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129-605: The group's only stated political purpose during the civil war that followed its rebellion against President Charles Taylor was to force him out of office: "Taylor must go". The group received support from Liberian diasporas in other African countries, Europe and the United States, but especially from the government of neighboring Guinea after the Taylor-supported invasion of the country in September 2000. Like

258-602: A plurality of seats in parliament, and Milton Margai was re-elected as prime minister. Margai was popular among Sierra Leoneans during his time in power, mostly known for his self-effacement. He was neither corrupt nor did he make a lavish display of his power or status. He based the government on the rule of law and the separation of powers, with multiparty political institutions and fairly viable representative structures. Margai used his conservative ideology to lead Sierra Leone without much strife. He appointed government officials to represent various ethnic groups. Margai employed

387-403: A red notice regarding Taylor, suggesting that countries had a duty to arrest him. Taylor was placed on Interpol's Most Wanted list , declaring him wanted for crimes against humanity and breaches of the 1949 Geneva Convention , and noting that he should be considered dangerous. Nigeria stated it would not submit to Interpol's demands, agreeing to deliver Taylor to Liberia only in the event that

516-784: A Gaddafi-funded armed uprising from the Ivory Coast into Liberia to overthrow the Doe regime, leading to the First Liberian Civil War . By 1990, his forces controlled most of the country. That same year, Prince Johnson , a senior commander of Taylor's NPFL, broke away and formed the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL). In September 1990, Johnson captured Monrovia , depriving Taylor of outright victory. Johnson and his forces captured and tortured Doe to death, instigating

645-490: A UN embargo against arms sales to Liberia at the time, these weapons were largely purchased on the black market through arms smugglers such as Viktor Bout . Taylor was charged with aiding and abetting RUF atrocities against civilians, which left many thousands dead or mutilated, with unknown numbers of people abducted and tortured. He was also accused of assisting the RUF in the recruitment of child soldiers . In addition to aiding

774-486: A brokerage style of politics, by sharing power among political parties and interest groups; especially the involvement of powerful paramount chiefs in the provinces, most of whom were key allies of his government. Upon Milton Margai's unexpected death in 1964, his younger half-brother , Sir Albert Margai, was appointed as prime minister by parliament. Sir Albert's leadership was briefly challenged by Foreign Minister John Karefa-Smart, who questioned Sir Albert's succession to

903-598: A few days later. In July 2003, LURD initiated a siege of Monrovia, and several bloody battles were fought as Taylor's forces halted rebel attempts to capture the city. The pressure on Taylor increased as U.S. President George W. Bush twice that month stated that Taylor "must leave Liberia". On 9 July, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo offered Taylor exile in his country on the condition that Taylor stay out of Liberian politics. Taylor insisted that he would resign only if U.S. peacekeeping troops were deployed to Liberia. Bush publicly called upon Taylor to resign and leave

1032-411: A former military commander, testified that Charles Taylor celebrated his new-found status during the civil war by ordering human sacrifice, including the killings of Taylor's opponents and allies that were perceived to have betrayed Taylor, and by having a pregnant woman buried alive in sand. Marzah also accused Taylor of forcing cannibalism on his soldiers to terrorize their enemies. In January 2009,

1161-733: A getaway car to Staten Island in New York, where Taylor disappeared. All four of Taylor's fellow escapees, as well as Enid and Toweh, were later apprehended. In July 2009, Taylor claimed at his trial that US CIA agents had helped him escape from the maximum security prison in Boston in 1985. This was during his trial by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague. The US Defense Intelligence Agency confirmed that Taylor first started working with US intelligence in

1290-579: A large portion of the country and became one of the most prominent warlords in Africa. His forces, along with those of other rival warlords such as ULIMO were notorious for committing widespread human rights abuses and atrocities during the civil war. Following a peace deal that ended the war, Taylor was elected president in the 1997 general election as a member of the National Patriotic Party (NPP). During his term of office, Taylor

1419-409: A local African chieftain, but he retaliated, attacking the settlement, which was reduced to a mere 64 settlers comprising 39 black men, 19 black women, and six white women. Black settlers were captured by unscrupulous traders and sold as slaves, and the remaining colonists were forced to arm themselves for their own protection. The 64 remaining colonists established a second Granville Town. Following

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1548-689: A motion by Taylor's defence team, who argued that their client could not get a fair trial there and also wanted the Special Court to withdraw the request to move the trial to Leidschendam. On 15 June 2006, the British government agreed to jail Taylor in the United Kingdom in the event he was convicted by the SCSL. This fulfilled a condition laid down by the Dutch government , which had stated it

1677-634: A move that foreshadowed the women's suffrage movements in Britain, the heads of all households, of which a third were women, were given the right to vote. Black settlers in Sierra Leone enjoyed much more autonomy than their white equivalent in European countries. Black migrants elected different levels of political representatives, 'tithingmen', who represented each dozen settlers and 'hundreders' who represented larger amounts. This sort of representation

1806-541: A plea of not guilty. In early June 2006, the decision on whether to hold Taylor's trial in Freetown or in Leidschendam had not yet been made by the new SCSL president, George Gelaga King . King's predecessor had pushed for the trial to be held abroad because of fear that a local trial would be politically destabilizing in an area where Taylor still had influence. The Appeals Chamber of the Special Court dismissed

1935-649: A prominent Temne chief in Kasseh who was fighting against the "hut tax". The war was later known as the Hut Tax War of 1898 . Madam Yoko ( c.  1849 –1906) was a woman of culture and ambition. She employed her capacity for friendly communications to persuade the British to give her control of the Kpaa Mende chiefdom. She used diplomacy to communicate with local chiefs who did not trust her friendship with

2064-532: A protracted civil war broke out between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel group. The conflict, characterized by multiple coups d'état , persisted for 11 years. Intervention by ECOMOG forces and later by the United Kingdom resulted in the defeat of the RUF in 2002, ushering in a period of relative stability. The two major political parties that remain are the APC and

