Kamajors
Encyclopedia
The Kamajors are a group of traditional hunters from the Mende
ethnic group in the south and east of Sierra Leone
(mostly from the Bo
district). They were originally employed by local chiefs, but under the leadership of Samuel Hinga Norman
was used by President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah in 1996 to replace mercenaries (Executive Outcomes
which becameSandline International
, helped train the force) as the security force of the government. This security force was called Civil Defence Forces
(CDF). At that time, the force was expanded to over 20,000 men, dwarfing the army and mercenaries. Kabbah's presidency ended when a coup led by junior officers in 1997 installed Johnny Paul Koroma
as the head of state. The Kamajors were a part of the ECOMOG (a Nigeria
led force) counteroffensive to reinstate Kabbah in 1998. In 1999, Freetown
was taken by the Charles Taylor backed and Foday Sankoh
led Armed Forces Revolutionary Council
(AFRC), which was a combination of the rebel Revolutionary United Front
(RUF) and the former Sierra Leone Army (SLA). The Kamajors again served with ECOMOG and UN peacekeepers
in trying to secure stability.
Because of the alleged violations of international law the leaders of the CDF (including Hinga Norman) were indicted before the Special Court for Sierra Leone
.
. His trial began in June, 2004 along with that of two of his lieutenants, Moinina Fofana
and Allieu Kondaw
traditional chiefs given more responsibility in national security. Once separated from the influence of the ‘paramount’ chiefs, the Kamajors have become undisciplined and cases of rape have become more commonhttp://ec.europa.eu/echo/pdf_files/evaluation/2001/s_leone_child.pdf.
Mende people
The Mende people are one of the two largest and most dominant ethnic group in Sierra Leone, along with the Temne. The Mende make up 30% of Sierra Leone's total population or 1,932,015 members...
ethnic group in the south and east of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
(mostly from the Bo
Bo, Sierra Leone
Bo is the second largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the Southern Province. It lies about 164 miles south-east of Freetown and had a population 149,957 in the 2004 census, with a current estimate is 231,494 . The city serve as the capital and administrative center of Bo District...
district). They were originally employed by local chiefs, but under the leadership of Samuel Hinga Norman
Samuel Hinga Norman
Samuel Hinga Norman was a Sierra Leonean politician from the Mende tribe. He was the founder and leader of the traditional Civil Defence Forces, commonly known as the Kamajors. The Kamajors fought under the supported the government of Ahmed Tejan Kabbah against the Revolutionary United Front,...
was used by President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah in 1996 to replace mercenaries (Executive Outcomes
Executive Outcomes
Executive Outcomes was a private military company founded in South Africa by former Lieutenant-Colonel of the South African Defence Force Eeben Barlow in 1989. It later became part of the South African-based holding company Strategic Resource Corporation....
which becameSandline International
Sandline International
Sandline International was a private military company based in London, established in the early 1990s. It was involved in conflicts in Papua New Guinea in 1997 causing the Sandline affair, in 1998 in Sierra Leone and in Liberia in 2003 Sandline International was a private military company based...
, helped train the force) as the security force of the government. This security force was called Civil Defence Forces
Civil Defence Forces
The Civil Defense Forces or CDF were a paramilitary organization who fought in the Sierra Leone Civil War . They supported the elected government of Ahmed Tejan Kabbah against the rebel groups RUF and AFRC . Much of the CDF was made up of the Kamajors group, which is part of the larger Mende...
(CDF). At that time, the force was expanded to over 20,000 men, dwarfing the army and mercenaries. Kabbah's presidency ended when a coup led by junior officers in 1997 installed Johnny Paul Koroma
Johnny Paul Koroma
Johnny Paul Koroma was the Head of State of Sierra Leone from May 1997 to February 1998.-Youth and Education :Koroma grew up in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. However, he was born in Tombodu, Kono District, in eastern Sierra Leone to Limba parents. He is from the same ethnic group as...
as the head of state. The Kamajors were a part of the ECOMOG (a Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
led force) counteroffensive to reinstate Kabbah in 1998. In 1999, Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
was taken by the Charles Taylor backed and Foday Sankoh
Foday Sankoh
Foday Saybana Sankoh was the leader and founder of the Sierra Leone rebel group Revolutionary United Front in the 11-year-long Sierra Leone Civil War, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002...
led Armed Forces Revolutionary Council
Armed Forces Revolutionary Council
The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council was a group of Sierra Leone soldiers that allied itself with the rebel Revolutionary United Front in the late 1990s. While the AFRC briefly controlled the country in 1998, it was driven from the capital by a coalition of West African troops...
(AFRC), which was a combination of the rebel Revolutionary United Front
Revolutionary United Front
The Revolutionary United Front was a rebel army that fought a failed eleven-year war in Sierra Leone, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002. It later developed into a political party, which existed until 2007...
(RUF) and the former Sierra Leone Army (SLA). The Kamajors again served with ECOMOG and UN peacekeepers
Timeline of UN peacekeeping missions
The United Nations has authorized 63 peacekeeping missions as of February 2009. These do not include interventions authorized by the UN like the Korean War and the Gulf War...
in trying to secure stability.
Because of the alleged violations of international law the leaders of the CDF (including Hinga Norman) were indicted before the Special Court for Sierra Leone
Special Court for Sierra Leone
The Special Court for Sierra Leone is an independent judicial body set up to "try those who bear greatest responsibility" for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sierra Leone after 30 November 1996 during the Sierra Leone Civil War...
.
Legacy
Although some point to diamond fields (blood diamonds) as the real motivating factor of the Kamajors, they played a major role in the march toward Sierra Leonean stability. On the other hand, the Kamajors have been accused of pillaging, terrorizing, and killing civilians in Sierra Leone, as well as employing soldiers under the age of 15. In March, 2003, Hinga Norman was indicted for these war crimes by the Special Court for Sierra LeoneSpecial Court for Sierra Leone
The Special Court for Sierra Leone is an independent judicial body set up to "try those who bear greatest responsibility" for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sierra Leone after 30 November 1996 during the Sierra Leone Civil War...
. His trial began in June, 2004 along with that of two of his lieutenants, Moinina Fofana
Moinina Fofana
Moinina Fofana is a Sierra Leonean former military commander who was the leading general in the Kamajors militia and director of the Civil Defence Forces during the Sierra Leone Civil War...
and Allieu Kondaw
Kamajo Legend
A truly "grassroots" military force, the Kamajors are rumored to possess magical powers such as the ability to dodge bullets and to disappear. The Kamajors used mainly older, single-shot rifles. Despite their comparatively primitive weapons to that of the RUF, they had many militarily successful encounters with the RUF. The Kamajors are known for their use of ritualistic magic such as chanting and applying the unit leader's saliva to the foreheads of the soldiers and amuletshttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0157919/. The Kamajors believe that power and potency as a warrior is dependent on sexual abstinence. In recent years, the Kamajors have been moved from their native areas andtraditional chiefs given more responsibility in national security. Once separated from the influence of the ‘paramount’ chiefs, the Kamajors have become undisciplined and cases of rape have become more commonhttp://ec.europa.eu/echo/pdf_files/evaluation/2001/s_leone_child.pdf.