SUMMARY

Sierra Leone became independent from the British in 1961, after having been a British Protectorate since 1896. During colonial rule the British had applied their most common mode of administration, using more or less indigenous structures of power and governance to employ an ‘indirect rule’ where local chieftains received the patronage of the colonial master in order to control the population.

The patrimonial system of governance that prevailed after independence in turn began to feed endemic corruption, patronage, ethnic tensions and small cliques of economic and political elites; usually based around the capital city of Freetown. Sierra Leone’s vast natural resources (primarily diamonds and timber) fell victim to this ineffective economical system, which failed to accumulate hard currency for the state.

This extractive economical system joined hands with the autocratic rule of the All People’s Congress (APC) government, which instituted one-party rule in 1978 after a few years of turbulent democracy and military coups. The APC government attempted a return to multiparty democracy in the first two years of the 1990’s, under the leadership of President Momoh. The move was however thwarted by the start of the Sierra Leonean government’s war with the RUF (Revolutionary United Front), which made disgruntled army officers seize power in a coup in 1992. Valentine Strasser became the self-proclaimed President of Sierra Leone, only to himself be ousted by one of his deputies. The NPRC (National Provisional Ruling Council) government under Strasser and his successor however initiated moves towards a multiparty democracy, and elections brought Ahmed Tejan Kabbah of the Sierra Leone People’s Party to power in 1996. Kabbah’s term was short-lived however, with the AFRC (Armed Forces Revolutionary Council) seizing power in a low-rank military coup in 1997, lead by Johnny Paul Koroma. Kabbah was however reinstated again in 1998. Kabbah won the elections again in 2002 and became President for a second term, as Sierra Leone continued its democratic path.

The one-party rule of Sierra Leone, and the successive military regimes, were all repressive in nature, and used harsh means to suppress opposition. As the civil conflict with the RUF began in 1991 and the government suffered defeats, the morale of the armed forces deteriorated rapidly, leading to the coups mentioned above. Disloyal soldiers also engaged in one-sided violence against civilians during the civil conflict.

The government of Sierra Leone however does not appear as a one-sided actor until 1997, when government power is captured by the AFRC and RUF in collusion. These two rebel groups after 25 May 1997 constitute the government side in the conflict until they are ousted from the capital, Freetown, on 10 February 1998. During this time in power the AFRC/RUF government moved to solidify their grip on the country, through wiping out political opposition, journalists, those they deemed to be a threat, and also random civilians.

During the conflict with the RUF the government of Sierra Leone maintained strong links to Guinea and Nigeria, the latter providing the bulk of forces for the ECOMOG mission that intervened on the side of the government of Sierra Leone.

The government of Sierra Leone has been involved in the intra-state and one-sided categories of UCDP organised violence.