Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity | Sierra Leone

In eleven years of civil war, an estimated 150,000 people died, more than half the country was rendered homeless, 600,000 refugees (12% of the population) fled to neighbouring countries, more than 200,000 women were raped, and about 1,000 civilians suffered the amputation of one or more limbs. Fighting began on March 23, 1991, when the (student-led) Revolutionary United Front (RUF) crossed the eastern border of Sierra Leone from Liberia. The RUF was formed, with Libyan backing, to overthrow the government of the All People's Congress (APC). The APC was a one-party regime under the presidencies of Siaka Stevens (1968–1985) and Joseph Momoh (1985–1992) that maintained itself through thuggery and corruption to the point where the economy all but collapsed. The RUF also received support from the Libyan-backed forces of Charles Taylor, leader of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL). The RUF appealed to disaffected local...