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Introduction
  Remembering the
 war

Chapter One
  How did it happen?

 Chapter Two
 What is the T.R.C

Chapter Three
  What happened to
 us?

Chapter Four
 What are we doing
 now?

Chapter Fove
  Findings and
 Recomendations
Chapter Six
 What do we see for
 the future?
Chapter Seven
  Plan of action:making
 the report a reality
 Acknowledgement

Methodology
   
Glossary

 

 

Chapter Five:

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission wrote down all the information collected from the people of Sierra Leone. After carefully studying the information, the Commission brought together the findings and made recommendations to the Government of Sierra Leone. The findings and recommendations will help our country become peaceful and prosperous, and help us prevent another war.The government has to translate these recommendations into reality. We know that our future depends on what happens today and so we want to learn about these recommendations and understand their importance.

In fact, there are too many findings and recommendations to name them all here. But we have listed some of the most important, especially as they apply to children. Children of Sierra Leone also made recommendations to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Many of our ideas are included in the official recommendations of the Commission. We know that our government, our elders, our teachers and our parents are all responsible for us and we want to do everything we can to make sure they keep their promise to protect the children.

But we also would like to begin to take responsibility. We want to help decide the future path of our country. We need to work together, to set an example for one another. Because of the terrible war, we know how valuable peace is in our lives. Our most important ecommendation – to the people of Sierra Leone and to ourselves – is to do all that we can to bring peace to our country. With peace will come well-being and happiness.

We are watching closely. We do not want to be misled and abused ever again by those we look to for guidance, by those who are bound by law to promote our best interests. We have already begun our work for peace and we will continue. We know that our vision for a peaceful future is not only possible – it is essential. Our lives, our future and the future of our country depend on peace. We will not be discouraged and we will not be turned away from our goal.

Creating a better future through reparations Reparations
Repairations are given to repair a wrong. They help people recover and regain their dignity. Many victims of the war have not received assistance, and they continue to suffer terribly.
In some cases, ex-combatants have received more help than their victims. Those who suffered and lost most also want their voices to be heard. They need help to rebuild their lives.

Reparations are given in many different forms. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission suggests two kinds of reparations for the victims of the war:


  • Rehabilitation, such as medical care and other health and social support;Symbolic
  • reparations, showing respect for the victim and recognizing the harm that was suffered.

Why are reparations important for Sierra Leone?
The reason that reparations are important is because they are evidence of respect for the victims who have suffered and they help repair the wrong. A Reparations Programme should be set up and put into action. This would help restore trust in the government by showing its care and respect for people in need.

The Commission believes that reparations are needed in the reconciliation process. If no help is given, then the victims may feel that their loss has not been taken seriously. Reparations are also important because of their symbolic value. Symbolic reparations recognise the sufferings of the war and give people a place to remember and reflect on the past.

For example, the Congo Cross Bridge in Freetown was renamed the Peace Bridge to mark the place where the invasion of Freetown on 6 January 1999 was stopped. The Peace Bridge reminds the people of Sierra Leone that the war was overcome. And it gives hope that peace will become the bridge to the future. In some villages, mosques and churches may be built as a memorial, at the place where many villagers were killed or at the site of mass graves.

Who will receive reparations?
In Sierra Leone, every child, woman and man is a victim and a survivor of the war. But some people need special help to recover their health and well-being, and start a new life.
 For example, those who were amputated require medical help, and some need surgery. They also need to be fitted for artificial limbs or prosthetics, which will help them become more independent and active in society. They need help with housing and with education and skills training, for themselves and their children.

Girls and women who suffered brutal rape and sexual violence also require medical help. Many of them are afraid to tell what happened, and so they need private counselling.

They also need skills training to help them earn a living and support their children. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommends that special help be given to children who have not found their families or were orphaned by the war. Children who were born to girls and women as a result of rape also need special help. These children should receive free schooling or skills training, and they may also need counselling. Village leaders will help the Government of Sierra Leone to identify those victims and survivors who are most in need of help.