2193-656: A result, opposition to his government grew, culminating in the outbreak of the Second Liberian Civil War in 1999. By 2003, Taylor had lost control of much of the countryside and was formally indicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone . That year, he resigned, as a result of growing international pressure; he went into exile in Nigeria . In 2006, the newly elected President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , formally requested his extradition. He

2322-586: A result, the LURD internal organization assumed power-sharing, not least between the dominant Krahn and Mandingo groups and their leaders. Early on in the war the anti-Taylor elements launched hit-and-run attacks from Sierra Leone and Guinea, but after the Guinean support LURD established its headquarters in Voinjama , the county capital of Lofa County . Once it had gained territory in the south this headquarters

2451-808: A single political system for both the Colony and the Protectorate. Most proposals came from leaders of the Protectorate, whose population far outnumbered that in the colony. The Krios, led by Isaac Wallace-Johnson , opposed the proposals, as they would have resulted in reducing the political power of the Krios in the Colony. In 1951, Lamina Sankoh ( born :Etheldred Jones) collaborated with educated protectorate leaders from different groups, including Sir Milton Margai , Siaka Stevens , Mohamed Sanusi Mustapha, John Karefa-Smart , Kande Bureh, Sir Albert Margai , Amadu Wurie and Sir Banja Tejan-Sie joined together with

2580-528: A time. After years of fighting LURD laid siege to Liberia's capital, Monrovia on June 4, 2003. However, it was unable to capture it. During the siege, the group was accused of firing mortar shells into civilian areas of the city, killing dozens of people. However, independent investigations conducted by civil society groupings said the widespread death caused was also due to Charles Taylor's Anti Terrorist Unit and other militias. LURD's successes in occupying northern Liberia and besieging Monrovia, in addition to

2709-580: A trial summary, Taylor's due process rights would be violated by preventing him from submitting a trial summary. The appeals court ordered the trial court to accept the summary and set a date for the beginning of closing arguments. On 11 March, the closing arguments ended, and it was announced that the court would begin the process to reach a verdict. Sierra Leone Sierra Leone , ( / s i ˌ ɛr ə l i ˈ oʊ n ( i )/ , also UK : / s i ˌ ɛər ə -/ , US : / ˌ s ɪər ə -/ ; Krio : Salone ) officially

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2838-514: A violent political fragmentation of the country. The civil war turned into an ethnic conflict , with seven factions among indigenous peoples and the Americo-Liberians fighting for control of Liberia's resources (especially iron ore, diamonds, timber, and rubber). Amos Sawyer alleges that Taylor's aims extended beyond Liberia—that he wanted to re-establish the country as a regional power player. Taylor's ambitions, which were held from

2967-548: A warrant for extradition to face charges of embezzling $ 1 million (~$ 2.48 million in 2023) of government funds while he was the GSA boss. Taylor fought extradition with the help of a legal team led by former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark . His lawyers' primary arguments before US District Magistrate Robert J. DeGiacomo stated that his alleged acts of lawbreaking in Liberia were political rather than criminal in nature and that

3096-469: Is a Liberian former politician and convicted war criminal who served as the 22nd president of Liberia from 2 August 1997 until his resignation on 11 August 2003 as a result of the Second Liberian Civil War and growing international pressure. Born in Arthington , Montserrado County , Liberia , Taylor earned a degree at Bentley College in the United States before returning to Liberia to work in

3225-550: Is best understood as a loose coalition united by an equally loose ideology, which focused on getting rid of Taylor. Initially there were different groups that shared the same goal, but acted independently in both Sierra Leone and Liberia. When the plan to wage this kind of two-front war failed due to Sierra Leonean reluctance, and especially when Guinea began to support the Liberians in the country against Taylor's aggression, these various groups moved to Guinea. Because Guinean support

3354-438: Is divided into five administrative regions, which are further subdivided into 16 districts . Sierra Leone is a presidential republic , with a unicameral parliament and a directly elected president . It is a secular state . Its constitution provides for the separation of state and religion and freedom of conscience (which encompasses both freedom of thought and religion ). Muslims constitute three-quarters of

3483-400: Is marked by continuous human habitation for at least 2,500 years, influenced by migrations from across Africa. The adoption of iron technology by the 9th century and establishment of agriculture by 1000 AD along the coast. Climate shifts over centuries altered the ecological zones, influencing migration and conquest dynamics. The region's dense tropical rainforest and swamps, coupled with

3612-468: Is rich with natural resources, notably diamonds, gold, bauxite and aluminium. As of the most recent survey in 2019, 59.2% of the population is affected by multidimensional poverty and an additional 21.3% vulnerable to it. Sierra Leone maintains membership in several international organizations, including the United Nations, African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and

3741-458: The All People's Congress (APC), the country adopted a new constitution, transforming Sierra Leone into a presidential republic, with Stevens as the inaugural president. In 1978, Stevens declared the APC to be the sole legally recognized party . In 1985, he was succeeded by Joseph Saidu Momoh . Momoh's enactment of a new constitution in 1991 reintroduced a multi-party system . That same year,

3870-558: The Creole/Krio ethnicity and an English-based creole language ( Krio ), which is the lingua franca and de facto national language used among many of the ethnicities in the country. The colonial era saw Sierra Leone evolving under British rule, with a unique settlement pattern composed of displaced Africans following the abolition of the slave trade . Sierra Leone developed as an educational center in West Africa, with

3999-639: The National Transitional Legislative Assembly . After the war ended in 2003, LURD and MODEL as well as the government of Liberia still controlled resource areas including rubber plantations and were able to profit from the sale of rubber for the next 3 years. In January 2004, LURD was divided by a power struggle between its chairman, Sekou Conneh , and his wife Aisha Conneh , an adviser to the President of Guinea , Lansana Conté . The group promised to disarm as part of

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4128-769: The People's Redemption Council . Taylor was appointed to the position of Director General of the General Services Agency (GSA), a position that left him in charge of purchasing for the Liberian government. He was fired in May 1983 for embezzling an estimated $ 1,000,000 (~$ 2.57 million in 2023) and sending the funds to another bank account. Taylor fled to the United States but was arrested on 21 May 1984 by two US Deputy Marshals in Somerville, Massachusetts , on

