WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY:
SIERRA LEONE

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UNIFEM WOMEN, WAR AND PEACE WEB PORTAL: SIERRA LEONE

"They argued that women were natural peacemakers who could bring unique skills to resolving the conflict. SLWMP (Sierra Leone Women's Movement for Peace) obtained the forum's active support for a campaign of appeals to government and rebels, marches, prayer rallies and meetings with government and members of the international community to apply pressure for a negotiated settlement [...] The women's peace campaign put the issue in the public domain in a non-partisan and non-confrontational manner that made public debate of contentious issues possible without the fear of automatically offending the government [...] Peace groups hitherto viewed with suspicion as 'fifth columnists' and rebel sympathisers acquired legitimacy through association with the women who had mobilized a mass movement and enjoyed the support of the international community. As a result of the women's intervention a negotiated peace settlement became a respectable option that offered both government and the rebels the opportunity to climb down from entrenched positions without loss of face."

Yasmin Jusu-Sheriff, Barrister and soliciter of the High Court of Sierra Leone and of Gray's Inn, London, September 2000

"We stayed here until 2000 when we were attacked. We ran to Massakoundou because they knew that there was a camp there. We stayed there for about two weeks but no one was there….so we moved on, trying to find other refugees or the UN. We walked…in the direction of Kissidougou. On the way we were taken by the Guinean army into a fenced-in compound. There the army accused us of being rebels and Mandingos (one thenic group). They tried to separate the women and children from the men, but we refused because we know what that means. So the army laid everyone down on the groud and went through shooting the young boys and men in the head. I counted over 50 men that were dead, laying there on the ground when it was over. They killed my own husband and two of my sons. I cannot talk about it anymore because water will start to come from my eyes…We continued to walk trying to reach Massakoundou…there we hjad a lot of problems with the Guinean authorities and many men were arrested who had traditional markings on their bodies. We never saw them again. Their families assume they are dead. "

Sia, Sierra Leonean refugee