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Sierra Leone Research Paper

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Sierra Leone the Struggles of building a Nation Building a nation… Slavery, Independence, Constitution, Military coups to Presidential elections! Senior Enlisted leaders, it is important to know that the freedoms we all prefer comes with a cost of sacrifice, bloodshed, and for some, nation before self for democracy. This essay will discuss the background, government, strategic importance, and future direction of Sierra Leone. Background Sierra Leone is located on the West Coast of Africa, its history dates back to 1462 when a Portuguese explorer named Pedro da Cintra detailed his adventures along the coast and came up with the name “Sierra Lyoa” meaning Lion Mountains (the Sierra Leone Web, 2011). There are three provinces and sixteen …show more content…

Sierra Leone’s first President, Prime Minister Milton Margai led Sierra Leone in the first general election after gaining its independence. Soon after the newly elected government was in place, it sustained several failed military coup attempts and student demonstrations that disrupted its politics through 1977. In early1990, constitutional review commission’s objective was to broaden the existing political process, guarantee human rights, and strengthen the democratic foundation and re-establishment of a multi-party system of government and it became effective on October 1, 1991. There was great suspicion of the president and in 1992; a group of young military officers launched a military coup, which sent the President into exile. In April 1996, the country held presidential and parliamentary elections for the first time under the system of proportional representation. Maj. Johnny Koroma of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council overthrew sitting President Kabbah in 1997, and invited rebel army Revolutionary United Front (RUF) to join the government (the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service, 2002). After 10 months in office, Maj. Koroma ousted and the democratically elected government of President Kabbah returned to office in March 1998. Another unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the government resulted in the loss of life and destruction of

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