THE WAR
Findings:

  • The crimes committed during the war deliberately sought to destroy the culture and tradition of Sierra Leone. People who lost everything during the war are now searching for new meaning in life.
  • The fighting forces that took part in the war were composed chiefly of young men and boys. Many were frustrated and angry with the system of government in Sierra Leone and were easily convinced to join the fighting. Many others were abducted and became fighters against their will.
  • Civilians, especially children, were the direct targets of the fighting forces. They suffered brutal violations, including mass murder, rape, abduction and forced recruitment, sexual slavery, torture and looting.
  • Children were used by all the fighting forces. However, the AFRC and the RUF were responsible for most of the forced recruitment that occurred during the war, especially the forced recruitment of children.

Recommendations:

  • National laws should be put into force, in agreement with international law, to prohibit and criminalise the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict.
  • The young adults of Sierra Leone should be given a stronger voice in the democratic decision-making process so that they can contribute and are not frustrated into taking violent action.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND CHILD RIGHTS
Findings

  • There is a need to restore human dignity and respect the rights of all, without exception. This is important for individuals and for the country, as a whole.
  • Oppression and the lack of freedom of expression contributed to the sense of frustration that erupted in violence and helped to fuel the armed conflict.
  • Before the start of the war, there was a failure of accountability in government that undermined democracy and the rule of law throughout the country.
  • Military forces and armed groups abused their authority. Soldiers and police officers did not defend national security but instead became agents of instability and violence.

Recommendations:

  • In order to establish a culture of human rights in Sierra Leone, the right to life and human dignity should be enshrined in the Constitution.
  • The death penalty should be abolished and Parliament should make sure there are no laws authorising its use.
  • A culture of debate and tolerance for dissent should be encouraged as essential to a vibrant and healthy democracy.
  • Citizenship based on equal rights, mutual respect, understanding and tolerance should be promoted.
  • In order to restore accountability and the rule of law, there should be respect for an independent judicial system, for the role of parliament, and for the holding of free and fair elections.
  • The Constitution should enshrine new principles of national security that reflect the
    will of the people to live in peace and harmony.

IMPROVE GOVERNMENT AND STOP CORRUPTION
Findings:

  • There is no single explanation for the war, but rather many complex and interrelated causes.
  • Injustice, corruption and bad governance were among the causes of the war. The majority of the people had no voice in the government and no opportunities in life, and so they were easily provoked to violence.
  • The war represented a failure of leadership on the part of government, public life and civil society. Now there is an urgent call for good leadership at all levels of Sierra Leone society.
  • Recommendations:
    A new culture of ethics and service is needed to fight corruption and bring prosperity for the people of Sierra Leone.
  • Effective monitoring should be put in place to prevent, punish and end corruption.
  • A Freedom of Information Act should be passed so that people in Sierra Leone can easily learn about government activities.

CHILDREN
Findings:

  • Thousands of children were singled out and targeted for serious violations, including abduction, forced recruitment, use as child soldiers, sexual violence, rape and sexual slavery, amputation, mutilation, forced labour and torture.
  • Children were abducted in the greatest number for recruitment and sexual slavery.
    They were abducted because they were powerless and easy to manipulate.
  • Young girls were targeted for sexual slavery as so-called ‘bush wives’ or they were
    confined to locked rooms and raped repeatedly. Many became pregnant and gave birth to children. Most girls did not benefit from the demobilization and reintegration process.
  • Children were forced to commit atrocities. Some children were drugged in order to destroy their moral sense and their family and community ties.

Recommendations:

  • The rights of children, spelled out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international treaties, should be passed into national law. The Child Rights Bill should therefore be adopted by Parliament without delay and swiftly implemented.
  • Parliament should enact legislation making 18 the age of majority, when childhood ends, as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
  • The government should pass laws forbidding the marriage of girls under age 18. Legislation should be passed making it a criminal offense to have sexual relations with a child under age 16. Any case of sexual relations with girls below age 16 should be prosecuted as rape.
  • In order to guarantee that all children in Sierra Leone receive free primary education, there should also be strict rules to limit extra fees for examinations, participation in sports, science classes, drama and other activities. It should be a criminal offence not to send children to primary school. Secondary education should be affordable and parents should be encouraged to understand the benefits of educating their children, especially girls.
  • Urgent attention should be given to children most affected by the war, especially girls, who did not benefit from the programme of the National Commission for Disarmament, demobilization and Reintegration, to help them recover, learn educational and vocational skills and lead productive lives.
  • Laws should be passed and enforced to prevent and stop the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children. Measures should be taken to reduce the sexual exploitation of girls and boys by providing health care, vocational training and psychosocial support for the most vulnerable children.
  • There should be consideration to end the full-time employment of any child under age 18 and all workplaces should be safe and humane, in keeping with international
    rules and standards.
  • Corporal punishment, whether in school or at home, legitimises violence as a means
    to control behaviour and should be outlawed.
  • Serious violations of children’s rights should be monitored and reported at local, district, provincial and national levels. Perpetrators should be held accountable within the national courts and the legal system should be strengthened to ensure that national courts have the capacity to prosecute perpetrators, in conformity with international human rights principles.
  • Recreational centres should be set up for children as a means of replacing violence with sports and play.
  • Children should be guided and supported in their endeavour to contribute their voice, opinions and ideas to the social dialogue and processes of decision-making. Facilities should be provided within the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs to support the Children’s Forum Network (CFN) at national, provincial and local levels, in particular in the Northern, Eastern and Southern Provinces. After the departure of UNAMSIL, the Voice of Children Radio should also be continued and expanded under government leadership.

