Sierra leones war is perhaps most notorious for the use of. David levenethe guardian but nahim says this caution may not be entirely a bad thing. This was the classic case scenario in sierra leone. Mariatu kamaras inspiring story of how she survived. Uindy alumni help amputees, blind children in sierra leone. To learn more about how to help amputees in sierra leone, please visit the. Goal click received our first camera back from sierra leone.
The event was held on international peace day, to highlight the fact that many of the beneficiaries were disabled during sierra leones civil war. Amputations in north america are usually the result of acute trauma or chronic vascular disease. Life and war in sierra leone in a novel, aminatta forna writes about the effects of sierra leones civil war on the countrys women. The revolutionary united front ruf was a rebel army that fought a failed elevenyear war in sierra leone, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002. Though the book covers vast intellectual ground, it remains compelling and. The resulting civil war lasted 11 years, enveloped. Sierra leone measures terror in severed limbs the new york. Slasa was founded in 2001 at the end of the decade long civil war in sierra leone and runs a footballbased programme for amputees. About 25% of disabled people in sierra leone are amputees who were wounded in the civil war. Ruf agreed to surrender its forces for a share in sierra leones government. The war has ended today, but it is clear that things are hardly settled. War wounded amputees residing in masiaka, jui, grafton, newton and aberdeen over the weekend benefited from a free medical treatment offered by melqosh mission international.
Maxwell fornah and victor musa, members of the single leg amputee sports club of sierra leone, play football in freetown, sierra leone, april 6, 2006. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. The three most senior surviving leaders, issa sesay, morris kallon and augustine gbao, were convicted in february 2009 of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The search for political power through armed conflict left the tiny west african country at war for a decade, with a loss of 50 000 lives and scores of amputees. It later developed into a political party, which still exists today. If you visited sierra leone, one thing you would notice is the high number of amputees and disabled people, a very visible reminder of the brutalities that occurred during the 11 year civil war. A message from a blood diamond victim sierra leones. Finally, in july 1999, sankoh and sierra leones president, ahmad tejan kabbah, signed the lome peace accord under pressure from the u. According to presnell, there are a large number of amputees in sierra leone because of a brutal civil war that started in 1991 and ended in 2002. War and embodied memory describes how an amputee and warwounded community was created after a decade long conflict in sierra leone.
The civil war in sierra leone was declared over in january 2002, after 11 years. Many had an arm or leg, and sometimes even both arms or legs cut off. People scoffed at their warring neighbors, saying, that will never happen to us. Abu, 7, buttons the collar of his fathers shirt at a camp for amputees outside freetown, sierra leone. The 32 best sierra leone civil war books, such as salone, no tears, what rebels. Literature of sierra leone is the collection of written and spoken work, mostly fictional, from sierra leone. During sierra leones 10year civil war, thousands of innocent civilians had their limbs hacked off. Free medical treatment for war wounded amputees sierra. Ebola, war but just two psychiatrists to deal with a. Amputations in the sierra leone conflict artemis christodulou1 introduction 1.
A physical handicap in sierra leone typically means you have no chance for employment. Susan mcclelland when mariatu set out for a neighborhood village in sierra leone, she was kidnapped and tortured, and both of her hands cut off. Sierra leone amputees still victims world news africa nbc news. But for some war wounded or amputees in sierra leone in west africa, victims of that countrys civil war. We promote physical, social and economic wellbeing by providing support for education, health care and community building. Since 1991, this west african nation has been brought to its knees by a series of coups, violent conflicts, and finally, outright war.
Child amputees are a particularly common phenomenon, since amputations were used indiscriminately by rebel forces during sierra leones tenyear civil war which ended in 2002. When mariatu set out for a neighborhood village in sierra leone, she was kidnapped and tortured, and both of her hands cut off. The sierra leone civil war 19912002 was a civil war in sierra leone that began on 23 march 1991 when the revolutionary united front ruf, with support from the special forces of charles taylors national patriotic front of liberia npfl, intervened in sierra leone in an attempt to overthrow the joseph momoh government. Those maimed in sierra leone war still victims amputees say rebels who cut their limbs get help, but they dont.
A dirty war in west africa recounts lansana gberies harrowing experiences as a journalist during the decadelong civil war in sierra leone. In the background one is faced with the breakdown of the state with vast human rights abuses, abject poverty and other social ills. War victim sources funds for amputees impacted by covid19. Sierra leones amputees soccer club in the conflictravaged west african nation, a football club for onelegged men is bringing hope and opportunity to the disabled. In 2005, the report, comprising four books of almost 2000 pages, was made available to the public. One of sierra leones war heroes passed on in kansas city. Eli ayres to the pepper or grain coast of west africa, to buy the land discovered by samuel bacon prior to his death the preceding year. The sierra leone amputees project was borne out of the need to create global awareness of the nature and extent of the carnage in the sierra leone civil war 1991 2002. She is a beneficiary of melqosh mission international rendering a heartfelt. Operation fine girl rape used as a weapon of war in sierra leone duration. Adapted from bite of the mango by mariatu kamara with susan mcclelland, published by bloomsbury tomorrow, price. The amputees experiences and nightmares are more emotional and psychological than physical. This report examines the causes and influences of intentional amputation perpetrated during the sierra leone civil war between 1991 and 2002. The war in sierra leone has been over for five years.
