Why The Abidjan Peace Agreement Failed

There were two very important treaties that were created between the RUF and the Sierra Leone government, the Abidjan Peace Agreement and the Lome Peace Agreement. The Abidjan Peace Agreement was implemented to cease fire among the RUF and the Sierra Leone government. Finally after so many years of warfare, peace was within view of the country “on 30 November 1996, the President Kabbah signed the Abidjan Peace Agreement with the Revolutionary United Front (RUF)” (Abraham 206). This agreement was set to be in immediate effect, but unfortunately very little effect was taken. One of the many reasons the Abidjan Peace Agreement failed was due to a breach on both sides and “despite any peace agreements, Human Rights Watch reported that abuses were
still continuing towards the end of 1999” (Shah). The peace had been broken and the war continued. Shah also elucidates that when this peace agreement was executed the United Nations attempted to disarm the rebels from diamond rich communities, instead the RUF retaliated and more UN troops were deployed. Peaceaccords.nd.edu explains that the biggest breach in the treaty was in January of 1997 when the RUF was attacked in Northern Kailahaun. The Kamakorjs executed many of the RUF combatants that attempted to settle in their village, this “was one of the many reasons the RUF ultimately rejected the 1996 accord and sided with the AFRC in May 1997” (Abidjan Peace Agreement). The war continued until 1999 when another peace agreement was generated.