4257-495: The Republic of Sierra Leone , is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa . It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Its land area is 71,740 km (27,699 sq mi). It has a tropical climate and environments ranging from savannas to rainforests . As of the 2023 census, Sierra Leone has a population of 8,908,040. Freetown is both its capital and its largest city. The country

4386-745: The Sierra Leone Company was established to relocate Black Loyalists who wanted to take their chances in West Africa. In 1792 nearly 1,200 persons from Nova Scotia crossed the Atlantic to build the second (and only permanent) Colony of Sierra Leone and the settlement of Freetown on 11 March 1792. In Sierra Leone they were called the Nova Scotian Settlers , the Nova Scotians , or the Settlers . Clarkson initially banned

4515-510: The U.S. State Department . On 6 August, a 32-member U.S. military assessment team were deployed as a liaison with the ECOWAS troops, landing from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit , commanded by Colonel A.P. Frick, from three U.S. Navy amphibious ships waiting off the Liberian coast. On 10 August, Taylor appeared on national television to announce that he would resign the following day and hand power to Vice President Blah. He harshly criticized

4644-490: The paramount chiefs in the face of Krio intransigence. Later, Margai used the same skills to win over opposition leaders and moderate Krio elements to achieve independence from the UK. In November 1951, Margai oversaw the drafting of a new constitution, which united the separate Colonial and Protectorate legislatures and provided a framework for decolonisation . In 1953, Sierra Leone was granted local ministerial powers and Margai

4773-467: The (British) monopoly on Sierra Leone trade. At about the same time (following the Slave Trade Act 1807 which abolished the slave trade), Royal Navy crews delivered thousands of formerly enslaved Africans to Freetown, after liberating them from illegal slave ships. These Liberated Africans or recaptives were sold for $ 20 a head as apprentices to the white settlers, Nova Scotian Settlers, and

4902-610: The 1980s but refused to give details of his role or US actions, citing national security. Taylor escaped the United States without issue. He then resurfaced in Libya where he took part in militia training under Muammar Gaddafi , becoming Gaddafi's protégé. He later left Libya and travelled to the Ivory Coast , where he founded the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL). In December 1989, Taylor launched

5031-589: The 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania . The indictment was unsealed during Taylor's official visit to Ghana , where he was participating in peace talks with MODEL and LURD officials. As result, the possibility arose that Taylor might be arrested by Ghanaian authorities; in response, Taylor's chief bodyguard and military commander Benjamin Yeaten threatened to execute Ghanaians who lived in Liberia, deterring Ghana's government from taking action. With

5160-796: The 2003 peace agreement, although it was accused of simply moving most of its weapons into safekeeping across the border in Sierra Leone . In June 2004, Chayee Doe , the vice-chairman of LURD and younger brother of Samuel Kanyon Doe , was briefly appointed chairman despite an illness but died two days later. [1] George Dweh was suspended indefinitely as Speaker of the National Transitional Legislative Assembly on April 28, 2005, along with his deputy Eddington Varmah and Ways, Means & Finance's Committee Chairman Tarplah Doe, for widespread corruption. The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) have completed

5289-505: The 95% of the people who are indigenous to Liberia. According to most reports, his father was an Americo-Liberian who worked as a teacher, sharecropper, lawyer and judge. In 1977, Taylor earned a degree at Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts , United States. Taylor supported the 1980 Liberian coup d'état led by Samuel Doe , which resulted in the murder of President William Tolbert and seizure of power by Doe, who established

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5418-849: The American Revolution, Black Loyalists from Nova Scotia , Canada, were relocated to Sierra Leone, founding Freetown and contributing significantly to the Krio people and Krio language that would come to define the region. Following the American Revolution , more than 3,000 Black Loyalists had also been settled in Nova Scotia , where they were finally granted land. They founded Birchtown , but faced harsh winters and racial discrimination from nearby Shelburne . Thomas Peters pressed British authorities for relief and more aid; together with British abolitionist John Clarkson ,

5547-641: The British Crown founded a settlement in Sierra Leone in what was called the " Province of Freedom ". About 400 black and 60 white colonists reached Sierra Leone on 15 May 1787. After they established Granville Town , most of the first group of colonists died, owing to disease and warfare with the indigenous African peoples ( Temne ), who resisted their encroachment. When the ships left them in September, they had been reduced to "276 persons, namely 212 black men, 30 black women, 5 white men and 29 white women". The settlers that remained forcibly captured land from

5676-502: The British decided they needed to establish more dominion over the inland areas, to satisfy what was described by the European powers as "effective occupation". In 1896 it annexed these areas, declaring them the Sierra Leone Protectorate. With this change, the British began to expand their administration in the region, recruiting British citizens to posts and pushing Krio people out of positions in government and even

5805-652: The British evacuated from the nascent United States and resettled in colonies elsewhere in British North America . Pro-slavery advocates accused the Black Poor of being responsible for a large proportion of crime in 18th century London. While the broader community included some women, the Black Poor seems to have exclusively consisted of men, some of whom developed relationships with local women and often married them. Slave owner Edward Long criticized marriage between black men and white women. However, on

5934-491: The British. Because Madam Yoko supported the British, some sub-chiefs rebelled, causing Yoko to take refuge in the police barracks. For her loyalty, she was awarded a silver medal by Queen Victoria . Until 1906, Madam Yoko ruled as a paramount chief in the new British Protectorate. The British annexation of the Protectorate interfered with the sovereignty of indigenous chiefs. They designated chiefs as units of local government, rather than dealing with them individually as had been

6063-631: The Commonwealth of Nations, among others. Sierra Leone derives its name from the Lion Mountains near its capital, Freetown. Originally named Serra Leoa ( Portuguese for 'lioness mountains') by Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra in 1462, the modern name is derived from the Venetian spelling, which was introduced by Venetian explorer Alvise Cadamosto and subsequently adopted by other European mapmakers . Sierra Leone's history

