The failure of peacekeeping in Sierra Leone

Current History

Volumn 100, Issue 646, 2001, Pages 219-224

  Reno, William ^a  

^a NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY   (United States)

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Indexed keywords

EID: 31144434710     PISSN: 00113530     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Article

References (7)

1. Siaka Stevens, who headed the Sierra Leone government from 1968 to 1985, had been the target of a coup following elections in 1967; an army mutiny in 1968 installed him in office. Fearing further coups, Stevens relied on a paramilitary body, the Internal Security Unit, and groups of armed youths attached to his All-People's Congress, the country's only legal party between 1977 and 1991. Stevens also allowed loyal politicians to use armed young men - organized much like the RUF would be - to attack rivals.
2. A. Abraham, "War and Transition to Peace: A Study of State Conspiracy in Perpetuating Armed Conflict," African Development, 22: 3/4 (1997), p. 103.
3. R. Lizza, "Where Angels Fear to Tread," New Republic, July 24, 2000.
4. The Washington Post reported that small arms, ammunition, and Liberian fighters crossed into Sierra Leone in June 2000, and numerous sources highlighted specific commercial links between Taylor, Sierra Leone's diamonds, and the RUF. See D. Farah, "Liberia Reportedly Arming Guerrillas: Rebel Control of Sierra Leone Diamond-Mining Areas Crucial to Monrovia, Sources Say," Washington Post, June 18, 2000, p. A21;
5. "Godfather to the Rebels," Africa Confidential, June 23, 2000, pp. 1-3.
6. The West Side Boys appeared in combat from 1998 in Tupac tee shirts. The name reflects affinity for hip-hop artist Tupac, "west side" of Death Row Records in Los Angeles, as opposed to the Notorious B.I.G., "east side" of Bad Boy Records in New York.
7. The kidnapping episode also exposed a factional split among the former soldiers. The kidnappers were loyal to Foday Kallay, who claimed to lead the former Sierra Leone army after Johnny Paul Koroma left to take a government position as head of a Commission for Consolidation of Peace in Freetown.