YOUTH
Findings:

  • A large number of youths are unemployed and have little faith in the government. They are frustrated because they have few career opportunities for the future.
  • Many youths who survived the war lived for years in an atmosphere of violence and still look to violence as a means to solve their problems.
  • Drug addiction is a serious problem for youth in Sierra Leone, partly because so many young people who fought in the war were given drugs to numb their fear and their moral sense.

Recommendations:

  • The needs of youth should be seen as a national emergency that demands immediate attention. The National Youth Policy and the National Youth Plan should be put into action.
  • The Ministry of Youth and Sport should be transformed into a National Youth Commission, able to raise funds in order to implement the National Youth Policy and the National Youth Plan.
  • The government should take steps to build partnerships with youth and increase their confidence in the government efficiency and integrity.
  • New government policies should focus on training and employing the growing number of unemployed youths, and building their self-esteem.
    • Every year a “State of the Youth” report should be prepared by the National Youth
    Commission to make sure that youth concerns and problems are being considered
    and acted upon.
  • Youth programmes to prevent and stop drug addiction should be made free and available.
  • Electoral laws should be changed to make sure that at least 10 per cent of all parliamentary andidates are young people, between 18 and 35 years of age.

WOMEN AND GIRLS
Findings:

  • During the war, girls and women were deliberate targets for rape, torture, sexual abuse, sexual slavery, trafficking, enslavement, abductions, amputations, forced pregnancy and forced labour.
  • As a result of the war, a very large number of people in Sierra Leone were forced to flee their homes. Many of the girls and women have not returned to their homes,
    and most live in extreme poverty.
  • Many of the girls who were abducted into the fighting forces and used as sex slaves have not been reintegrated into their families and communities, and many have suffered hostility directed at them and their children.
  • Discrimination against girls and women exists in all spheres of life in Sierra Leone. Early marriage and other harmful traditional practices prevent girls from attending school.
  • Girls and women have many serious health problems because of sexual violence during the war, and they have not received proper health care or psychosocial support.

Recommendations:

  • The Government of Sierra Leone should publish a statement of apology, acknowledging that all parties to conflict committed terrible crimes against girls and women during the war, and promising to do everything possible to make sure those crimes are never repeated.
  • Child protection agencies, working together with government partners, should encourage ommunities to accept rape survivors and girls who were abducted by the fighting forces for reintegration, and provide support for their children. They should receive free health care and psychosocial support.
  • The government should take steps to end the practice whereby women and girls who are victims of rape are then made to marry the offender.
  • Local and national government officials and community leaders should promote girls’ enrolment in school, including through free primary and secondary education. A special effort should be made to help parents understand the benefits of secondary education for girls. The practice of expelling girls from school if they become pregnant should be ended.
  • National laws should be reformed in order to end discrimination against girls and women and promote their rights and protection, in agreement with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention to End Discrimination Against Women.
  • The government should do everything possible to make sure that women have equal representation in government jobs within 10 years. In addition, political parties should be required to ensure that at least 30 per cent of their candidates for public office are women.
  • A Women’s Desk should be established within the police where women and girls who are victims of sexual and domestic violence can go for help.

