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 | | A Dirty War in West Africa: The RUF And the Destruction of Sierra Leone by Lansana Gberie ISBN-10: 9780253218551 ISBN-10: 0-253-21855-1 ISBN-13: 9780253218551 ISBN-13: 978-0-253-21855-1 Paperback 2006-02-07 Indiana University Press Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description "Provides important insider information concerning Sierra Leone’s recent war . . . and builds on [the author’s] established reputation as an insightful and courageous journalist." —William Reno, Northwestern University A Dirty War in West Africa recounts Lansana Gberie’s harrowing experiences as a journalist during the decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone. Since 1991, this West African nation has been brought to its knees by a series of coups, violent conflicts, and finally, outright war. The war has ended today, but it is clear that things are hardly settled. Focusing on the group spearheading the violence, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), Gberie exposes the corruption and appalling use of rape and mutilation as tactics to overthrow the former government. Gberie looks closely at the rise of the RUF and its ruthless leader, Foday Sankoh, as he seeks to understand the personalities and parties involved in the war. This sobering and powerful account reveals the domestic and international consequences of the Sierra Leone conflict. | ||
Reviews | ||
Facinating and Well Written I've never had any interest in writing a review before, but I felt compelled after reading Mr. Gberie's book. It is thorough and detailed but not overly 'academic'. I think part of what makes it stand out so much is the authors background and personal involvement in the story. He shows how the world was fooled by their pre-conceived notions about 'typical African conflicts' and by the statements of the rebels themselves. By examining the actual facts on the ground and the actions of the rebels he proves that their only motivation for existence was monetary gain. This had a profound effect on the multiple peace negotiations, which many times only made the confict worse. He traces back all of the atrocities that we associate with the RUF war and shows how human beings like you and I were coerced into carrying them out. I've traveled to Sierra Leone and the region several times but until I read this book I never felt like I really comprehended how such atrocities could occur. I think a good complement to this book would be Blood Diamonds by Greg Campbell. Although Mr. Gberie covers some of the ways that diamonds were used to fund the war, Mr. Campbell was able to provide even more detail. | ||