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Sierra Leone Civil War

The Sierra Leone Civil War (1991–2002), or the Sierra Leonean Civil War, was a civil war in Sierra Leone that began on 23 March 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), with support from the special forces of Liberian dictator Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), intervened in Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government. The resulting civil war lasted almost 11 years, and had over 50,000, up to 70,000, casualties in total; an estimated 2.5 million people were displaced during the conflict.

During the first year of the war, the RUF took control of large swathes of territory in eastern and southern Sierra Leone, which were rich in alluvial diamonds. The government's ineffective response to the RUF and the disruption in government diamond production precipitated a military coup d'état in April 1992, organized by the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC). By the end of 1993, the Sierra Leone Army (SLA) had succeeded in pushing the RUF rebels back to the Liberian border, but the RUF recovered and fighting continued. In March 1995, Executive Outcomes (EO), a South Africa-based private military company, was hired to repel the RUF. Sierra Leone installed an elected civilian government in March 1996, and the retreating RUF signed the Abidjan Peace Accord. Under UN pressure, the government terminated its contract with EO before the accord could be implemented, and hostilities recommenced.

In May 1997, a group of disgruntled SLA officers staged a coup and established the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) as the new government of Sierra Leone. The RUF joined with the AFRC to capture the capital city, Freetown, with little resistance. The new government, led by Johnny Paul Koroma, declared the war over. A wave of looting, rape, and murder followed the announcement. Reflecting international dismay at the overturning of the civilian government, Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) forces intervened and retook Freetown on behalf of the government, but they found the outlying regions more difficult to pacify.

In January 1999, world leaders intervened diplomatically to promote negotiations between the RUF and the government. The Lome Peace Accord, signed on 27 March 1999, was the result. Lome gave Foday Sankoh, the commander of the RUF, the vice presidency and control of Sierra Leone's diamond mines in return for a cessation of the fighting and the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force (United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, UNAMSIL) to monitor the disarmament process. RUF compliance with the disarmament process was inconsistent and sluggish, and by May 2000, the rebels were advancing again upon Freetown.

As the UN mission began to fail, the United Kingdom declared its intention to intervene in the former colony and Commonwealth member in an attempt to support the severely weak government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. With help from a renewed UN mandate and Guinean air support, the British Operation Palliser finally defeated the RUF, retaking control of Freetown. On 18 January 2002, President Kabbah declared the Sierra Leone Civil War over.

Political history
In 1961, Sierra Leone gained its independence from the United Kingdom. In the years following the death of Sierra Leone’s first prime minister Sir Milton Margai in 1964, politics in the country were increasingly characterized by corruption, mismanagement, and electoral violence that led to a weak civil society, the collapse of the education system, and, by 1991, an entire generation of dissatisfied youth were attracted to the rebellious message of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and joined the organization. Albert Margai, unlike his half-brother Milton, did not see the state as a steward of the public, but instead as a tool for personal gain and self-aggrandizement and even used the military to suppress multi-party elections that threatened to end his rule.

When Siaka Stevens entered politics in 1968, Sierra Leone was a constitutional democracy. When he stepped down, seventeen years later, Sierra Leone was a one-party state. Stevens' rule, sometimes called "the 17 year plague of locusts", saw the destruction and perversion of every state institution. Parliament was undermined, judges were bribed, and the treasury was bankrupted to finance pet projects that supported insiders. When Stevens failed to co-opt his opponents, he often resorted to state sanctioned executions or exile.

In 1985, Stevens stepped down, and handed the nation’s preeminent position to Major General Joseph Momoh, who inherited a destroyed economy but was regarded as mostly successful in rooting out corruption and graft within his government. With the state unable to pay its civil servants, those desperate enough ransacked and looted government offices and property. Even in Freetown, important commodities like gasoline were scarce. But the government hit rock bottom when it could no longer pay schoolteachers and the education system collapsed. Since only wealthy families could afford to pay private tutors, the bulk of Sierra Leone’s youth during the late 1980s roamed the streets aimlessly. As infrastructure and public ethics deteriorated in tandem, much of Sierra Leone’s professional class fled the country. By 1991, Sierra Leone was ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world, even though it benefited from ample natural resources including diamonds, gold, bauxite, rutile, iron ore, fish, coffee, and cocoa.

