The civil war in Sierra Leone

In November 1999 the UN sent a peacekeeping mission to Sierra Leone in orde r to support the peace agreement between the government and the rebels in t he Revolutionary United Front (RUF). One year later the mission was experie ncing great difficulties. The question that this article seeks to answer is what made the situation in this small West African country so difficult fo r the UN. My argument is that this was caused by the very simplified image that the UN had about the conflict and its historical and socio-economic co ntext. The UN failed to acknowledge the deep historical and socio-economic, but also cultural conflicts in Sierra Leone, which make up the foundation for the civil war. Likewise, the UN also failed to take into consideration the regional dynamics in this part of West Africa. Finally, the UN has not made a real attempt to come to terms with RUF on its own premises nor why y oung men (and women) voluntarily have joined this movement and other militi a groups in Sierra Leone.