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Sierra Leone was founded by British philanthropists as a haven for freed and runaway slaves.
Though the descendants of these slaves now
make up just two percent of the population, their
influence is still felt in Sierra Leone's lingua franca, Krio,
the Creole mother tongue. But today, a more brutal influence is felt.
For ten years, civil war has killed tens of thousands of
Sierra Leonese and turned more than one-third of the
population into refugees. A UN-brokered
peace agreement between the government and the
Revolutionary United Front has maintained a shaky
Peace for two years. One of the war's most appalling legacies are the legions of child soldiers who have been kidnapped or otherwise forced to take up arms. Nearly 50 percent of Sierra Leone's population is estimated to be 15 years old or younger. But whether these children can acquire the skills necessary rebuild Sierra Leone remains in doubt. Given the country's unrest, demand for teak and mahogany (rainforest makes up 25 percent of the country) has slumped, doing little to lessen Sierra Leone's severe economic woes.
Photo Caption: Child Soldier Of The RUF At A Checkpoint Near Lunsar Credit: Sebastian Bolesch/DAS FOTOARCHIV, www.africa-photo.com |
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