Sierra Leone

End of War

Seble Demeke, UN

The people of Sierra Leone have closed the Chapter on ten-years of civil war on 19 May 2002.

On behalf of the UN Special I would like to extend my congratulations to the people of Sierra Leone wherever they may be for conducting an election which was quoted by most journalists as “violence- free” from the most brutal civil war in the history of Africa. Congratulations also for changing your approaches to life, for deciding to live in harmony and moving on to a new beginning and rebuilding of your nation.

My congratulations and thanks also goes to the courageous United Nations peacekeeping forces for ending the ten- years conflict, some by giving their own lives and to the Organization of African Unity (OAU) for assisting the people of Sierra Leone to achieve this result.

Let us hope that other African countries that are presently in the midst of civil war learn from the situation of Sierra Leone and realize that there is an alternative to bullets.