Diamonds and the "resource curse"
The Eastern and Southern districts in Sierra Leone, most notably the Kono and Kenema districts, are rich in alluvial diamonds, and more importantly, are easily accessible by anyone with a shovel, sieve, and transport. Since their discovery in the early 1930s, diamonds have been critical in financing the continuing pattern of corruption and personal aggrandizement at the expense of needed public services, institutions, and infrastructure. The phenomenon whereby countries with an abundance of natural resources tend to nonetheless be characterized by lower levels of economic development is known as the "resource curse".

The presence of diamonds in Sierra Leone invited and led to the civil war in several ways. First, the highly unequal benefits resulting from diamond mining made ordinary Sierra Leoneans frustrated. Under the Stevens government, revenues from the National Diamond Mining Corporation (known as DIMINCO) – a joint government/DeBeers venture – were used for the personal enrichment of Stevens and of members of the government and business elite who were close to him. When DeBeers pulled out of the venture in 1984, the government lost direct control of the diamond mining areas. By the late 1980s, almost all of Sierra Leone's diamonds were being smuggled and traded illicitly, with revenues going directly into the hands of private investors. In this period the diamond trade was dominated by Lebanese traders and later (after a shift in favor on the part of the Momoh government) by Israelis with connections to the international diamond markets in Antwerp. Momoh made some efforts to reduce smuggling and corruption in the diamond mining sector, but he lacked the political clout to enforce the law. Even after the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) took power in 1992, ostensibly with the goal of reducing corruption and returning revenues to the state, high-ranking members of the government sold diamonds for their personal gain and lived extravagantly off the proceeds.

Diamonds also helped to arm the RUF rebels who used funds harvested from the alluvial diamond mines to purchase weapons and ammunition from neighbouring Guinea, Liberia, and even SLA soldiers. But the most significant connection between diamonds and war is that the presence of easily extractable diamonds provided an incentive for violence. To maintain control of important mining districts like Kono, thousands of civilians were expelled and kept away from these important economic centers.

Although diamonds were a significant motivating and sustaining factor, there were other means of profiting from the Sierra Leone Civil War. For instance, gold mining was prominent in some regions. Even more common was cash crop farming through the use of forced labor. Looting during the Sierra Leone Civil War did not just center on diamonds, but also included that of currency, household items, food, livestock, cars, and international aid shipments. For Sierra Leoneans who did not have access to arable land, joining the rebel cause was an opportunity to seize property through the use of deadly force. But the most important reason why the civil war should not be entirely attributed to conflict over the economic benefits incurred from the alluvial diamond mines is that the pre-war frustrations and grievances did not just concern that of the diamond sector. More than twenty years of poor governance, poverty, corruption and oppression created the circumstances for the rise of the RUF, as ordinary people yearned for change.

Demographics of rebel recruitment
As a result of the First Liberian Civil War, 80,000 refugees fled neighboring Liberia for the Sierra Leone – Liberian border. This displaced population, composed almost entirely of children, would prove to be an invaluable asset to the invading rebel armies because the refugee and detention centers, populated first by displaced Liberians and later by Sierra Leoneans, helped provide the manpower for the RUF’s insurgency. The RUF took advantage of the refugees, who were abandoned, starving, and in dire need of medical attention, by promising food, shelter, medical care, and looting and mining profits in return for their support. When this method of recruitment failed, as it often did for the RUF, youths were often coerced at gunpoint to join the ranks of the RUF. After being forced to join, many child soldiers learned that the complete lack of law – as a result of the civil war – provided a unique opportunity for self-empowerment through violence and thus continued to support the rebel cause.

Libyan and arms dealing role
Muammar al-Gaddafi both trained and supported Charles Taylor. Gaddafi also helped Foday Sankoh, the founder of Revolutionary United Front.

Russian businessman Viktor Bout supplied Charles Taylor with arms for use in Sierra Leone and had meetings with him about the operations.

