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Hevany Mota

Eng. 121

Mrs. Litle

8 March, 2019

Sierra Leon

In this paper I have analyzed the articles "Diamond of Blood", "Civil War in Sierra

Leone" and "Dynamics of Underground Economy in Sierra Leone and Macroeconomic Policy

Implications". These three articles speak about the political and economic situation of Sierra

Leone during and after of the Civil War from 1991 to 2002.

Issues related to the illegal route of diamonds, the country's poor governance, the

atrocities committed by the rebel group of the Revolutionary Unity Front (RUF), the number of

refugees and the number of assassinations during the war, the financially-based war and the

alternatives for an improvement in the economy of that country after the Civil War

History Channel, director. Diamante De Sangue . YouTube, 2 Dec. 2014,

youtu.be/WsZROi0UpWs.

The documentary "Diamond of Blood" displayed by the History Channel on December 2,

2014 addresses the diamonds of Sierra Leone and its value in the foreign market, the fact that the

country is one of the largest producers of diamonds in the world and in the same time have one

of the worst economies, and the illegal trade of the diamonds.

Located on the West Coast of Africa, Sierra Leone is one of the poorest nations on the planet, the

country is the penultimate placed in the index of human development of the United Nation (UN),
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with an average income of 220 dollars per year at the same time Sierra Leone is rich in natural

resources;

From 1991 to 2002 the country witnessed a violent war between the government and the rebel

group known as Revolutionary Unity Front, a war financed mostly by the sale of diamonds.

(Sangue, 1)

The purchase of diamonds from Sierra Leone and a profitable business for a foreign

diamond dealer, besides being one of the most valuable diamonds in the world, these wartime

diamonds had a price far below the normal as clandestine routes between Guinea Bissau and

Liberia, neighboring countries, diamond dealers made these stones arrive in Europe and the

United States where they were rendered as normal diamonds.

This diamond business financed a violent war that lasted over 11 years and had devastating

outcomes for the country. (Sangue, 1)

This article highlights in detail the events in Sierra Leone, such as the illegal diamond

trade in the civil war and the country’s poor economy, this article is also very credible because it

is published by a well-known channel, Channel History, the UN’s statistical data to proves the

credibility of events that were happening.

The information that will be used in the final work is the statistical data of the poor economy in

the country, the routes of the illegal diamond trade, and the Civil War.

Natanzanini. “Guerra Civil Em Serra Leoa - Ensaios –

Natanzanini.” TrabalhosGratuitos.com - Trabalhos, Monografias,Artigos,

Exames, Resumos De Livros, Dissertações, TrabalhosGratuitos, 16 Apr. 2013,

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www.trabalhosgratuitos.com/Sociais-Aplicadas/Geografia/Guerra-Civil-Em-

Serra-Leoa-22309.html.

The article "Civil War in Sierra Leone" published by Natazaninni on April 16th, 2013,

discusses the civil war in Sierra Leone that originated in the year 1991 and was officially

declared terminated in 2002.

For a little more than 11 years, the Revolutionary Unity Front (RUF) led by Fonday

Sankoh, proved that a war against the Government of Sierra Leone would seem to have no end, a

war that was marked by the deaths of more than 50,000 people and almost 2.5 million refugees.

Many atrocities have been committed, such as amputating people, abducting children to serve as

soldiers, and raping women. (Natazaninni, 1)

The article also highlights the fact that many people felt the need to take refuge in

neighboring countries to escape the war; Guinea Bissau and Liberia were the parents who

welcomed the majority of the refugees during this period of war. This conflict was considered

one of the worst civil wars in Africa; Figntines on one side were the RUF rebels on the other side

was the corrupt government that was only concerned with its own navel instead of worrying

about the citizens, this civil war was being financed by the diamonds of Sierra Leone.

(Natazaninni, 1)

This article was very useful for my work because it allowed me to know more

information about Sierra Leone's reality. It addresses the factors of war and explains in detail and

on a statistical basis how terrifying this period of conflict was for that country. It’s also credible

because it was published by a school and the author along with the fact that it was published

fairly recently.
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The information that will be used in the final argument includes the number of killed, the number

of refugees, and the diamonds that financed the civil war.

Nyong, Michael. “Dynamics of Underground Economy in Sierra Leone and

Macroeconomic Policy Implications.” Advances in Business-Related Scientific

Research Journal, vol. 9, no. 2, July 2018, pp. 18–42. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=133805603&site=eh

ost-live.

The article "Dynamics of Underground Economy in Sierra Leone and Macroeconomic

Policy Implications" published by Michael Nyong on July 1, 2018 discusses the economic

situation of the country during and after the Civil War, highlights governance, the achievements

of the war and the alternatives that the country presented for a better future.

Sierra Leone, after years of colonial occupation and civil war, is today one of the poorest

countries in the world. It has multiple sources of wealth, such as diamonds, agriculture and

fishing. In the first case, an illegal clandestine visitor was responsible for any possibility of

distribution of wealth. And that does not refer to agriculture and fishing, but rather the country to

develop a cruel Civil War, drastically limiting the development of these activities. (Nyong, 1)

The economy of the country is expected to become gradually increase in the future, invest in

tourism for the future, and become a base of its economy. At present this activity still has little

influence on the economy of this country.

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According to article data the relative size of the underground rose from 58.8% in 1960 to 62.05%

in 1968, dropped slightly to 58.2 in 1980, rose sharply to 75% in 2000 and fell moderately to

73.9% in 2015. (Nyong, 2)

This article is useful because it makes an analysis of an economic perspective the

situation of Sierra Leone based on static data, is also credible because the data is based on a

newspaper and credible economic artic. The information that I will use for my final paper will be

the data of the economy of Sierra Leone during the war and current, and the solutions presented

to improve the situation of the country.

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Work Cited

History Channel, director. Diamante De Sangue . YouTube, 2 Dec. 2014,

youtu.be/WsZROi0UpWs

www.trabalhosgratuitos.com/Sociais-Aplicadas/Geografia/Guerra-Civil-Em-

Serra-Leoa-22309.html.

Nyong, Michael. “Dynamics of Underground Economy in Sierra Leone and

Macroeconomic Policy Implications.” Advances in Business-Related Scientific

Research Journal, vol. 9, no. 2, July 2018, pp. 18–42. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=133805603&site=eh

ost-live.