6192-510: The Creole ethnic group. As a result, Albert Margai became unpopular in the Creole community, many of whom had supported Sir Milton. Margai sought to make the army homogeneously Mende , his own ethnic group, and was accused of favouring members of the Mende for prominent positions. In 1967, riots broke out in Freetown against Margai's policies. In response, he declared a state of emergency across

6321-596: The Gold Coast; his government hanged 96 of the chief's warriors. Bureh was allowed to return in 1905, when he resumed his chieftaincy of Kasseh. The defeat of the Temne and Mende in the Hut Tax War ended mass resistance to the Protectorate and colonial government, but intermittent rioting and labour unrest continued throughout the colonial period. Riots in 1955 and 1956 involved "tens of thousands" of Sierra Leoneans in

6450-646: The Government of Queen Elizabeth II and British Colonial Secretary Iain Macleod in negotiations for independence held in London. On the conclusion of talks in London on 4 May 1960, the United Kingdom agreed to grant Sierra Leone independence on 27 April 1961. On 27 April 1961, Sir Milton Margai led Sierra Leone to independence from Great Britain and became the country's first prime minister. Sierra Leone had its own parliament and its own prime minister, and had

6579-694: The Governor of the Sierra Leone Company and a leading abolitionist, surrendered the company's charter. This ended its 16 years of running the Colony. The British Crown reorganised the Sierra Leone Company as the African Institution ; it was directed to improve the local economy. Its members represented both British who hoped to inspire local entrepreneurs and those with interest in the Macauley & Babington Company, which held

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6708-695: The Jamaican Maroons. Many Liberated Africans were treated poorly and even abused because some of the original settlers considered them their property. Cut off from their various homelands and traditions, the Liberated Africans were forced to assimilate to the Western styles of Settlers and Maroons. For example, some of the Liberated Africans were forced to change their name to a more Western sounding one. Though some people happily embraced these changes because they considered it as being part of

6837-617: The Liberated Africans became successful traders and spread Christianity throughout West Africa, they intermarried with the Nova Scotians and Maroons, and the two groups eventually became a fusion of African and Western societies. These Liberated Africans were from many areas of Africa, but principally the west coast. Between the 18th and 19th century, freed African Americans, some Americo Liberian "refugees", and particularly Afro-Caribbeans , mainly Jamaican Maroons, also immigrated and settled in Freetown. Together these peoples formed

6966-449: The President of Liberia requested his return. On 17 March 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , the newly elected President of Liberia, submitted an official request to Nigeria for Taylor's extradition . This request was granted on 25 March, whereby Nigeria agreed to release Taylor to stand trial in the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL). Nigeria agreed only to release Taylor and not to extradite him, as no extradition treaty existed between

7095-483: The Protectorate. Domestic slavery , which continued to be practised by local African elites, was abolished in 1928. A notable event in 1935 was the granting of a monopoly on mineral mining to the Sierra Leone Selection Trust , run by De Beers . The monopoly was scheduled to last 98 years. Mining of diamonds in the east and other minerals expanded, drawing labourers there from other parts of

7224-409: The RUF in these acts, Taylor reportedly personally directed RUF operations in Sierra Leone. Taylor obtained spiritual and other advice from the evangelist Kilari Anand Paul . As president, he was known for his flamboyant style. Upon being charged by the UN of being a gunrunner and diamond smuggler during his presidency, Taylor appeared in all-white robes and begged God for forgiveness, while denying

7353-442: The Register of Liberated Africans. Often documentation would be subjective and result in inaccurate entries, making them difficult to track. Differences between the Register of Liberated Africans of 1808 and the List of Captured Negroes of 1812 (which emulated the 1808 document) revealed disparities in the entries, specifically in the names; many recaptives decided to change their given names to anglicised versions which contributed to

7482-411: The SLPP leadership position. Karefa-Smart led a prominent small minority faction within the SLPP party in opposition of Albert Margai as prime minister. However, Karefa-Smart failed to receive broad support within the SLPP in his attempt to oust Albert Margai as both the leader of the SLPP and prime minister. The large majority of SLPP members backed Albert Margai over Karefa-Smart. Soon after Albert Margai

7611-418: The SLPP. Sierra Leone is a culturally diverse country, home to approximately 18 ethnic groups , with the Temne and Mende peoples being predominant. The Creole people , descendants of freed African-American, Afro-Caribbean slaves and liberated Africans, constitute about 1.2% of the population. English is the official language, while Krio is the lingua franca , spoken by 97% of the population. The country

7740-433: The United Nations' peacekeeping mission, United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia , along with a contingent from the Economic Community of West African States . Taylor won the election in a landslide, garnering 75 percent of the vote. Although the election was generally regarded as free and fair by international observers, Taylor had a significant advantage from the outset. During the civil war, he seized virtually all of

7869-590: The United States in his farewell address , saying that the Bush administration 's insistence that he leave the country would hurt Liberia. On 11 August, Taylor resigned, with Blah serving as president until a transitional government was established on 14 October. Ghanaian President John Kufuor , South African President Thabo Mbeki , and Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano , all representing African regional councils, were present at his announcement. The U.S. brought Joint Task Force Liberia 's Amphibious Ready Group of three warships with 2,300 Marines into view of

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7998-421: The United States in the event of his acquittal by the SCSL. Taylor's counsel cited the leaked cable and the court's decision as evidence of an international conspiracy against Taylor. On 3 March, the appeals court of the SCSL overturned the trial court's decision, ruling that as the trial court had not established that Taylor had been counseled by the court and personally indicated his intent to waive his right to

8127-415: The West Coast. For more than a century, it was the only European-style university in west Sub-Saharan Africa . Samuel Ajayi Crowther was the first student to be enrolled. Fourah Bay College soon drew Creoles/Krio people and other Africans seeking higher education in British West Africa. These included Nigerians, Ghanaians, Ivorians and others, especially in the fields of theology and education. Freetown

8256-415: The ability to make 100% of its own laws, however, as with countries such as Canada and Australia, Sierra Leone remained a "Dominion" and Queen Elizabeth was Queen of the independent Dominion of Sierra Leone . Thousands of Sierra Leoneans took to the streets in celebration. The Dominion of Sierra Leone retained a parliamentary system of government and was a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The leader of

