...Sierra Leone (Officially The Republic Of Sierra Leone) Archaeological finds show that Sierra Leone has been inhabited continuously for at least 2,500 years, populated by successive movements from other parts of Africa. The use of iron was introduced to Sierra Leone by the 9th century, and by AD 1000 agriculture was being practiced by coastal tribes. Sierra Leone's dense tropical rainforest largely protected it from the influence of any pre-colonial African empires and from further Islamic influence of the Songhai Empire. The Islamic faith however became common in the 18th century. European contacts with Sierra Leone were among the first in West Africa. In 1462, Portuguese explorer Pedro da Cintra mapped the hills surrounding what is now Freetown Harbour; naming shaped formation Serra de Leão (Portuguese for Lion Mountains).The Italian rendering of this geographic formation is Sierra Leone, which became the country's name. The Krio Language is national language spoken throughout the Sierra Leone. Krio is spoken by 97% of Sierra Leone's population and unites the different ethnic groups in the country, especially in their trade and social interaction with each other. Krio is the primary language of communication among Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad. The language is native to the Sierra Leone Creole people or Krios, (a community of about 300,000 descendants of freed slaves from the West Indies, United States and Britain), but it is spoken as a second...
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...Poverty in Sierra Leone Cassandra Jones Professor Tiffani Davis Sociology 300 September 1, 2012 Sierra Leone Sierra Leone is located on the West Coast of Africa near Guinea, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau and Gambia. Sierra Leone was founded in 1462, by a Portuguese explorer Pedro da Cintra sailing the West African coast. While there Pedo observed the mountains and thunderstorm that sounded like a lion’s roam in the distance. He therefore name Sierra Leone in his native language Sierra Leoa. The name was later changed in 1787 while under British rule Sierra Leone by English Jack Tars. The country is comprised over six million people of different ethnic backgrounds and religions that primarily speak English which is the official language. Many tribal languages are also used and in Freetown which is the capital of Sierra Leone, Krio is the second language spoken. It is a form of pigeon English encompassing tribal words. Sierra Leone also known as the Republic of Sierra Leone maintains a constitutional democracy which is composed of a President Ernest Bai KOROMA and legislative, judicial and executive branch. A constitutional democracy is a system of government based on popular sovereignty in which the structures, powers, and limits of government are set forth in a constitution. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/constitutional+democracy. Sierra Leon is also one of the poorest countries in the world with the shortest life expectancy. To understand why Sierra Leone is the...
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...Sierra Leone (country), independent nation in western Africa, bounded on the north and east by Guinea, on the southeast by Liberia, and on the southwest and west by the Atlantic Ocean. The total area of the country is 71,740 sq km (27,699 sq mi). Freetown is the capital and largest city. Sierra Leone: Flag and Anthem © Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved./© Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Expand II LAND AND RESOURCES web center Ä Find the best online information about Sierra Leone (country). Encarta Editors' Picks Sierra Leone [INCORE Internet Country Guides] Sierra Leone: Consular Information Sheet Africa Guide: Sierra Leone more... A low-lying coastal plain in Sierra Leone extends inland from the Atlantic Ocean for about 80 km (about 50 mi). The area closest to the ocean is a largely swampy region; however, the Sierra Leone Peninsula, where Freetown is situated, is dominated by hills. To the east the land rises from the coastal plain to a plateau in the north and to hilly terrain in the south. Several small mountain ranges are located near the northern and eastern borders and reach a maximum elevation of 1,945 m (6,381 ft) in Bintumani (Loma Mansa) in the Loma Mountains. Of the numerous short rivers that drain the country the most important are the Kolenté (Great Scarcies) and the Kaba (Little Scarcies), and the Rokel, Jong, Sewa, and Moa. Most are navigable only in the rainy season. A Climate facts and figures facts...
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...Sierra Leone: Modern History Though most of the modern history of Sierra Leone was shadowed by the civil war there are still key compartments of the modern history. Starting off with British philanthropists that founded the “Province of Freedom” in 1787. Where it was a home to repatriated former slaves from London and America. It later became the capital of Sierra Leone, Freetown. At first it was the source of slaves then was a place where slaves became freed. At least 1200 slaves were free from Nova Scotia in 1792. They later joined the original settlers, the Maroons. Soon after more slaves began to rebel in Jamaica in 1800. Sir John Hawkins brought in slaves in 1562. That started the slave trade in the North America. The first ever...
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...Next, we’ll tell you the information about the causes and effects. Why do the child soldiers exist in the first place? It because many children are forcibly controlled and commanded by adults in armed groups. Children proceed to the battlefield without a judgment of the right and wrong. It’s easy for adults to brainwash children. And then, children send into minefield to remove mines or bombs because they don’t understand the danger of things. To be frank with you, adults consider children are convenient to use. And then, we have two suggestions to resolve the problem. First, we send a financial support to child soldiers. Actually, there is no child soldier in China because China is a developed country, which means China has enough money to resolve the problem. Although there are a lot of reasons to have child soldiers, the major reason is not having enough money in poor countries. If there is even money, child soldiers will be fewer and fewer. So we should send a financial support. Second, we send a supporting group to poor countries. Many children join armed groups because they are displaced from their homes, in other words, they don’t live their family and don’t have money and foods. That’s why children forced to join armed groups. Therefore, we should build a facility like a school, and give them foods so that children will live safety. Children also have a fear after conflicts. Children can’t accept what they experienced. So, we also have to give them counseling ...
