Time line
On April 27, 1961 Sierra Leone
gained independence, it was formerly a British colony.
After 2 military coups and a palace coup the Commonwealth suspended Sierra
Leone in July 1997.
In October 1997 the United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions
against Sierra Leone. The sanctions barred the supply of arms and petroleum
products
February 1998, a Nigerian led intervention force storms Freetown and takes
control.
In March 1998 President Kabbah returns to Freetown. In January 1999 rebels seize
control of parts of Freetown amidst bitter fighting and the city of
Freetown is left devastated.
A ceasefire is agreed in on 18 May 1999
17 July 1999 a peace agreement is reached and a peace deal signed. UN
forces arrive to oversee the peace agreement only to be confronted by
rebels. The UN forces face difficulties in the North of the country and in
May 2000 come under attack in the East.
In May 2000 the rebels start to retreat after the capture of their leader,
Foday Sankoh.
In August 2000, the UN agree to prosecute rebels for war crimes
The first free elections were held in May 2002.
Media in Sierra Leone
Media freedom in Sierra Leone has its
limits; media rights monitors have reported that high-level corruption is a
taboo subject, with the authorities using libel laws and the courts to
target errant journalists.
Broadcasters face many challenges,
including unreliable electricity supplies, a shortage of funds and a lack
of advertising revenue.
The UN Mission in Sierra Leone
(Unmasil) operates a number of radio services, broadcasting news of UN
activities and human rights information, as well as music and news.
FM relays of BBC World Service and
Radio France Internationale are on the air in Freetown.
Dozens of newspapers are published
in Freetown, despite low literacy levels. Most of them are privately-run
and are often critical of the government.
The press
·
Awoko
·
The Democrat
·
Concord Times
·
Standard Times
Television
Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service
(SLBS) - terrestrial network with limited coverage
Radio
Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service
(SLBS) - national broadcaster
Radio Democracy 98.1 FM - Freetown
station, originally set up as the voice of the exiled Kabbah government,
regarded as pro-government
·
Kiss FM - private station in Bo
·
SKYY FM - private station in Freetown
·
Radio Unamsil - UN radio network
·
Believers Broadcasting Network - Freetown Christian FM
station
·
Voice of the Handicapped - founded as an FM station for disabled
citizens, but attracts a wider audience
Leaders
President: Ahmad Tejan
Kabbah
Ahmad Tejan Kabbah won a new
five-year term in elections in May 2002 and is credited with bringing in
foreign assistance to rescue his country from itself.
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President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
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He first took office in March 1996
following war-time elections which brought a formal end to four years of army
rule. However, disgruntled soldiers toppled him in May 1997.
A West African intervention force
reinstated him within a year.
Saved by British military help, Mr
Kabbah agreed a ceasefire in November 2000. This allowed the UN force to
deploy throughout the country and disarm combatants.
Born in 1932, Mr Kabbah was
educated in Sierra Leone and Britain. He began his career in public service
in 1959, first as a district commissioner for the British colonial
government and then as a civil servant after independence.
After this he spent 21 years
working for the UN Development Programme, based in New York, Lesotho and
Tanzania. He returned home in 1992 and was elected president in 1996.
source: BBC.co.uk
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