It should be noted that both intentional and unintentional or direct and indirect amputation took place during the civil war. Opinion saving sierra leone, at a price the new york times. Civil war devastated sierra leone in the 1990s, and today it is the poorest country in the world. Sierra leone measures terror in severed limbs the new. Hands on sierra leone was founded in 2016 by sheku mansaray and a small team of professionals in the united states and africa. Before the civil war, sierra leone had many writers contributing to its literature and since the end of the war the country has been in the process of rebuilding this literature. However for thousands of amputees their personal battles with trauma have exponentially and vicariously intensified as. For over a decade the country of sierra leone was ravaged by a civil war that left the country completely devastated with over 50,000 killed, 60% of educational institutions destroyed, and thousands of children made amputees or orphans. Caryl phillips travels to the capital, freetown, and meets the writers struggling to. In sierra leone, amputees and the disabled are the least served citizens. It collected a lot of information about the recent history of sierra leone and about the war and its causes and consequences. Sierra leone amputees still victims world news africa. Rail transport in sierra leone railway stations in sierra leone sierra leone government railway historyformation, colonial era, education, corruption, civil war sierra leone company sierra leone colony and protectorate hut tax war of 1898 fourah bay college njala university bai bureh sierra leone 19611971 operation khukri sierra leone. No compassion for sierra leones amputees pambazuka news.
Amputation has been the signature atrocity of sierra leones civil war, which went on for eleven years and ended last january. The most credible estimates of the number of war amputees which i. Canadian medical association journal are provided here courtesy of canadian medical association. To improve the lives of amputee war victims, the disabled, and their families in sierra leone, west africa. Hands on sierra leone changing the lives of amputee.
It was intended to break the silence on the human rights violations conducted systematically during this period by creating a digital space where amputees could narrate their. Eleanor massah is a civil war amputee in sierra leone and was 9 yrs old when she lost her leg in a landmine incident. The shocking but inspiring story of mariatu kamara, who survived a horrific ordeal by machetewielding tormentors as a 12yearold child during sierra leones civil war. The rebels of the revolutionary united front ruf were the main perpetrators, but many of those maimed by machetes will accuse government. The decade long harrowing civil war endured by sierra leone might be over as far as the sierra leone government and top united nations emissary carolyn mcaskie responsible for peacebuilding are concerned.
Inside the war provides readers with an detailed overview of the 19912002 civil cluding descriptions of sierra leones culture and prewar history, a yearbyyear account of the civil war, and narratives from 30 people who describe their experiences as. The coastal westafrican country suffered a civil war from 1991 until 2002. Amputation has been the signature atrocity of sierra leones civil war. Restoring amputees sierra leone article nursingcenter. There are more than 6,000 amputees in sierra leone as a result of the brutal civil war. Sierra leones amputees are a grim legacy of its 19912001 civil war. The photos were taken by pastor abraham bangura, coach of the single leg amputee sports association slasa football team. The search for africas fighting spirit by tim butcher, a long way gone by ishmael beah, sierra leone by k. Lockdowns are helping a lot of countries flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic. Made famous by the movie blood diamond, the civil war in sierra leone was a precursor to many wars of the. But for some war wounded or amputees in sierra leone in west africa, victims of that countrys civil war of the 90s, it is depriving them of their source of livelihood begging in the streets of the capital, freetown. One of the most brutal aspects of the conflict was the use of amputation as a weapon of fear, by both factions. Charles taylor, the president of neighboring liberia, has backed.
But for some war wounded or amputees in sierra leone in west africa, victims of that countrys civil war of. Jui, sierra leone rebels who hacked off the hands of civilians have scholarships. Justice minister frederick carew said this amount was unreasonable, but other benefits were being considered. They are the heroes of sierra leones dirty war, in a population of almost 7 million war survivors struggling to cope with the serious economic hardship, poverty and poor governance that the country is. They were the victims of revolutionary united front ruf rebels in sierra leones 10year civil war. Today she is a unicef special representative for children and armed conflict. The work of fr maurizio with amputee victims of the civil war in sierra leone. If sierra leone is to survive, this insane force must be destroyed. The treatment to war amputees at the monsignor daniel sullivan health clinic, newton, was the organisations first medical mission for 2017. Mutilation, amputation, and disability culture in postconflict sierra leone. But for some warwounded or amputees in sierra leone in west africa, victims of that countrys civil war of.
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