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...The proxy war began on Saturday, March 23, 1991 under the reign of Joseph Momoh. After the death of prime minister Sir Milton, the politics in the country were distinguished by its corruption and electoral violence. Political confrontation had a undeviating impact on Sierra Leone’s economy. The alluvial diamond mines of South Eastern Sierra Leone invited for the unequal benefits of the diamond trade and resulted in self aggrandizement. The Revolutionary United Front, a guerrilla unit engineered by Foday Sankoh, sought to overthrow the government and head of executive, as well as take part in the illicit conflict (or otherwise known “blood”) diamond trade. The country's education system quickly collapsed and citizens of the country were forced...
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...The RUF: revolutionary ideals turned ideology of terror The RUF was created around 1982 by a small number of disenfranchised Sierra Leonean intellectuals with an ambiguous revolutionary ideology with a poorly articulated socialist agenda. The RUF’s pledge to fight against the one-party system, imposed by the All People’s Congress since independence in 1961, and for a more transparent and democratic state, initially received some popular support across ethnic and religious lines. However, until the RUF invasion, the group was relatively unknown. The increase in RUF activity was largely due to both the fight for control of Sierra Leone’s mineral resources (a dominant factor driving the RUF for most of the war), and the impact of external influences, especially the spread of the Liberian civil war into Sierra Leone. The military strength of the RUF was increased by considerable support from the NPFL, formed by Charles Taylor, one of the warring factions in the Liberian civil war, Burkinabè mercenaries, and the provision of military training to RUF fighters from Libya. Liberia, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Libya reportedly also provided the RUF with military equipment. Much of the RUF’s original ideology was lost among RUF fighters themselves, since a large proportion were in fact Liberian rebels fighting for their own cause. Moreover, any initial popular support that the group had enjoyed in the past was undermined by its...
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...The Economic Devastation in Sierra Leone The Republic of Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa. This country borders Guinea from left to right and Liberia from southeast as well as the Atlantic Ocean. Formerly, the colony was control by the Sierra Leone Company in 1792, until it became a British colony in 1808. Independence came in April 1961, when Sierra Leone opted for a parliamentary system within the British Commonwealth. Sierra Leone Peoples Party led by Sir Milton's of the led helped the country gain independence and the first general election under universal adult franchise in May 1962. In present day, The total area of Sierra Leone covers 71,740 km, with an estimated population of 5.4 to 6.4 million, growing at rate of about 2.6 percent per annum. Over two-thirds of the population lives in absolute poverty. Rural life, with the exception of the diamond and gold mining areas, is generally at a subsistence level. The average Life expectancy is very low, estimated at 42 years; and infant mortality is among the highest in the world, also primary school enrollment is among the lowest in Africa. Although Sierra Leone is blessed with abundant rainfall, substantial mineral resources, some fertile soils, and extensive marine fisheries, Sierra Leone is classified as one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. Sierra Leone has good relations with the West, including the United States and has maintained historical ties with the United Kingdom and other...
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...SIERRA LEONE CIVIL WAR: POWER OF SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTIONS The history of Sierra Leone from 1991 to 2002 is written with continuous suffering of its people. Although many literatures argue that opportunities of economic profit in the diamond mining industry is the motivation of the conflict, long history of poor institutional building with a consequence of malnutrition in Sierra Leone’s capacity in face of political instability also led to the long-lasting of war. The absence and insufficient ability of the civil government prohibited the state’s normal provision of fundamental functions, namely rule of law, security, and economic development. Tensions between the authority and the anti-government armed forces grew at a fast pace, brutal violations of humanity was commonly seen everywhere. Series of military interventions with a goal to restore stability and provide humanitarian aid ended in vain, only brought more destructions to the nation. The conflict in Sierra Leone consists of a complex mixture of key stakeholders, including domestic and neighboring countries’ politicians, local and cross-border militia, mercenary troops, diamond companies, regional and international organizations. The complex interactions between each player contributed to the decade-long civil war in this West African country. Unlike many countries...
