The Sierra Leonean Civil War was an 11-year conflict that lasted from 1991 to 2002. Approximately two million people were displaced during the war and the death toll was close to 50,000.
Background & Root Causes of the War
editSierra Leone's political and economic infrastructure went into a gradual decline after independence from the British in 1961. Corruption gained momentum during the almost 20 year reign of Siaka Stevens. Multi party opposition was formally banned with the declaration of a one party state under the All Peoples Congress (APC). The Internal Security Unit (ISU), a paramilitary force was created to pacify an increasingly restless populace. In 1986 as the economy went into a tail spin accompanied by a series of drastic devaluations of the Leone currency, Stevens by now well into his 80's handed power to his hand picked successor, Brigadier Joseph Momoh. Momoh was a trusted former head of the country's armed forces. The slide toward chaos gained momentum under an ineffective Momoh adminstration paralyzed by corrupt party officials of the former Stevens regime. The country’s economy was heavily dependent on foreign aid as mining and commerce ground to a virtual halt. Endemic levels of corruption led to growing popular agitation against the single-party government of President Joseph Saidu Momoh.
The Revolutionary United Front (RUF)
editOn 23 March 1991, a small band of men who called themselves the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebelled against the Momoh government and began to attack villages in eastern Sierra Leone near the Liberian border. The RUF was led by Foday Sankoh, a former corporal in the country’s army. Some members of the RUF had been antipathetic to the Sierra Leone government since Ndogboyosoi war in south-eastern Sierra Leone.
Fighting continued in the ensuing months with the RUF gaining control of the diamond mining areas in Kono District.
Military Government (1992-1996)
editThe rebel war in eastern Sierra Leone posed an increasing burden on the country and on 29 April 1992, a group of young Republic of Sierra Leone Military Forces (RSLMF) officers deposed the government of President Joseph Momoh in a military coup. Momoh went into exile in neighboring Guinea. A National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) chaired by Yahya Kanu was set up on 30 April. Kanu was replaced on 1 May by Captain Valentine Strasser, the actual leader of the coup, as chairman.
The Strasser-led administration proved to be ineffective in repelling the RUF and by early 1995, the war had spread to most of the country. To retrieve the situation, the government hired several hundred mercenaries from the private firm Executive Outcomes. Within a month they had driven RUF fighters back to enclaves along Sierra Leone’s borders.
As a result of mounting domestic and international pressure, the NPRC agreed to hand over power to a civilian government via presidential and parliamentary elections. The ban on political parties that had been in effect since the 1992 coup was formally rescinded on 21 June 1995. The RUF refused to take part in the political process. In early December 1995, it was announced that the presidential and legislative elections were to take place concurrently on 26 February 1996.
Valentine Strasser was deposed in a military coup led by Brigadeer General Julius Maada Bio on 16 January 1996. He announced that the coup had been instigated in response to efforts by Strasser to remain in power. Strasser claimed, however, that the new military administration planned to delay the transition to civilian government. A reconstituted Supreme Council of State was formed, and, following a meeting of the new military leadership, and representatives of the political parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it was announced that the elections would proceed as scheduled. The RUF indicated that it was prepared to enter into negotiations with the new government, and declared a temporary cease-fire to allow voter registration to proceed throughout the country.
Elections and Civilian Rule
editThe first multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections in Sierra Leone since 1967 took place on 26 February 1996. Voter turnout was high among the country’s 1.6 million registered voters despite rebel and military intimidation. Armed groups, particularly in Bo and parts of Freetown killed some 27 people in attacks, which were generally attributed to efforts by the RUF to disrupt the electoral process. Voting was consequently extended for a further day.
Presidential Election Results
edit| Candidate (Party) | First Round (26-27 February 1996) |
Second Round (15 March 1996) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Votes | % of Votes | Number of Votes | % of Votes | ||
| Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (Sierra Leone People's Party) | 266,893 | 35.8% | 608,419 | 59.5% | |
| John Karefa-Smart (United National People's Party) | 168,666 | 22.6% | 414,335 | 40.5% | |
| Thaimu Bangura (People's Democratic Party) | 119,782 | 16.1% | - | - | |
| John Karimu (National Unity Party) | 39,617 | 5.3% | - | - | |
| Edward Turay (All People's Congress) | 38,316 | 5.1% | - | - | |
| Abu Aiah Koroma (Democratic Centre Party) | 36,779 | 4.9% | - | - | |
| Abass Bundu (People's Progressive Party) | 21,557 | 2.9% | - | - | |
| Amadu Jalloh (National Democratic Alliance) | 17,335 | 2.3% | - | - | |
| Edward Kargbo (Poeple's National Convention) | 15,798 | 2.1% | - | - | |
| Desmond Luke (National Unity Movement) | 7,918 | 1.1% | - | - | |
| Andrew Lungay (Social Democratic Party) | 5,202 | 0.7% | - | - | |
| Andrew Turay (National People's Party) | 3,925 | 0.5% | - | - | |
| Mohamed Sillah (National Alliance Democratic Party) | 3,723 | 0.5% | - | - | |
| Total Votes | 745,511 | 1,022,754 | |||
Parliamentary Election Results
edit| Party | Number of Seats (68) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) | 27 | ||||
| United National People's Party (UNPP) | 17 | ||||
| People's Democratic Party (PDP) | 12 | ||||
| All People's Congress (APC) | 05 | ||||
| National Unity Party (NUP) | 04 | ||||
| Democratic Centre Party (DCP) | 03 | ||||
Note: 12 Additional Seats were reserved for paramount chiefs