Sierra Leone
Country in W Africa, on the Atlantic Ocean, bounded N and E by Guinea
and SE by Liberia.
Government
The 1991 multiparty constitution was suspended after a military coup
1992 and a military governing body, the National Provisional Ruling
Council, established, chaired by the military leader. This later became
the Supreme Council of State. The former cabinet was reconstituted as
the Council of Secretaries. The government contains civilians but is
dominated by the military.
History
Freetown, the capital, was founded by Britain 1787 for homeless Africans
rescued from slavery. Sierra Leone became a British colony 1808.
Independence
Sierra Leone achieved full independence as a constitutional monarchy
within the Commonwealth 1961, with Sir Milton Margai, leader of the
Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), as prime minister. He died 1964
and was succeeded by his half- brother, Dr Albert Margai. The 1967 general
election was won by the All People's Congress (APC), led by Dr Siaka
Stevens, but the result was disputed by the army, which assumed control
and forced the governor general to leave the country.
In 1968 another army revolt brought back Stevens as prime minister,
and in 1971, after the constitution had been changed to make Sierra
Leone a republic, he became president. He was re-elected 1976, and the
APC, having won the 1977 general election by a big margin, began to
demand the creation of a one-party state. To this end, a new constitution
was approved by referendum 1978, and Stevens was sworn in as president.
Short-lived Democracy
In Aug 1991 a move towards multiparty politics was approved by referendum.
Subsequently six political parties combined to form the United Front
of Political Movements. In April 1992 the army took over the government
and President Momoh fled to neighbouring Guinea. Political party activity
was suspended and an interim National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC)
was set up, led by Capt Valentine Strasser, consisting of eighteen army
officers and four civilians. The NPRC was later renamed the Supreme
Council of State. Capt Strasser pledged to restore civilian rule and
multiparty politics some time in the future. The ban on political party
activity was lifted 1995 and a further coup attempt foiled. In Jan 1996
Strasser was overthrown and replaced by his deputy, Julius Maada Bio.
However, after multi-party elections, Bio was replaced by Ahmad Tejan
Kabbah.
From 1991 government forces became embroiled in a struggle with rebels
operating from neighbouring Liberia under the banner of the Revolutionary
United Front (RUF), which received the backing of a Liberian rebel group.
An attempt Nov 1994 to negotiate a cease-fire failed and the guerrilla
war continued, with foreign nationals being taken hostage. The death
toll exceeded 20,000 and hundreds of thousands of refugees had been
created. In March 1996 the RUF agreed to enter peace negotiations.
On 25 May 1997 Major Koroma staged a coup and, as the result, president
Ahmad Tejan Kabbah fled the country. Following the coup, the Commonwealth
11 July suspended the country from membership. In the following months,
Koroma's Armed Forces Ruling Council devastated the county in a campaign
of looting, rape, arson, and murder. In late Feb 1998 the Nigerian-led
peace-keeping force successfully drove Koroma's junta out.
The president of Sierra Leone, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, returned to the
country's capital, Freetown, in March 1998, to a hero's welcome, to
face the task of rebuilding the country.
|