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...Africa in Cinema- Final Paper Professor Rice May 2010 Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone This semester, the topic of Child Soldiers presented a very interesting dilemma that several countries in Africa continue to face today. Sierra Leone, in particular, has struck an interest because of the many films and readings that try to depict this story of the civil war. In class, we have viewed two films representing the problems with child soldiers in Sierra Leone which include films titled Blood Diamond and Ezra. Both films represent opposite sides of the spectrum, as Blood Diamond shows the Western view of child soldiers and Ezra represents the first African view of child soldiers. Before discussing the two films, there are also two articles that depict the issues of child soldiers in great detail. In the first article by A. B. Zack-Williams titled, “Child Soldiers in the Civil War in Sierra Leone,” the author describes the reasons behind children even joining rebel based armies such as the RUF, why children are chosen as soldiers against their will, and the examination of policies that are yet to be instilled on this matter. The first valid point that the author makes is the purpose of the RUF (Revolutionary United Front). The focus of this organization is to seek a better life for the people in Sierra Leone. They feel as if their lives have been wasted because of poor housing, malnutrition and no opportunity to succeed and that the government is to blame. With that said...
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...The term child soldier refers to the group of children in Sierra Leone who were forced to fight in Sierra Leone’s civil war. Shepler (2005) says that “murder, rape, and looting, amputations by machete were carried out by youth recruited for just such acts” (p. 197). Since the end of the civil war, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have been stepping in to reintegrate the former child soldiers into Sierra Leonean society. These NGOs work to detraumatize and help the children become part of the society again, and help the society learn to accept the former child soldiers despite the horrors that have been committed against the community. NGOs like to use a technique called “sensitization” to achieve these goals (Shepler, 2005, pp. 200-201). In implementing this technique, NGOs focused on teaching the Sierra Leonean people what child rights were and what they meant. An As an example that Shepler (2005) gives to illustrates how child rights were used and the way the NGOs sensitization techniques were implicated and used is as the community built the school (p. 201). In one village, the community as a whole used their funds to build a school for the children of that village. It was then used to educate not only the children of the village, but former child soldiers who were brought there by NGOs in order to reintegrate them into the community and to help them exercise their child rights, one of which being the right to education. The community did not like this,...
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...Sierra Leone Civil War The Sierra Leone civil war which lasted about 11 years from 1991 to 2001 has resulted about 50, 000 of death followed by numerous accounts of rape, murder, displaced, destruction properties as well as other crimes that are absolutely against the humanity (Shah, 2001). It began on March 23, 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), a rebel army led by Foday Sankoh which was supported by the special forces from the Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Libera (NPFL) of Liberia, had intervened the Sierra Leone with intent to overthrow and change the Sierra Leone’s government which led by Joseph Momoh (Friedman-Rudovsky, 2013). The major cause that contributed to the bloody civil war in Sierra Leone is merely...
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...to control man, while others like John Locke favored the idea of a government where the purpose was the good of mankind and officials were elected. Now many governments, democracies such as the US, have adopted Locke’s humanistic view and developed a list of human rights. However many rights are still violated, such as the right to an adequate standard of living and medical help. Sierra Leone is a prime...
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...Gender and Transitional Justice An Assessment of the Contribution of Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Addressing Gender-Based Violence in post-Conflict Sierra Leone Introduction Sierra Leone, a relatively small country with a population of just over 6 million people, has been the focus of considerable attention due to the recent Ebola epidemic and, prior to that, the decade-long civil war (1991-2002) (Mills, Nesbitt-Ahmed, Diggins & Mackieu, 2015, p. 4). After the war, the transition from civil war to peace witnessed a number of landmark procedural innovations with widespread implications for gender justice. The decade-long conflict had shattered the West African country, displacing more than one million people and leaving more than two hundred thousand women and girls dealing with the aftermath of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Then, in 1999, the Lomé Peace Agreement traded amnesty for peace, making provision for the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Sierra Leone to work parallel to the Special Court of Sierra Leone (otherwise called the Special Court or the SCSL) in order to prosecute those who bore “the greatest responsibility” for mass atrocities committed during the civil war. While there is a growing consensus that truth and reconciliation commissions as a transitional justice mechanism can be effective tools “in the construction of a post-conflict society that is more democratic and more respectful of human rights” (Wielbelhans-Hrahm...
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...Program Project Technology Resolution Business Plan Background and Introduction Technology Resolution is a Premier Information Technology Company formed by three Sierra Leoneans who studied in the United States and aim to introduce twentieth century technology to their country of birth Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone is amongst the least developed countries in West Africa with a population of about 5.8 million people. They are well known for their natural resources like diamonds, titanium ore (rutile), bauxite, gold, iron ore, platinum, chromite, manganese, as well as forests, abundant fresh water and rich offshore fishing grounds. However they are still underdeveloped because they lack the technological know-how and machinery to tap into their natural resources (Sierra Leone, 2012). The telecommunication infrastructure of this country was heavily damaged during an eleven years of senseless war and the internet service is currently very slow and expensive. The lack of advanced methods and technology to maintain an efficient database system is having an adverse effect on the productivity of different companies from all over the world who have bombarded this country to tap into their mineral resources. Sierra Leone became one of the ideal locations to establish Technology Resolution because the culture, language, legal system, and business practices of its customer base is well known by its owners (Collins, 2006). In addition, Sierratel is the...
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