The Kono district is one of the most well known diamond mines in Sierra Leone. Anyone with access to a shovel could work there. Before the war the Kono district was controlled by the government. Instead of the government officials putting the profits to good use they all pocketed the money for themselves by smuggling the diamonds out of the country. Fed up with the corrupt government the RUF, a groups of 100 men from Sierra Leone and Liberia, captured and gained control of the diamond mines and most of eastern Sierra Leone. Which created an 9 year civil war. Having control over the mines helped them finance the rebellion, by buying weapons ammunition and even soldiers. In the end leaving 50,000 people dead.
Foday Sankoh an ex-army Sargent led the rebellion and promised the mine workers a better share of the country's resources. He had brutal tactics like mutilation and amputation that he performed on civilians in order to expose the governments inability to protect its citizens. After years of fighting the president of Sierra Leone and Sankoh signed a peace treaty. The RUF agreed to surrender its forces for a share of Sierra Leone's government. 6 months later the RUF attacked Freetown and the Sierra Leoneian government in order to gain control. As a result the UN issued a ban on nongovernmental diamonds for Sierra Leone.
War. War never changes. You always hear about "blood diamonds" and think of simply "conflict in Africa", but until this book I never really knew the extent. It is a tragedy that even a group hoping to rebel against corruption is no better.
ReplyDeleteIts crazy to know that a group of 100 men could have possibly started a 9 year civil war. You mentioned that they bought soldiers, maybe mercenaries?
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