8385-430: The backing of South African president Thabo Mbeki and against the urging of Sierra Leone president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah , Ghana consequently declined to detain Taylor, who returned to Monrovia. During Taylor's absence for the peace talks in Ghana, the U.S. government was alleged to have urged Vice President Moses Blah to seize power. Upon his return, Taylor briefly dismissed Blah from his post, only to reinstate him

8514-447: The charges. He was reported to have said that "Jesus Christ was accused of being a murderer in his time." During the last four years of Taylor's presidency, he is believed to have stolen and diverted nearly $ 100 million, amounting to roughly half of total government revenue. In 1999, a rebellion against Taylor began in northern Liberia, led by a group calling itself Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD). This group

8643-491: The civil war period into his presidency, not only resulted in the domestic Liberian conflict, they also triggered regional instability which manifested itself in the forms of the Sierra Leone Civil War and unrest in the forest region of Guinea . After the official end of the civil war in 1996, Taylor ran for president in the 1997 general election . He campaigned on the notorious slogan "He killed my ma, he killed my pa, but I will vote for him." The elections were overseen by

8772-481: The coast. Taylor flew to Nigeria, where the Nigerian government provided houses for him and his entourage in Calabar . In November 2003, the United States Congress passed a bill that included a reward offer of two million dollars for Taylor's capture. While the peace agreement had guaranteed Taylor safe exile in Nigeria, it also required that he refrain from influencing Liberian politics. His critics said he disregarded this prohibition. On 4 December, Interpol issued

8901-428: The community, some were not happy with these changes and wanted to keep their own identity. Many Liberated Africans were so unhappy that they risked the possibility of being sold back into slavery by leaving Sierra Leone and going back to their original villages. The Liberated Africans eventually modified their customs to adopt those of the Nova Scotians, Maroons and Europeans, yet kept some of their ethnic traditions. As

9030-422: The conflict somewhat later, for other reasons. For several months, Bureh's fighters had the advantage over the vastly more powerful British forces but both sides suffered hundreds of fatalities. Bureh surrendered on 11 November 1898 to end the destruction of his people's territory and dwellings. Although the British government recommended leniency, Cardew insisted on sending the chief and two allies into exile in

9159-399: The country in order for any American involvement to be considered. Meanwhile, several African states, in particular the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under the leadership of Nigeria, sent troops under the banner of ECOMIL to Liberia. Logistical support was provided by a California company called PAE Government Services Inc., which was given a $ 10 million contract by

9288-576: The country's radio stations and used his control over the Liberian airwaves to spread propaganda and bolster his image. Additionally, there was widespread fear in the country that Taylor would resume the war if he lost. During his time in office, Taylor cut the size of the Armed Forces of Liberia , dismissing 2,400–2,600 former personnel, many of whom were ethnic Krahn brought in by former President Doe to give advantage to his people. In 1998, Taylor attempted to murder one of his political opponents,

9417-405: The country. In 1924, the UK government divided the administration of Sierra Leone into Colony and Protectorate, with different political systems for each. The Colony was Freetown and its coastal area; the Protectorate was defined as the hinterland areas dominated by local chiefs. Antagonism between the two entities escalated to a heated debate in 1947, when proposals were introduced to provide for

9546-582: The country. Sir Albert was accused of corruption and of a policy of affirmative action in favour of the Mende ethnic group. He also endeavoured to change Sierra Leone from a democracy to a one-party state . The APC, with its leader Siaka Stevens , narrowly won a small majority of seats in Parliament over the SLPP in a closely contested 1967 general election . Stevens was sworn in as prime minister on 21 March 1967. Within hours after taking office, Stevens

9675-551: The culture, eventually establishing a strong foothold in the north. The conquest by Samory Touré in the northeast solidified Islam among the Yalunka , Kuranko and Limba people. The 15th century marked the beginning of European interaction with Sierra Leone, highlighted by Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra mapping the region in 1462 and naming it after the lioness mountains. This naming has been subject to historical reinterpretation, suggesting earlier European knowledge of

9804-403: The desirable residential areas in Freetown. During the British annexation in Sierra Leone, chiefs in the north and south of the country resisted the "hut tax" imposed by the colonial administrators. In the north, there was a Limba chief named Almamy Suluku fighting to protect his territory, while using diplomacy to trick the protectorate administrators, and sending fighters to assist Bai Bureh ,

9933-540: The difficulty in tracking them after they arrived. In the early 19th century, Freetown served as the residence of the British colonial governor of the region, who also administered the Gold Coast (now Ghana ) and the Gambia settlements. Sierra Leone developed as the educational centre of British West Africa . The British established Fourah Bay College in 1827, which became a magnet for English-speaking Africans on

10062-466: The disarmament of 100,000 ex-combatants from LURD, MODEL and the ex-government of Liberia. The process commenced on December 7, 2003 but was abruptly stopped after militia men demanded money for handing in their guns. The process re-commenced and each ex-combatant received 300 United States dollars. Testifying before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on August 28, 2008, Sekou Conneh said that, during

10191-484: The dwellings, and 24 chiefs signed a petition to Cardew, stating how destructive this was; their people could not afford to take time off from their subsistence agriculture. They resisted payment of taxes, tensions over the new colonial requirements and the administration's suspicions towards the chiefs, led to the Hut Tax War. The British fired first; the northern front of mainly Temne people was led by Bai Bureh. The southern front, consisting mostly of Mende people , entered

10320-451: The establishment of Fourah Bay College in 1827, attracting English-speaking Africans from across the region. The settlement of Sierra Leone in the 1800s was unique in that the population was composed of displaced Africans, brought to the colony after the British abolition of the slave trade in 1807. Upon arrival in Sierra Leone, each recaptive was given a registration number, and information on their physical qualities would be entered into

10449-586: The extradition treaty between the two republics had lapsed. Assistant United States Attorney Richard G. Stearns argued that Liberia wished to charge Taylor with theft in office, rather than with political crimes. Stearns' arguments were reinforced by Liberian Justice Minister Jenkins Scott, who flew to the United States to testify at the proceedings. Taylor was detained in the Plymouth County Correctional Facility . On 15 September 1985, Taylor and four other inmates escaped from

