the lives of amputee.
How do you become an amputee, war wounded, victim or disabled person. One of sierra leones war heroes passed on in kansas city. Fuel for the soul published by publish america 2006. The search for africas fighting spirit by tim butcher, a long way gone by ishmael beah, sierra leone by k. According to presnell, there are a large number of amputees in sierra leone because of a brutal civil war that started in 1991 and ended in 2002. I as well as my entire my family are from sierra leone. Readers learn of the fighters motivations, the politics of the war and the feelings and thoughts of people caught up in its tragic violence.
In 1992, i was living in sierra leone as a 4 year old boy in freetown, when the conditions forced my mother to. Medical care in sierra leone is also lacking, according to presnell. War and the crisis of youth in sierra leone is among the rare breed of books, essential for scholars and policy analysts, that is sure to make waves for all of the right reasons. The three most senior surviving leaders, issa sesay, morris kallon and augustine gbao, were convicted in february 2009 of war crimes and crimes against humanity. This book includes a history of the war and narratives from over thirty sierra leoneans who witnessed or took part in the. Diamonds and the civil war in sierra leone sierra leone is my country of origin. Since most of the coverage on the sierra leonean war has focused on the brutal. Caryl phillips travels to the capital, freetown, and meets the writers struggling to make a living. The photos were taken by pastor abraham bangura, coach of the single leg amputee sports association slasa football team. Since the end of the 11year civil war in sierra leone 19912002, life continues to be very tough for sierra leoneans, particularly war victims.