What started the war in Sierra Leone?
The war began on March 23, 1991, when the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) under Foday Sankoh, with support of Liberian rebel leader Charles Taylor and his group, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NFPL), attempted to overthrow the government of Sierra Leonean President Joseph Momah.
When did the civil war began in Sierra Leone?
1991
1991 – Start of civil war. Former army corporal Foday Sankoh and his Revolutionary United Front (RUF) begin campaign against President Momoh, capturing towns on border with Liberia.
What is the history of Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone was colonized in 1787 by freed slaves arriving from England; other groups followed from Nova Scotia (1792) and Jamaica (1800). They were sponsored and governed by the private Sierra Leone Company until 1808, when Britain made Sierra Leone a crown colony.
Why did Britain take over Sierra Leone?
Britain had established a navy base in Freetown, banned its subjects from trading slaves, started using the Sierra Leone coast to resettle people freed from slave trading ships and brought Freetown (the pre-existing settlement of freed slaves) under Crown Government protection.
What is distinctive about the conflict in Sierra Leone?
The devastating eleven-year armed conflict in Sierra Leone was characterized by extreme brutality and widespread human rights abuses against civilians. The majority of the crimes were perpetrated by rebels from the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF).
What is Sierra Leone called now?
Sierra Leone
| Republic of Sierra Leone | |
|---|---|
| Recognised national languages | Krio |
| Religion | Islam (78%) Christianity (21%) |
| Demonym(s) | Sierra Leonean |
| Government | Unitary presidential constitutional republic |
When did the black poor arrive in Sierra Leone?
15 May 1787
The ones that managed to survive the voyage arrived on the shore of Sierra Leone on 15 May 1787, and established a town they called Granville Town. When the ships left them in September, their numbers had been reduced to “to 276 persons, namely 212 black men, 30 black women, 5 white men and 29 white women.”