Diamonds, foreign aid and the uncertain prospects for post-conflict reconstruction in Sierra Leone
Grant, J. A. (2005). The Round Table, 94(381), 443-457.
‘Diamonds, foreign aid and the uncertain prospects for post-conflict reconstruction in Sierra Leone’ is an article written by Andrew Grant and published in The Round Table. The article links resources extraction to peacebuilding in Sierra Leone. The article’s first section analyses the failure of the peacebuilding project in Sierra Leone in general. On the one hand, citizens’ living standards have not improved since the war, as many still cannot find work. Even those who have jobs sometimes cannot receive wages. On the other hand, workers have also failed to receive any pensions from their employers or from the government. The author tries to find the reasons for this terrible situation. On the state level, the author blames poor governance and high corruption for people’s inability to benefit from the peacemaking project. Moreover, the failure to establish a lawful and just society is another reason for the collapse of the social order. Judge are often ex-soldiers, which encourages the use of violence and revenge. On the local level, the smuggling of diamonds has damaged government revenue; greed in the diamond trade has caused many conflicts in the history of Sierra Leone. The author advises the use of stricter laws by local authorities to protect the diamond trade.