Before the civil war, Sierra Leone had been known for having low drinking rate. However, during the war, rebels as well as government militia consumed alcohol to incite themselves in killing countless civilians.
So, what happened after the war?
Many people had strongly alleged that denizens in Sierra Leone would continue to drink due to 'heavy drinking war'. However, those plausible assumptions have been proven to be wrong; citizens in Sierra Leone seems to be returning to their traditional lives quite easily. Many managed to reconstruct their villages with strong collaboration and helps of various non-profit organization. Even though many have been exposed to modernization through refugee camps in Freetown, they somehow managed to maintain their cultural beliefs. Following their traditions, many indigenous people have succeeded in not drinking alcohol. Unlike most of the villages in Sierra Leone, however, Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown seems to have been excluded from the benefits of traditions. Freetown shows the highest drinking rate throughout the country. As a capital, Freetown is a multicultural city where true modernization is portrayed. Due to its modernization, people find themselves relatively free from customs as well as religious beliefs. It seems as though tradition is what holds Sierra Leone together; customs seems to work as a catalyst to expedite postwar reconstruction. The traditions in Sierra Leone show contradictory aspects. Even though millions of women suffer from female genital mutilation, there are those who actually benefit from it.
1 comment:
When you said that the "government militia consumed alcohol to incite themselves in killing countless civilians," it reminded me of Rwanda. Many of the Hutu soldiers (interahamwe) would drink alcohol and become extremely intoxicated before they went out and massacred the innocent Tutsies. I think many of the soldier in Sierra Leone and Rwanda felt pressure and maybe that it was their "duty" to kill these people and the only way many of them could bring themselves to commit these crimes was to intoxicate and then kill.
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