SLA response and "Sobels"
The initial rebellion could have easily been quelled in the first half of 1991. But the RUF – despite being both numerically inferior and extremely brutal against civilians – controlled a significant portion of the country by the year’s end. The SLA’s equally poor behavior made this outcome possible. Often afraid to directly confront or unable to locate the elusive RUF, government soldiers were brutal and indiscriminate in their search for rebels or sympathizers among the civilian population. After retaking captured towns, the SLA would perform a ‘mopping up’ operation in which the towns people were transported to concentration camp styled ‘strategic hamlets’ far from their homes in Eastern and Southern Sierra Leone under the pretense of separating the population from the insurgents. However, in many cases, this was followed by much looting and theft after the villagers were evacuated.

Sobels
The SLA's sordid behavior inevitably led to the alienation of many civilians and pushed some Sierra Leoneans to join the rebel cause. With morale low and rations even lower, many SLA soldiers discovered that they could do better by joining with the rebels in looting civilians in the countryside instead of fighting against them. The local civilians referred to these soldiers as ‘sobels’ or ‘soldiers by day, rebels by night’ because of their close ties to the RUF. By mid-1993, the two opposing sides became virtually indistinguishable. For these reasons, civilians increasingly relied on an irregular force called the Kamajors for their protection.

Rise of the Kamajors
A grassroots militia force, the Kamajors operated invisibly in familiar territory and was a significant impediment to marauding government and RUF troops. For displaced and unprotected Sierra Leonans, joining the Kamajors was a means of taking up arms to defend family and home due to the SLA’s perceived incompetence and active collusion with the rebel enemy. The Kamajors clashed with both government and RUF forces and was instrumental in countering government soldiers and rebels who were looting villages. The success of the Kamajors raised calls for its expansion, and members of street gangs and deserters were also co-opted into the organization. However, the Kamajors became corrupt and deeply involved in extortion, murder, and kidnappings by the end of the conflict.

National Provisional Ruling Council
Within one year of fighting, the RUF offensive had stalled, but it still remained in control of large territories in Eastern and Southern Sierra Leone leaving many villages unprotected while also disrupting food and government diamond production. Soon the government was unable to pay both its civil servants and the SLA. As a result, the Momoh regime lost all remaining credibility and a group of disgruntled junior officers led by Captain Valentine Strasser overthrew Momoh on 29 April 1992. Strasser justified the coup and the establishment of the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) by referencing the corrupt Momoh regime and its inability to resuscitate the economy, provide for the people of Sierra Leone, and repel the rebel invaders. The NPRC’s coup was largely popular because it promised to bring peace to Sierra Leone. But the NPRC’s promise would prove to be short lived.

In March 1993, with much help from ECOMOG troops provided by Nigeria, the SLA recaptured the Koidu and Kono diamond districts and pushed the RUF to the Sierra Leone – Liberia border. The RUF was facing supply problems as the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO) gains inside Liberia were restricting the ability of Charles Taylor’s NPFL to trade with the RUF. By the end of 1993, many observers thought that the war was over because for the first time in the conflict the Sierra Leone Army was able to establish itself in the Eastern and the Southern mining districts.

However, with senior government officials neglectful of the conditions faced by SLA soldiers, front line soldiers became resentful of their poor conditions and began helping themselves to Sierra Leone’s rich natural resources. This included alluvial diamonds as well as looting and ‘sell game’, a tactic in which government forces would withdraw from a town but not before leaving arms and ammunition for the roving rebels in return for cash. Renegade SLA soldiers even clashed with Kamajor units on a number of occasions when the Kamajors intervened to halt the looting and mining. The NPRC government also had a motivation for allowing the war to continue, since as long as the country was at war the military government would not be called upon to hand over rule to a democratically elected civilian government. The war dragged on as a low intensity conflict until January 1995 when RUF forces and dissident SLA elements seized the SIEROMCO (bauxite) and Sierra Rutile (titanium dioxide) mines in the Moyamba and Bonthe districts in the country's south west, furthering the government’s economic struggles and enabling a renewed RUF advance on the capital at Freetown.