MINERAL RESOURCES
Findings:

  • The country of Sierra Leone has been blessed with fertile soil, an open harbour and rich reserves of precious minerals. Bad decisions have been made about how to use those resources. The profits from the resources have not benefited the people of Sierra Leone.
  • Diamonds were not the cause of the war in Sierra Leone but they helped the fighting forces pay for their guns and other expenses of the war.
  • Poverty and injustice are still common in the diamond-mining areas, and children are still being used to labour in the mines, instead of studying in school.
  • The lack of control of the international diamond trade made it easy for fighting forces to sell illegal or ‘blood’ diamonds.

Recommendations:

  • Profits made from the valuable resources of Sierra Leone should be invested in the development of our country.
  • Strict national laws and border controls are needed to prevent the illegal mining and trading of diamonds.
  • The international community must take more steps to identify and trace diamonds that can be the cause of conflict and outlaw the type of trading of diamonds that can fuel hostilities.
  • No children under 18 years of age should work in the diamond mines. Anyone who employs a child miner should be prosecuted. Children who have worked in the mines should receive care and schooling.
  • The Community Development Fund, created in January 2001, should make sure that mining communities receive a fair profit from the diamond business, to be used fordevelopment purposes, such as the building of schools and roads.

REPARATIONS
Findings:

  • Many victims of the war think that the ex-combatants have received more help than the victims. The victims want their voices to be heard and they want help to rebuild their lives.
  • Victims who have been excluded from benefits and are still suffering severely from the war find it much more difficult to forgive those responsible for their sufferings.
  • Many people have lost their trust in democracy because they see too much mismanagement of public money, while their own problems have been ignored. If their grievances are heard and efforts are made to repair their lives, then they will have more confidence in the government.

Recommendations:

  • A Reparations Programme should be established and put into action to help those who suffered most as victims in the war rebuild their lives, and to help the country come to terms with its violent past.
  • Reparations should be focused in three areas: helping victims through services such
    as health care, counselling, education and vocational skills training; payment of pensions for those who cannot earn a living; and symbolic acts to show respect for war victims.
  • All child amputees and children who were orphaned by the war or abducted or were victims of sexual violence should receive free medical care and counselling, free education or skills training, and scar removal, as needed.
  • Urgent priority should be given to children living on the street, many of whom suffered abduction, forced recruitment and sexual slavery during the war. They should receive free health care and schooling or vocational training, and psychosocial support.
  • All adult and child victims of sexual violence should receive free medical care and surgery, as needed. Skills training, education and microcredit loans should also be provided free of charge for the families of these victims.
  • All amputees should receive free medical care, surgery and artificial limbs, as well as skills training or education. Microcredit loans, housing and pensions should be available for families of amputees.
  • War memorials should be established at key locations around the country.

RECONCILIATION
Findings:

  • Reconciliation depends on the culture, tradition and wishes of the people. Many people who spoke to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission said that in order for people to forgive each other, certain steps would need to be taken. These would include improved living conditions, an end to corruption in government, the hiring and training of a trustworthy police force, and the provision of reparations to right the wrongs committed.
  • Reconciliation requires remorse, confession, apologies, recognition of the suffering of the victims, and forgiveness. No one can force reconciliation. It can only happen when people are willing to forgive, and to ask for forgiveness.
  • Reconciliation is a community process, involving religious and traditional leaders, including women.
  • The process of reconciliation will need to continue after the Commission concludes its work.


Recommendations:

  • The government should take steps to improve the living conditions of people ndcommunities particularly affected by the conflict, to ease their sense of injustice and give them more reason to look to the future and forgive the sufferings of the past.
  • Reconciliation should involve local religious and community leaders and follow traditional beliefs. Children should be included. Efforts should be made to restore people’s sense of values and their self-esteem.
  • It is important that all 13 Districts participate in reconciliation activities. The Provinces, outside of Freetown, were the most affected by the war and should included in reconciliation efforts.
  • Special attention should be given to the reconciliation of those who have been most often rejected by the community, for example, girls who were abducted and sexually abused, ex-child combatants, amputees, and the children of rape victims and so-called ‘bush wives’.
  • The need for reconciliation should be the focus of public discussions, art exhibitions, sports activities, religious events and traditional dances and ceremonies.
  • The 18th of January should be declared a National Day of Peace, commemorating the
    official end of the war, declared on the 18th of January 2003, and the symbolic burning of 3,000 weapons at Lunghi. The day should be recognised as a national holiday, with activities promoting reconciliation and solidarity.