10578-650: The former warlord Roosevelt Johnson , causing clashes in Monrovia , during and after which hundreds of Krahn were massacred and hundreds more fled Liberia. This event was one of the factors that led to the outbreak of the Second Liberian Civil War. In 2003, members of the Krahn tribe founded a rebel group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), opposing Taylor. The group disbanded as part of

10707-473: The government of Samuel Doe . After being removed for embezzlement and imprisoned by President Doe, Taylor escaped prison in 1989. He eventually arrived in Libya , where he was trained as a guerrilla fighter . He returned to Liberia in 1989 as the head of a Libyan-backed rebel group, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia , to overthrow the Doe government, initiating the First Liberian Civil War (1989–1996). Following Doe's execution, Taylor gained control of

10836-682: The inland Protectorate was created as a result of the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 . This led to the formal recognition of the territory as the Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate . Sierra Leone attained independence from the United Kingdom in 1961 under the leadership of Prime Minister Sir Milton Margai of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). In 1971, under Prime Minister Siaka Stevens of

10965-419: The jail. Two days later, The Boston Globe reported that they sawed through a bar covering a window in a dormitory room, after which they lowered themselves 20 feet (6.1 m) on knotted sheets and escaped into nearby woods by climbing a fence. Shortly thereafter, Taylor and two other escapees were met at nearby Jordan Hospital by Taylor's wife, Enid, and Taylor's sister-in-law, Lucia Holmes Toweh. They drove

11094-509: The king of an area. Local Afro-European merchants often acted as middlemen, the Europeans advancing them goods to trade to indigenous merchants, most often for slaves and ivory. Portuguese traders were particularly drawn to the local craftsmanship in ivory , leading to a notable trade in ivory artifacts such as horns, Sapi Saltceller , and spoons. The Sapi people belonged to a cluster of people who spoke West Atlantic languages , living in

11223-690: The late 18th century, African Americans who had fought for the British Crown during the American Revolutionary War were resettled in Sierra Leone, forming a community named Black Loyalists . This resettlement scheme was partly motivated by social issues in London, with the Sierra Leone Resettlement Scheme offering a new beginning for the Black Poor , though it was fraught with challenges. In

11352-570: The late 18th century, many African Americans claimed the protection of the British Crown. There were thousands of these Black Loyalists, people of African ancestry who joined the British military forces during the American Revolutionary War. Many had been slaves who had escaped to join the British, lured by promises of freedom ( emancipation ). Official documentation known as the Book of Negroes lists thousands of freed slaves whom

11481-549: The leader from testifying against him at the SCSL. In June 2003, Alan White, the Prosecutor to the Special Court unsealed the indictment and announced publicly that Taylor was charged with war crimes. The indictment asserted that Taylor created and backed the RUF rebels in Sierra Leone, who were accused of a range of atrocities, including the use of child soldiers . The Prosecutor also said that Taylor's administration had harbored members of Al-Qaeda sought in connection with

11610-420: The main opposition All People's Congress (APC), Siaka Stevens, along with Isaac Wallace-Johnson, another outspoken critic of the SLPP government, were arrested and placed under house arrest in Freetown, along with sixteen others charged with disrupting the independence celebration. In May 1962, Sierra Leone held its first general election as an independent state. The Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) won

11739-470: The most heinous and brutal crimes in recorded human history." 1 Taylor was born in Arthington , a town near the capital of Monrovia, Liberia , on 28 January 1948, to Nelson and Yassa Zoe (Louise) Taylor. He attended The Newman School in his early years. He took the name "Ghankay" later on, possibly to please and gain favor with indigenous Liberians. His mother was a member of the Gola ethnic group, part of

11868-590: The other two warring factions during the Second War, LURD was accused of committing atrocities during the war. This group was ethnically Mandingo and Krahn but later divided into two groups; Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) which was ethnically Krahn while the Mandingo continued to fight in LURD. The distinction between these two groups is often messy as some Krahn continued to fight with LURD, while some Mandingos fought with MODEL. According to Käihkö, LURD

11997-763: The peace agreement at the end of the second civil war. In its place, Taylor installed the Anti-Terrorist Unit , the Special Operations Division of the Liberian National Police (LNP), which he used as his private army. During his presidency, Taylor was alleged to have been involved directly in the Sierra Leone Civil War . He was accused of aiding the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) through weapon sales in exchange for blood diamonds . Due to

12126-412: The population, and there is a significant Christian minority. Notably, religious tolerance is very high: it is both a social norm and part of the nation's cultural identity. Sierra Leone's current territorial configuration was established in two phases: in 1808, the coastal Sierra Leone Colony was founded as a place to resettle returning Africans after the abolition of the slave trade ; then in 1896,

12255-403: The powerful paramount chiefs in the protectorate to form the Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP as the party of the Protectorate. The SLPP leadership, led by Sir Milton Margai, negotiated with the British and the educated Krio-dominated colony based in Freetown to achieve independence. Owing to the astute politics of Milton Margai, the educated Protectorate elites were able to join forces with

12384-604: The presence of the tsetse fly which carried a disease fatal to horses and the zebu cattle used by the Mandé people , provided natural defenses against invasions by the Mandinka Empire and other African empires, and limited influence by the Mali Empire , preserving its indigenous cultures from external dominions. The introduction of Islam by Susu traders, merchants and migrants in the 18th century further enriched

12513-406: The previous practice. They did not maintain relationships even with longstanding allies, such as Bai Bureh, who was later unfairly portrayed as a prime instigator of the Hut Tax War. Colonel Frederic Cardew , military governor of the Protectorate, in 1898 established a new tax on dwellings and demanded that the chiefs use their people to maintain roads. The taxes were often higher than the value of