Executive Outcomes
In March 1995, with the RUF within twenty miles of Freetown, Executive Outcomes, a private military company from South Africa, arrived in Sierra Leone. The government paid EO $1.8 million per month (financed primarily by the International Monetary Fund), to accomplish three goals: return the diamond and mineral mines to the government, locate and destroy the RUF’s headquarters, and operate a successful propaganda program that would encourage local Sierra Leoneans to support the government of Sierra Leone. EO’s military force consisted of 500 military advisers and 3,000 highly trained and well-equipped combat-ready soldiers, backed by tactical air support and transport. Executive Outcomes employed black Angolans and Namibians from apartheid-era South Africa’s former 32 Battalion, with an officer corps of white South Africans. Harper’s Magazine described this controversial unit as a collection of former spies, assassins, and crack bush guerrillas, most of whom had served for fifteen to twenty years in South Africa’s most notorious counter insurgency units.

As a military force, EO was remarkably effective and conducted a highly successful counter insurgency against the RUF. In just ten days of fighting, EO was able to drive the RUF forces back sixty miles into the interior of the country. EO outmatched the RUF forces in all operations. In just seven months, EO, with support from loyal SLA and the Kamajors battalions, recaptured the diamond mining districts and the Kangari Hills, a major RUF stronghold. A second offensive captured the provincial capital and the largest city in Sierra Leone and destroyed the RUF’s main base of operations near Bo, finally forcing the RUF to admit defeat and sign the Abidjan Peace Accord in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire on 30 November 1996. This period of relative peace also allowed the country to hold parliamentary and presidential elections in February and March 1996. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah (of the Sierra Leone People's Party [SLPP]), a diplomat who had worked at the UN for more than 20 years, won the presidential election.

Abidjan Peace Accord
The Abidjan Peace Accord mandated that Executive Outcomes was to pull out within five weeks after the arrival of a neutral peacekeeping force. The main stumbling block that prevented Sankoh from signing the agreement sooner was the number and type of peacekeepers that were to monitor the ceasefire. Additionally, continued Kamajor attacks and the fear of punitive tribunals following demobilization kept many rebels in the bush despite their dire situation. However, in January 1997, the Kabbah government – beset by demands to reduce expenditures by the International Monetary Fund – ordered EO to leave the country, even though a neutral monitoring force had yet to arrive. The departure of EO opened up an opportunity for the RUF to regroup for renewed military attacks. The March 1997 arrest of RUF leader Foday Sankoh in Nigeria also angered RUF members, who reacted with escalated violence. By the end of March 1997, the peace accord had collapsed.

AFRC/RUF coup and interregnum
After the departure of Executive Outcomes, the credibility of the Kabbah government declined, especially among members of the SLA, who saw themselves being eclipsed by both the RUF on one side and the independent but pro-government Kamajors on the other. On 25 May 1997, a group of disgruntled SLA officers freed and armed 600 prisoners from the Pademba Road prison in Freetown. One of the prisoners, Major Johnny Paul Koroma, emerged as the leader of the coup and the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) proclaimed itself the new government of Sierra Leone. After receiving the blessing of Foday Sankoh, who was then living under house arrest in Nigeria, members of the RUF – supposedly on its last legs – were ordered out of the bush to participate in the coup. Without hesitation and encountering only light resistance from SLA loyalists, 5,000 rag-tag rebel fighters marched 100 miles and overran the capital. Without fear or reluctance, RUF and SLA dissidents then proceeded to parade peacefully together. Koroma then appealed to Nigeria for the release of Sankoh, appointing the absent leader to the position of deputy chairman of the AFRC. The joint AFRC/RUF leadership then proclaimed that the war had been won, and a great wave of looting and reprisals against civilians in Freetown (dubbed "Operation Pay Yourself" by some of its participants) followed. President Kabbah, surrounded only by his bodyguards, left by helicopter for exile in nearby Guinea.

