Sierra Leone 2000
Freetown Photos
Freetown, Sierra Leone. September
2000. A view towards the giant Cotton Tree in the center of town.
Even the RUF couldn't kill this
tree.
Law Courts building in Freetown
- Bullet-Scarred but Surviving
Freetown
Freetown, Guard Street
For such a small country there are
a LOT of newspapers. This photo was taken in front of the post office,
the guy in the back is selling photocopies of downloaded web pages about
the British hostage rescue.
I received a couple of nice comments about my earlier
photo of the newspaper guys, so I went back
and they were happy to pose again.
The APC Political Party HQ, Pandemba Road and Wellington
Streets
"No Money No Friend"
Freetown: Looking towards Aberdeen
Village.
Bread, Shoes and Towels
FOR SALE: Fixer upper
Foday Sankoh's old house - the bullet
chips and RPG holes seem to add character to the place . . . .
Ezekiel Dyke, Secretary and Hassan Barri, President of
the Mine Worker's Union
Percival Street
Cpl. Johnny Sesly of the Sierra Leone Army. He's
been in the army for ten years now, and recently his
unit went through the six week training course run by
the British. The training has yet to be tested, so it is
hard to tell if it will have a positive effect on the
conflict, but Cpl. Sesly claims it has made a huge improvement
in his unit's skills.
It should be noted that the British have been operating
some well thought out medium and long term projects
to improve Sierra Leone's government, police, legal system
and military structure for several years. However,
the on-the-ground military training has only been going
since the May UN fiasco.
Many NGOs sport similar "No Arms" stickers in an attempt
to maintain neutrality in Sierra Leone's violent war.
It's part of a controversial "code of conduct," but it
is hard to tell if the RUF appreciate the attempt at neutrality.
Some NGO's even refuse to fly in ICI helicopters since ICI arms it's employees.
In any case, few NGO's venture outside of
government controlled areas, and privately the NGO people
I've talked to have no doubt about who the bad guys are . . .
Sahr Gborie, Programmes coordinator at the Network Movement
for Justice and Development
and his friend and Saa Emerson Mbayo.
The United Nations House on Wilkinson
Road and a couple of their brand spanking new SUVs.
Cockerill Air base and one of the
two Sierra Leone Mi-24 Hind gunships.
Another part of Freetown
By far the best way to travel Freetown and meet Sierra
Leoneans is
to join 23 other passengers in a 10 passenger mini-van
. . .
Paul Kamara, Editor-in-Chief of For di People newspaper.
Active in politics and outspoken,
Paul's already survived one assasination attempt - his
car was riddled with bullet holes and rather less fortunate . . .
Aberdeen Bridge
Aberdeen Bridge
Hotel Mammy Yoko, UNAMSIL HQ.
Most of Will Scully's Book Once a Pilgrim takes place here.
Paramount flys Russian Mi-8 helicopters
between Lungi Airport and the Mammy Yoko Heliport.
The cost is $40 but there is also
a much cheaper (and longer!) Ferry.
UN helicopter base near the Mammy Yoko, and a chopper
coming in to land at sunset.
Lumley Beach
Sunset at Lumley Beach
If you have comments, suggestions, death threats or job offers, email me at
Hoosier84@aol.com