12642-551: The proceeding and was not present. Through a letter that was read by his attorney to the court, he justified his absence by alleging that at that moment he was not ensured a fair and impartial trial. On 20 August 2007, Taylor's defence, now led by Courtenay Griffiths , obtained a postponement of the trial until 7 January 2008. During the trial, the chief prosecutor alleged that a key insider witness who testified against Taylor went into hiding after being threatened for giving evidence against Taylor. Furthermore, Joseph "Zigzag" Marzah,

12771-480: The prosecution finished presenting its evidence against Taylor and closed its case on 27 February 2009. On 4 May 2009, a defence motion for a judgment of acquittal was dismissed, and arguments for Taylor's defence began in July 2009. Taylor testified in his own defence from July through November 2009. The defence rested its case on 12 November 2010, with closing arguments set for early February 2011. On 8 February 2011,

12900-637: The region of modern day Sierra Leone. There had already been a carving culture established in the area prior to Portuguese contact and many travelers to Sierra Leone initially impressed with their carving skills took local ivory horns back to Europe. One notable description at the beginning of the 16th century, by Pacheco noted that: in this country [Sierra Leone] they make beautiful mats of palm-leaf and necklaces of ivory [...]: In this land they make ivory necklaces more delicately carved than in any other country, also very fine and beautiful mats of palm-leaf, which are call 'bicas' [which are] very beautiful and good. In

13029-633: The region. Following Sintra, European traders established fortified posts, engaging primarily in the slave trade , which shaped the socio-economic landscape significantly. Traders from Europe, such as the Dutch Republic , England and France started to arrive in Sierra Leone and establish trading stations. These stations quickly began to primarily deal in slaves, who were brought to the coast by indigenous traders from interior areas, undergoing conflicts over territory. The Europeans made payments, called Cole , for rent, tribute, and trading rights, to

13158-636: The running of the new colony. Government officials soon became involved in the scheme as well, although their interest was spurred by the possibility of resettling a large group of poor citizens elsewhere. William Pitt the Younger , prime minister and leader of the Tory party, had an active interest in the Scheme because he saw it as a means to repatriate the Black Poor to Africa, since "it was necessary they should be sent somewhere, and be no longer suffered to infest

13287-548: The settlers revolted. The Crown subdued the revolt by bringing in forces of more than 500  Jamaican Maroons , whom they transported from Cudjoe's Town (Trelawny Town) via Nova Scotia in 1800. Led by Colonel Montague James , the Maroons helped the colonial forces to put down the revolt, and in the process the Jamaican Maroons in Sierra Leone secured the best houses and farms. On 1 January 1808, Thomas Ludlam ,

13416-582: The streets of London". In January 1787, the Atlantic and the Belisarius set sail for Sierra Leone, but bad weather forced them to divert to Plymouth, during which time about 50 passengers died. Another 24 were discharged, and 23 ran away. Eventually, with more recruitment, 411 passengers sailed to Sierra Leone in April 1787. On the voyage between Plymouth and Sierra Leone, 96 passengers died. In 1787

13545-616: The successes of another rebel group in southeastern Liberia (the Movement for Democracy in Liberia , or MODEL) and heavy pressure from the United States and the international community, effectively forced President Taylor to resign. He went into exile in Nigeria on August 11, 2003, as part of a peace agreement. A transitional government headed by Gyude Bryant was established on October 14, and it included many representatives of LURD. One of LURD's founders, lanzini , became Speaker of

13674-497: The summer, Taylor's government controlled only about a third of Liberia: Monrovia and the central part of the country. More than one-third of the total population lived in this area. On 7 March 2003, the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) issued a sealed indictment for Taylor. Earlier that year, Liberian forces had killed Sam Bockarie , a leading member of the RUF in Sierra Leone, in a shootout under Taylor's orders. Some have claimed that Taylor ordered Bockarie killed to prevent

13803-554: The survivors of Granville Town from joining the new settlement, blaming them for the demise of Granville Town. The Settlers built Freetown in the styles they knew from their lives in the American South ; they also continued American fashion and American manners. In addition, many continued to practise Methodism in Freetown. In the 1790s, the Settlers, including adult women, voted for the first time in elections. In 1792, in

13932-442: The trial court ruled in a 2–1 decision that it would not accept Taylor's trial summary, as the summary had not been submitted by the 14 January deadline. In response, Taylor and his counsel boycotted the trial and refused an order by the court to begin closing arguments. This boycott came soon after the 2010 leak of American diplomatic cables , in which the United States discussed the possibility of extraditing Taylor for prosecution in

14061-445: The two countries. Three days after Nigeria announced its intent to transfer Taylor to Liberia, the leader disappeared from the seaside villa where he had been living in exile. A week before that, Nigerian authorities had taken the unusual step of allowing local press to accompany census takers into Taylor's Calabar compound. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo was scheduled to meet with President Bush less than 48 hours after Taylor

14190-458: The voyage between Plymouth, England and Sierra Leone, 70 European girlfriends and wives accompanied the Black Poor settlers . Many in London thought moving them to Sierra Leone would lift them out of poverty. The Sierra Leone Resettlement Scheme was proposed by entomologist Henry Smeathman and drew interest from humanitarians like Granville Sharp , who saw it as a means of showing the pro-slavery lobby that black people could contribute towards

14319-641: The war, Sierra Leone and Guinea had allowed the LURD rebels free passage "through their borders with our arms without any questions from them". Käihkö, Ilmari (2015). " 'Taylor must go' - the strategy of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy". Small Wars & Insurgencies March 2015 vol. 26 no. 2 248-270. doi : 10.1080/09592318.2015.1007561 . Charles Taylor (Liberia) Rebel leader (1989–1997) President of Liberia (1997–2003) Post-Presidency (2003–present) Charles McArthur Ghankay Taylor (born 28 January 1948)

14448-484: Was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity as a result of his support for the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel group in the Sierra Leone Civil War (1991–2002). Domestically, Taylor attempted to consolidate power through dictatorial means such as by purging the military and committing violence against his political rivals, including an assassination attempt of former ULIMO commander Roosevelt Johnson , leading to violent clashes in Monrovia in 1998 . As

