Jessica+Salisbury--Lome+Peace+Accord



Lome Peace AccordBy: Jessica Salisbury The Lome Peace Accord was a peace agreement between the government of Sierra Leone and the Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone. As well as the other side of the civil war: the government of the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone (RUF/SL). The two sides met in Lome, Tongo on July 7, 1999. The Peace Accord was signed due to the civil war that was taking place and destroying Sierra Leone for almost a decade.

The Lome Peace Accord can be seen as similar to the Abidjan Peace Accord of 1996 because they were both trying to end the rebels attacks. Although, the Abidjan Peace Accord did not last in the long-run. The fighting still continued. With that the Lome Peace Accord came after the attack on Freetown. Both sides of government still tried to build peace bridges between the two sides of the civil war. Through many debates and meetings between Kabbah and Sankoh both leaders of the RUF and other leaders around the world they came to an agreement that consisted many requirements which in return the Lome Peace Treaty was created.

The Lome Peace Treaty stated commitments such as: full respect for human rights and humanitarian law, promoting popular participation in governance of the country, determined to foster mutual trust and confidence between themselves, to establish sustainable peace and security, that sovereignty belongs to the people, and that Government derives all its powers, authority and legitimacy from the people. ([|Sierra Leone Web]). Although, Sankoh had an issue with the treaty, but his "allies convinced him to accept the final deal, pointing out the pitfalls of intransigence and the consequences of the failure of the talks. They told him to lead rather than follow and not be overtaken by events. He was advised to think more of a transitional phase rather than transitional government"(Conciliation Resources). The peace treaty was signed by both Sankoh and Kabbah as well as witness and guarantors, such as the UN, added their signatures to the Accord and it became official.

** Work Cited :** Sierra Leone Web. 1996-2010. 7 February 2011. Web Wikipedia. Lome Peace Accord. 11 December 2010. 7 February 2011. Web. Ismail Rashid. Conciliation Resources. Sierra Leone-The Lome Peace Accord. 7 February 2011. Web