Diamonds, Poverty and War in West Africa

On Wednesday, February 18, Peace Links held a lunchtime discussion at the YWCA downtown entitled, "Diamonds, Poverty and War: Women in Sierra Leone," led by Dr. Regina Birchem of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).

Dr. Birchem became the WILPF liaison with Africa and did a field visit in December 1996 right after the peace accord was signed. She began the discussion by relaying tales of her first experience in West Africa, meeting many inspirational women that would soon flee Sierra Leone when war broke out again in 1997. Birchem relayed the struggles that many of them are dealing with now. One woman that is currently living in Texas has temporary political asylum status. She had been fighting to get her children out after she escaped. The children managed to reach Ghana but were presented with many problems there, for example, the US consulate officer in Accra did not believe that the children belonged to her since she had adopted them. In the end, Catholic Charities was successful in reuniting the woman with most of her children. However, one of the children was captured by rebels to work as a sex slave before her brothers and sisters escaped to Ghana. Although her brother found her, she disappeared shortly after and has never resurfaced. Currently, a few of the women have found steady jobs but some are struggling economically - one took classes at community college to learn computer skills and now works two jobs to stay afloat. Another woman that had served as a judge in Sierra Leone can only work as a legal assistant here because her credentials do not carry over.

Birchem relayed statistics about West Africa, such as the geography, topography, climate, vegetation, and population – which is increasing each year with a very high infant mortality rate. By comparing the infant mortality rate in Sierra Leone to that of other countries, you get an idea of the poor general health. The life expectancy is 45 years for women and 40 for men. An overwhelming 70% of the population has HIV or AIDS and about 11,000 people die from AIDS each year. The illiteracy rate for women is 85-88% while it is only 45% for men.

There are 20 tribes which all speak different languages, she explained, but Creole is the main language spoken in the streets. Explorers from Portugal originally discovered the land now known as Sierra Leone and gave it its name, thinking the profile of the mountain ranges resembled that of a sleeping lion.

Birchem next went into a brief history of the country to give context to the current struggles (see sidebar for more info). She explained the prominence of diamond smuggling and how the rebel war has effectively destroyed Sierra Leone and its people. The diamond trade, wrought with piracy and lawlessness, is perpetuated by the global demand for the stones. Referring to the violence and brutality common in this industry, human rights advocates have replaced the saying "Diamonds are forever" with "Amputation is forever."

Women in Sierra Leone have played a prominent role in efforts to achieve peace, Birchem asserted. She explained how the women put themselves in the dangerous but vital position of acting as liaisons between the government and the rebels. They would effectively pinpoint and relay the unarticulated complaints and demands on both sides. In addition, she explained how the women, with the help of the UN, banded together and began an education campaign that eventually led to a democratic vote in the 90s.

Despite their unrelenting efforts, women are still up against incredible odds, Birchem continued. There are laws that prevent women from inheriting or owning land. Even when there are "just" laws, many tribes ignore them and just follow tradition. Combined with the problems that arise from artificial borders, poor health care, low literacy rates and a plethora of other social problems, the poverty in Sierra Leone is immense and intricately entwined with global politics and economics. "Women got elections to take place, they worked for the peace accord to be signed," she said, "but it’s the corruption in government and the globalization of greed that’s destroying everything. We must continue to raise this awareness."

The presentation was part of an African-centered series hosted by Peace Links educational committee. The previous event was held in January and was entitled: "Eyewitness to Rwanda: The Reconciliation Process at Work."

Peace Links will shift gears in March with a book discussion series around anti-nuclear spokesperson Jonathan Shell’s book, "The Unconquerable World." The discussions will take place the first four Wednesdays of the month at 7pm at the Friends Meeting House. Peace Links asks that attendees please read the first section of the book before the discussion. For more information, contact Janice Auth at 412-471-0302.

- by Marie Skoczylas


Children (and Regina Birchem) in Sierra Leone with the head teacher at the Kissy Road Children's Home for rehabilitation of child excombatants, Freetown, Sierra Leone in December 1996. They accepted children under 15 and had a waiting list. The children are screened and a program is worked out individually. There were 84 children at this school with a basic staff or 41. They work with groups of 9 children and it is a 24-hour day job. (Photo courtesy of Regina Birchem)

Sidebar - "A Short History of Sierra Leone"

Sierra Leone was a British colony to which freed slaves returned in the late 1700's. They formed a social class which was hardly integrated with the indigenous people. After Independence in 1961, successive governments were dominated by a small political elite who exclusively profited from the lucrative diamond trade. Little of this national income trickled down to benefit the rest of the population. Reacting to this system of exclusive patronage, a political outsider, Foday Sankoh, formed the RUF (Revolutionary United Front), and started an armed insurrection. Rebel leader and later president of neighboring Liberia, Charles Taylor, backed Sankoh and the RUF.

At the same time, the military became dissatisfied with the government, the military took power in 1991. By 1996, foreign and domestic pressure forced the provisional governing council to hold general elections despite the bush war. A civilian, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, became the first freely elected President in 34 years.

Within a year a group of renegade officers forced his government to flee the country. President Kabbah regained power in March 1998 with the assistance of foreign mercenaries and ECOMOG, an armed intervention force sponsored by ECOWAS (Economic Organization of West African States). The military junta retreated to the bush and became a second rebel faction. In uneasy co-operation with the RUF, the rebel armies financed their participation in the war by mining and selling diamonds through Liberia.

A surprise rebel attack in January 1999 temporarily wrestled half of Freetown from ECOMOG. The insurgents destroyed much of the town before they were beaten back. In July 1999 all parties agreed to a regionally brokered cease-fire signed in Lome. It included an amnesty for all the crimes and human rights abuses committed during the war and a framework for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of all participants in the conflict.

The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution in October 1999 to provide an armed peace keeping force. It will replace the largely Nigerian-based ECOMOG forces, which the rebels see as party to the conflict. However, less than a quarter of the 45,000 combatants have surrendered their weapons at the designated assembly points in compliance with the disarmament program. Human rights agencies in Sierra Leone report continued abuses and say that widespread banditry is increasing throughout the areas still controlled by the rebel factions. The rebel armies have surrendered very few of the estimated 10,000 children abducted during the war. All diamond mining and trading licenses have been revoked and all diamond trading activities outlawed. However, much of the diamond region is in the hands of recalcitrant RUF rebels who are unlikely to halt their mining operations.

Source: www.cryfreetown.org