14577-568: Was channeled through the Chairman Sekou Conneh , he gained some leverage to unite the movement. While the cohesion of LURD always remained brittle, it was widely recognized that unity was necessary if Taylor was to be removed from power. Many in the LURD leadership also remembered what had happened to its predecessor, the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO), which had split in 1994. As

14706-419: Was delivered to the SCSL. The SCSL prosecutor originally indicted Taylor on 3 March 2003 on 17 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict in Sierra Leone. On 16 March 2006, a SCSL judge gave leave to amend the indictment against Taylor. Under the amended indictment, Taylor was charged with 11 counts. At Taylor's initial appearance before the court on 3 April 2006, he entered

14835-649: Was detained by UN authorities in Sierra Leone and then at the Penitentiary Institution Haaglanden in The Hague , awaiting trial by the Special Court. He was found guilty in April 2012 of all eleven charges levied by the Special Court, including terror, murder and rape. In May 2012, Taylor was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Reading the sentencing statement, Presiding Judge Richard Lussick said: "The accused has been found responsible for aiding and abetting as well as planning some of

14964-489: Was elected Chief Minister of Sierra Leone. The new constitution ensured Sierra Leone had a parliamentary system within the Commonwealth of Nations . In May 1957, Sierra Leone held its first parliamentary election. The SLPP, which was then the most popular political party in the colony of Sierra Leone as well as being supported by the powerful paramount chiefs in the provinces, won the most seats in Parliament and Margai

15093-716: Was extradited and flown to Rotterdam Airport in the Netherlands. He was taken into custody and held in the detention centre of the International Criminal Court , located in the Scheveningen section of The Hague. The Association for the Legal Defence of Charles G. Taylor was established in June 2006 to assist in his legal defence. When Taylor's trial opened on 4 June 2007, Taylor boycotted

15222-406: Was frequently accused of atrocities, and is thought to have been backed by the government of neighboring Guinea . This uprising signaled the beginning of the Second Liberian Civil War . By early 2003, LURD had gained control of northern Liberia. That year, a second Ivorian -backed rebel group, Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), emerged in southern Liberia and achieved rapid success. By

15351-467: Was known as the " Athens of Africa" due to the number of excellent schools in Freetown and surrounding areas. The British interacted mostly with the Krio people in Freetown, who did most of the trading with the indigenous peoples of the interior. Educated Krio people held numerous positions in the colonial government, giving them status and well-paying positions. Following the Berlin Conference of 1884–85,

15480-614: Was later freed and fled the country, going into exile in neighbouring Guinea. However, on 23 March 1967, a group of military officers in the Sierra Leone Army led by Brigadier General Andrew Juxon-Smith , staged a counter-coup against Commander Lansana. They seized control of the government, arrested Lansana, and suspended the constitution. The group set up the National Reformation Council (NRC), with Andrew Juxon-Smith as its chairman and Head of State of

15609-676: Was moved south to Tubmanburg in Bomi County. In Bomi county the Mahare Massacre took place in 2002, which killed 355 civilians. Duo's military group captured the area and all civilians were seen as LURD supporters which in turn lead to mass killings. According to James Kabah cited in Christine Cheng's Book,[Extralegal Groups in Post-Conflict Liberia],that men, women and children were lined up and shot 10 at

15738-471: Was not available in Nova Scotia. The initial process of society-building in Freetown was a harsh struggle. The Crown did not supply enough basic supplies and provisions and the Settlers were continually threatened by illegal slave trading and the risk of re-enslavement. The Sierra Leone Company, controlled by London investors, refused to allow the settlers to take freehold of the land. In 1799 some of

15867-499: Was opposed to the colonial legacy of allowing executive powers to the Paramount Chiefs, many of whom had been allies of his late brother Sir Milton. Accordingly, they began to consider Sir Albert a threat to the ruling houses across the country. Margai appointed many non-Creoles to the country's civil service in Freetown, in an overall diversification of the civil service in the capital, which had been dominated by members of

15996-603: Was ousted in a bloodless military coup led by Brigadier General David Lansana , the commander of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces . He was a close ally of Albert Margai, who had appointed him to the position in 1964. Lansana placed Stevens under house arrest in Freetown and insisted that the determination of the Prime Minister should await the election of the tribal representatives to the House. Steven

16125-453: Was re-elected as Chief Minister by a landslide. Sierra Leone was granted independence by the United Kingdom in 1961, transitioning to a state with its own governance structures, though it faced significant political instability post-independence, including the establishment of a one-party state and periods of civil unrest. On 20 April 1960, Milton Margai led a 24-member Sierra Leonean delegation at constitutional conferences that were held with

16254-427: Was reported missing. Speculation ensued that Bush would refuse to meet with Obasanjo if Taylor were not apprehended. Less than 12 hours prior to the scheduled meeting between the two heads of state, Taylor was reported apprehended en route to Liberia. On 29 March, Taylor tried to cross the border into Cameroon through the border town of Gamboru in northeastern Nigeria. His Range Rover with Nigerian diplomatic plates

16383-553: Was stopped by border guards, and Taylor's identity was eventually established. Upon his arrival at Roberts International Airport in Harbel , Liberia, Taylor was arrested and handcuffed by LNP officers, who immediately transferred responsibility for the custody of Taylor to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). Irish UNMIL soldiers escorted Taylor aboard a UN helicopter to Freetown , Sierra Leone, where he

16512-430: Was sworn in as prime minister, he fired several senior government officials who had served in his elder brother Sir Milton's government, viewing them as a threat to his administration, including Karefa-Smart. Sir Albert resorted to increasingly authoritarian actions in response to protests and enacted several laws against the opposition All People's Congress, while attempting to establish a one-party state . Sir Albert

16641-691: Was willing to host the trial but would not jail him if convicted. British Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett stated that new legislation would be required to accommodate this arrangement. This legislation came in the form of the International Tribunals (Sierra Leone) Act 2007. While awaiting his extradition to the Netherlands, Taylor was held in a UN jail in Freetown. On 16 June 2006, the United Nations Security Council agreed unanimously to allow Taylor to be sent to Leidschendam for trial; on 20 June 2006, Taylor

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