RUF

​Tory, Ann, Willie​​ Revolutionary United Front __ **Initial Goal/Motivation:** __ - The RUF's main goal was to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone, though they did not indicate what type of government would replace it. - Original Slogan - "No More Slaves, No More Masters. Power and Wealth to the People." - They also wanted to have control over the diamond industry in Sierra Leone so they could fund their operations. pg 14. "But what kind of liberation movement shoots innocent civilians, children, and that little girl?" pg 33. "You left because you are against our cause as freedom fighters right?"

- A humanitarian crisis quickly resulted from the RUF's tactics, which involved brutal attacks on unarmed civilians. - Tactics include killing, mutilation, rape, looting, and abducting. - The RUF is also known for their recruiting of an estimated 10,000 child soldiers. They tend to kidnap children between the ages of 7 and 12 and carve the letters "RUF" on their bodies.
 * __ Tactics: __**

pg 3. "The rebel call this mutilation"one love"." pg 34. "The rebel now faced us and announced that they were going to select some people among us to be recruited, as it was the sole reason for their patrol." "We have to do this to show you blood and make you strong." pg 24. "They didn't want people to abandon the town, because they needed to use civilians and a shield against the military...This way they could stay longer as military intervention would be delayed." "Young boys were immediately recruited...as soldiers would kill you without any questions and militant civilians would do the same."

__ **Leaders:** __

**Foday Sankoh:** - Sankoh created the RUF in 1991, after Momoh announced a return to multi-party politics. - Before the elections could be held, though, Sankoh and the RUF attacked with the help of Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL). - They're goal was to end the All People's Congress' (APC) 24 year reign in power. - The RUF attacked most of the Kailahun District and exposed the Sierra Leone military's weaknesses. Within a few days the Kailahun District was under rebel control. -Sankoh was known for his harsh tactics and policies which he implimented for the RUF including; “Operation Pay Yourself" which encouraged troops to loot anything they could find from villages they attacked. -Under his rule, the RUF killed, amputated, and raped many innocent civilians.

**Issa Hassan Sesay:** - Served as senior military officer and commander in the RUF. - Sesay is currently defending himself on 17 counts of crimes against humanity, including murder, looting, use of child soldiers, abduction, forced labor and sexual violence. - He pled not guilty at his initial court appearance. - Issa Sesay became the leader of the RUF after Foday Sankoh's arrest in 2000. - With Sankoh having since died in custody, Sesay is the most senior RUF commander left alive.

**Morris Kallon:** - Morris Kallon also known as Bilai Karim (born 1 January 1964 in Bo, Sierra Leone) is a former Sierra Leonean rebel military commander in the Revolutionary United Front. . - February 2009, he was convicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone on 16 of the 18 charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes which included "acts of terrorism" against the civilian population, the use of forced marriage and, the use of child soldiers.

__ RUF Survivor __

**Mariatu Kamara:** In 1999 at the age of 12, a man whom she was being pressured to marry, raped her. Shortly after, RUF attacked the village where Kamara was staying and child soldiers amputated her hands. Mariatu conceived a son from the rape that eventually died from malnutrition at the Aberdeen Amputee Camp in Freetown. Before moving to Canada in 2002, Mariatu’s means of survival was begging from better-off Sierra Leoneons in Freetown. Today Mariatu is a spokesperson for UNICEF Canada on the impact of war on children. Mariatu’s memoir, //Bite of the Mango//, chronicles her remarkable journey from peasant girl to international speaker and illustrates how the power of love can heal even the deepest physical and emotional scars.

//The Mariatu Foundation// seeks to provide a much needed refuge for women and children. Through the opening of a home and eventually homes in Sierra Leone, //the Mariatu Foundation// will offer healing programs and assistance in the resettlement and reintegration of abused women and children into loving and supportive communities.

http://www.mariatufoundation.com/ [] [] [] []