The AFRC junta was opposed by organised members of Sierra Leone's civil society such as trade unions, journalists associations, women and students groups, and others, not only because of the violence it unleashed but because of its political attacks on press freedoms and civil rights. The international response to the coup was also overwhelmingly negative. The UN and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) condemned the coup, foreign governments withdrew their diplomats and missions (and in some cases evacuated civilians) from Freetown, and Sierra Leone's membership in the Commonwealth was suspended. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also condemned the AFRC coup and demanded that the new junta return power peacefully to the Kabbah government or risk sanctions and increased military presence by ECOMOG forces.

ECOMOG’s intervention in Sierra Leone brought the AFRC/RUF rebels to the negotiating table where, in October 1997, they agreed to a tentative peace known as the Conakry Peace Plan. Despite having agreed to the plan, the AFRC/RUF continued to fight. In March 1998, overcoming entrenched AFRC positions, the ECOMOG forces retook the capital and reinstated the Kabbah government, but let the rebels flee without further harassment. The regions lying just beyond Freetown proved much more difficult to pacify. Thanks in part to bad road conditions, lack of support aircraft, and a revenge driven rebel force, ECOMOG’s offensive ground to a halt just outside Freetown. ECOMOG’s forces suffered from several weakness, the most important being, poor command and control, low morale, poor training in counterinsurgency, low manpower, limited air and sea capability, and poor funding.

Unable to consistently defend itself against the AFRC/RUF rebels, the Kabbah regime was forced to make serious concessions in the Lome Peace Agreement of July 1999.

Lome peace agreement
Given that Nigeria was due to recall its ECOMOG forces without achieving a tactical victory over the RUF, the international community intervened diplomatically to promote negotiations between the AFRC/RUF rebels and the Kabbah regime. The Lome Peace Accord, signed on 7 July 1999, is controversial in that Sankoh was pardoned for treason, granted the position of Vice President, and made chairman of the commission that oversaw Sierra Leone’s diamond mines. In return, the RUF was ordered to demobilize and disarm its armies under the supervision of an international peacekeeping force which would initially be under the authority of both ECOMOG and the United Nations. The Lome Peace Agreement was the subject of protests both in Sierra Leone and by international human rights groups abroad, mainly because it handed over to Sankoh, the commander of the brutal RUF, the second most powerful position in the country, and control over all of Sierra Leone’s lucrative diamond mines.

DDR process
Following the Lome Peace Agreement, the security situation in Sierra Leone was still unstable because many rebels refused to commit themselves to the peace process. The Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration camps were an attempt to convince the rebel forces to literally exchange their weapons for food, clothing, and shelter. During a six-week quarantine period, former combatants were taught basic skills that could be put to use in a peaceful profession after they return to society. After 2001, DDR camps became increasingly effective and by 2002 they had collected over 45,000 weapons and hosted over 70,000 former combatants.

UNAMSIL intervention
In October 1999 the UN established the United Nations Mission to Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). The main objective of UNAMSIL was to assist with the disarmament process and enforce the terms established under the Lome Peace Agreement. Unlike other previous neutral peacekeeping forces, UNAMSIL brought serious military power. The original multi-national force was commanded by General Vijay Jetley of India. Jetley later resigned and was replaced by Lieutenant General Daniel Opande of Kenya in November 2000. Jetley had accused Nigerian political and military officials at the top of the UN mission of "sabotaging peace" in favor of national interests, and alleged that Nigerian army commanders illegally mined diamonds in league with RUF. The Nigerian army called for General Jetley's resignation immediately after the report was released, saying they could no longer work with him.

UNAMSIL forces began arriving in Sierra Leone in December 1999. At that time the maximum number of troops to be deployed was set at 6,000. Only a few months later, though, in February 2000, a new UN resolution authorized the deployment of 11,000 combatants. In March 2001 that number was increased to 17,500 troops, making it at the time the largest UN force in existence, and UNAMSIL soldiers were deployed in the RUF-held diamond areas. Despite these numbers, UNAMSIL was frequently rebuffed and humiliated by RUF rebels, being subjected to attacks, obstruction and disarmament. In the most egregious example, in May 2000 over 500 UNAMSIL peacekeepers were captured by the RUF and held hostage. Using the weapons and armored personnel carriers of the captured UNAMSIL troops, the rebels advanced towards Freetown, taking over the town of Lunsar to its northeast. For over a year later, the UNAMSIL force meticulously avoided intervening in RUF controlled mining districts lest another major incident occur. After the UNAMSIL force had essentially rearmed the RUF, a call for a new military intervention was made to save the UNAMSIL hostages and the government of Sierra Leone. After Operation Palliser and Operation Khukri the situation stabilized and UNAMSIL gain control.

