RUF logo

Sierra Leone was in chaos during the seconf half of 1980's.University students there were completely radicalized by government's supression of their demonstrations by exposing to new ideas and cocepts.

This was further fuelled by a dramatic rised in unemployment.At that time the youth's life was ruled by violence,drugs,and criminality.Later during 1987 to 1988 some students were taken to Libya for revolution training.One of them was Foday Sankoh.He was an army corporal and photographer,jailed for seven years for alleged implication of 1971 coup against Siaka Stevens.It was he who started the RUF.

RUF- Foday Sankoh

Still later only three returned from the training and after one year Foday was the only one who survived.

Another rebel party associated with the blood diamond trade and the RUF is the National Union For Total Independence Of Angola(UNITA).

The UNITA Flag

It was founded by Jonas Savimbi,Antonio Da Costa Fernandes on March 13,1966 in Muangai in Angola's Moxico province.They launched their first attack on December 25th against Portuguese colonial authorities the same year.

UNITA co-founder Jonas Savimbi

Both of these organisations together contributed towards the infiltration of blood diamonds in the international markets.