Mercenaries of democracy: The 'Politricks' of remobilized combatants in the 2007 general elections, Sierra Leone

Mercenaries of democracy: The 'Politricks' of remobilized combatants in the 2007 general elections, Sierra Leone

Author: 
Christensen, Maya M.
Place: 
New York
Publisher: 
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date published: 
2009
Record type: 
Responsibility: 
Mats Utas
Journal Title: 
African Affairs
Source: 
African Affairs, Vol. 107 Issue 429, October 2008, PP.515-539
ISSN: 
0001-9909
Abstract: 

The 2007 general elections in Sierra Leone marked a decisive moment in the country's post-war recovery. In this article we show how political parties strategically remobilized ex-combatants into ?security squads? in order both to protect themselves and to mobilize votes. We look at the tactical and strategic motives behind ex-combatants? choice to join the political campaigning and the alternatives (such as ?watermelon politics?), and we also examine the deep distrust between politicians and ex-combatants. Focusing on politics as the domestication of violence, we shed light on the continuation of pre-war and war-time mobilization of youth into politics and demonstrate how electoral moments can legitimize violence. In hindsight, the 2007 elections strengthened the democratic process in Sierra Leone, but this article shows on what fragile ground this success was built.

Language: 
Country focus: 

CITATION: Christensen, Maya M.. Mercenaries of democracy: The 'Politricks' of remobilized combatants in the 2007 general elections, Sierra Leone . New York : Oxford University Press (OUP) , 2009. African Affairs, Vol. 107 Issue 429, October 2008, PP.515-539 - Available at: https://library.au.int/mercenaries-democracy-politricks-remobilized-combatants-2007-general-elections-sierra-leone-4