Civil society in Sierra Leone calls for reparations from the diamond industry

Fatal Transactions member Medico International visited its project partner (Amputees and War Wounded Association) in Sierra Leone, to talk with them about strategies of reparations - also from the diamond industry.

During the 1990th a decade-long, very brutal civil war destroyed the small west African country Sierra Leone. The war was caused by huge social and economic inequality and the frustration of the population with the corrupt regime in Freetown. The war was mainly financed and especially prolonged by the diamond trade.
In early 2002 the war finally came to an end. Its sad result are countless war victims - amputees, other horribly war wounded, raped, and so on.`Directly after the war a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was installed. In 2005 its report was finally published. The TRC recommends also reparations for the War Victims. It acknowledges, that reparations can be very important for the peace process.

As one War Victim, the Amputee Edward Conteh puts it: "I don't see peace in Sierra Leone because the daughters and sons of the victims aresuffering. They are angry, waiting for the moment to take revenge."

The struggle for reparation can also be a struggle for peace. But the issue of reparation has to be handled with care. Therefore the TRC recommends a Special War Victims Fund to assure a democratic and transparent reparation process. Once this Fund is implemented, it can be filled. The "Amputees and War Wounded Association" wants also the Diamond Industry to pay into this fund.
Medico International supports the Association in their struggle for a Special Fund and also for reparation from the diamond industry. The next step of the cooperation will be a common lobby trip so European governmental bodies support the implementation process of a Special War Victims Fund.