In late 1999, the UN Security Council asked Russia for participation in a peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone. The Federation Council of Russia decided to send 4 Mil Mi-24 attack helicopters with 115 crew and technical personnel into Sierra Leone. Many of them had combat experience in Afghanistan and Chechnya. The destroyed Lungi civil airfield in the suburbs of Freetown became their base of operations. A Ukrainian Detached Recovery and Restoring Battalion, and aviation team were stationed near Freetown. The two post-Soviet troop contingents got along well, and left together after the UN mandate for peacekeeping operations ended in June 2005.

Operation Khukri
Operation Khukri was a unique multinational operation launched in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), involving India, Nepal, Ghana, Britain and Nigeria. The aim of the operation was to break the two-month-long siege laid by armed cadres of the RUF around two companies of 5/8 Gurkha Rifles (GR) Infantry Battalion Group at Kailahun by affecting a fighting break out and redeploying them with the main battalion at Daru. About 120 special forces operators commanded by Major (now Lt. Col.) Harinder Sood were airlifted from New Delhi to spearhead the mission to rescue 223 men of the Gurkha Rifles who were surrounded and besieged by the RUF rebels for over 75 days. The mission was a total success which resulted in safe rescue of all the besieged men and inflicted several hundreds of casualties on the RUF, where Indian troops were part of a multinational UN peacekeeping force.

British intervention
In May 2000, the situation on the ground had deteriorated to such an extent that British paratroopers were deployed in Operation Palliser to evacuate foreign nationals and establish order. They stabilized the situation, and were the catalyst for a ceasefire that helped end the war. The British forces, under the command of Brigadier David Richards, expanded their original mandate, which was limited to evacuating commonwealth citizens, and now aimed to save UNAMSIL from the brink of collapse. At the time of the British intervention in May 2000, half of the country remained under the RUF’s control. The 1,200 man British ground force – supported by air and sea power – shifted the balance of power in favour of the government and the rebel forces were easily repelled from the areas beyond Freetown.

End of the war
Several factors led to the end of the civil war. First, Guinean cross-border bombing raids against villages believed to be bases used by the RUF working in conjunction with Guinean dissidents were very effective in routing the rebels. Another factor encouraging a less combative RUF was a new UN resolution that demanded that the government of Liberia expel all RUF members, end their financial support of the RUF, and halt the illicit diamond trade. Finally, the Kamajors, feeling less threatened now that the RUF was disintegrating in the face of a robust opponent, failed to incite violence like they had done in the past. With their backs against the wall and without any international support, the RUF forces signed a new peace treaty within a matter of weeks.

On 18 January 2002, President Kabbah declared the eleven-year-long Sierra Leone Civil War officially over. By most estimates, over 50,000 people had died during the war. Countless more fell victim to the reprehensible and perverse behavior of the combatants. In May 2002 President Kabbah and his SLPP, won landslide victories in the presidential and legislative elections. Kabbah was re-elected for a five-year term. The RUF's political wing, the Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP), failed to win a single seat in parliament. The elections were marked by irregularities and allegations of fraud, but not to a degree that significantly affected the outcome.

War atrocities and crimes against humanity
During the Sierra Leone Civil War numerous atrocities were committed including war rape, mutilation, and mass murder, causing many of the perpetrators to be tried in international criminal courts, and the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission. A 2001 overview noted that there had been "serious and grotesque human rights violations" in Sierra Leone since its civil war began in 1991. The rebels, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), had "committed horrendous abuses". The report noted that "25 times as many people" had already been killed in Sierra Leone than had been killed in Kosovo at the point when the international community decided to take action. "In fact, it has been pointed out by many that the atrocities in Sierra Leone have been worse than was seen in Kosovo." In total, 1,270 primary schools were destroyed in the War. These crimes included but are not limited to:

Mass killings of civilians
The most notorious mass killing was the 1999 Freetown massacre. This took place in January 1999 when the AFRC/RUF set upon Freetown in a bloody assault known as "Operation No Living Thing" in which rebels entered neighborhoods to loot, rape and kill indiscriminately. A Human Rights Watch report documented the atrocities committed during this attack. The report estimated that over 7,000 people were killed and that at least half of them were civilians. Reports from survivors describe perverse brutality including incinerating people alive while locked in their houses, hacking civilians' hands and other limbs off with machetes and even eating them.

Cry Freetown, the 2000 documentary film directed by Sorious Samura, shows accounts of the victims of the Sierra Leone Civil War and depicts the most brutal period with the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels burning houses and The ECOMOG soldiers summarily executing suspects. Sorious Samura films Nigerian soldiers executing suspects without trial including women and children.

Drafting of underage soldiers
About one quarter of the soldiers serving in the government armed forces during the civil war were under age 18. "Recruitment methods were brutal – sometimes children were abducted, sometimes they were forced to kill members of their own families so as to make them outcasts, sometimes they were drugged, sometimes they were forced into conscription by threatening family members." Child soldiers were deliberately overwhelmed with violence "in order to completely desensitize them and make them mindless killing machines".

Mass war rape
During the war gender specific violence was widespread. Rape, sexual slavery and forced marriages were commonplace during the conflict. The majority of assaults were carried out by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), The Civil Defence Forces (CDF), and the Sierra Leone Army (SLA) have also been implicated in sexual violence. The RUF, even though they had access to women, who had been abducted for use as either sex slaves or combatants, frequently raped non-combatants. The militia also carved the RUF initials into women's bodies, which placed them at risk of being mistaken for enemy combatants if they were captured by government forces. Women who were in the RUF were expected to provide sexual services to the male members of the militia. And of all women interviewed, only two had not been repeatedly subjected to sexual violence; gang rape and individual rapes were commonplace. A report from PHR stated that the RUF was guilty of 93 per cent of sexual assaults during the conflict. The RUF was notorious for human rights violations, and regularly amputated arms and legs from their victims. Trafficking by military and militias of women and girls, for use as sex slaves is well documented, with reports from recent conflicts such as those in Angola, the former Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, the DRC, Indonesia, Colombia, Burma and Sudan. During the decade long civil conflict in Sierra Leone, women were used as sex slaves having been trafficked into refugee camps. According to PHR, one third of women who reported sexual violence had been kidnapped, with fifteen per cent forced into sexual slavery. The PHR report also showed that ninety four per cent of internally displaced households had been victims of some form of violence. PHR estimated that there were between 215,000 and 257,000 victims of rape during the conflict.

Withdrawal
On 28 July 2002, the British withdrew a 200-strong military contingent that had been in country since the summer of 2000, leaving behind a 140-strong military training team with orders to professionalize the SLA and Navy. In November 2002, UNAMSIL began a gradual reduction from a peak level of 17,800 personnel. Under pressure from the British, the withdrawal slowed, so that by October 2003 the UNAMSIL contingent still stood at 12,000 men. As peaceful conditions continued through 2004, however, UNAMSIL drew down its forces to slightly over 4,100 by December 2004. The UN Security Council extended UNAMSIL’s mandate until June 2005 and again until December 2005. UNAMSIL completed the withdrawal of all troops in December 2005 and was succeeded by the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL).

Truth and Reconciliation Commission
The Lome Peace Accord called for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to provide a forum for both victims and perpetrators of human rights violations during the conflict to tell their stories and facilitate healing. Subsequently, the Sierra Leonean government asked the UN to help set up a Special Court for Sierra Leone, which would try those who "bear the greatest responsibility for the commission of crimes against humanity, war crimes and serious violations of international humanitarian law, as well as crimes under relevant Sierra Leonean law within the territory of Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996." Both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Special Court began operating in the summer of 2002.

Population
After the war many of the children who were abducted and used in the conflict needed some form of rehabilitation, debriefing and care after the conflict came to an end. Only a handful of the children could be immediately sent home after six weeks of debriefing at a center for ex-combatants. This is due to many of the children suffering from drug withdrawal symptoms, brainwashing, physical and mental wounds, as well as a lack of memory of who they were or where they came from before the conflict.

There was an estimated one to two million displaced persons and refugees who wanted to or needed to be returned to their villages.

Rebuilding
Reportedly thousands of small villages had been severely damaged due to looting, and targeted destruction of property that was held by perceived enemies. There was also heavy destruction of clinics and hospitals, leading to a concern about infrastructure stability.

Government
The European Union [EU] sent budgetary support with the support of the IMF, the World Bank and the UK in an effort to stabilize the economy and the government. The amount; €4,75 million was made available by the EU from 2000 to 2001, for the government finance interalia, and social services. After the contribution made by the Bangladesh UN Peacekeeping Force, the government of Ahmad Tejan Kabbah declared Bengali an honorary official language in December 2002.

Diamond revenues
Diamond revenues in Sierra Leone have increased more than tenfold since the end of the conflict, from $10 million in 2000 to about $130 million in 2004, although according to the UNAMSIL surveys of mining sites, "more than 50 per cent of diamond mining still remains unlicensed and reportedly considerable illegal smuggling of diamonds continues".

Prosecution
On 13 January 2003, a small group of armed men tried unsuccessfully to break into an armory in Freetown. Former AFRC-junta leader Koroma, after being linked to the raid, went into hiding. In March, the Special Court for Sierra Leone issued its first indictments for war crimes during the civil war. Sankoh, already in custody, was indicted, along with notorious RUF field commander Sam "Mosquito" Bockarie, Koroma, the Minister of Interior and former head of the Civil Defense Force, Samuel Hinga Norman, and several others. Norman was arrested when the indictments were announced, while Bockarie and Koroma remained at large (presumably in Liberia). On 5 May 2003, Bockarie was killed in Liberia. President Taylor expected to be indicted by the Special Court and had feared Bockarie’s testimony. He is suspected of ordering Bockarie's murder, although no indictments are pending.

Several weeks later, word filtered out of Liberia that Koroma had been killed as well, although his death remains unconfirmed. In June the Special Court announced Taylor’s indictment for war crimes. Sankoh died in prison in Freetown on 29 July 2003 from a pulmonary embolism. He had been ailing since a stroke the year prior.

In August 2003 President Kabbah testified before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on his role during the civil war. On 1 December 2003, Major General Tom Carew, who had been the Chief of Defence Staff for the Government of Sierra Leone and an important figure in the SLA, was reassigned to civilian duties. In June 2007, the Special Court found three of the eleven people indicted – Alex Tamba Brima, Brima Bazzy Kamara and Santigie Borbor Kanu – guilty of war crimes, including acts of terrorism, collective punishments, extermination, murder, rape, outrages upon personal dignity, conscripting or enlisting children under the age of 15 years into armed forces, enslavement and pillage.

Depictions
In 2000, the Sierra Leonean journalist, cameraman and editor, Sorious Samura released his documentary Cry Freetown. The self-funded film depicted the most brutal period of the civil war in Sierra Leone with RUF rebels capturing the capital city in the late 1990s and the subsequent fight by ECOMOG and loyal government forces' to take back control of the city. The film won, among other awards, an Emmy Award and a Peabody.

The documentary movie Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars tells the story of a group of refugees who fled to Guinea and created a band to ease the pain of the constant difficulty of living away from home and community after the atrocities of war and mutilation.

The title and lyrics of American rapper Kanye West's 2005 hit song Diamonds from Sierra Leone, from his second studio album Late Registration, were based on one of the key circumstances surrounding the civil war (conflict/blood diamonds). West was inspired to record the song after reading about the issue of conflict diamonds and how their sales were continuing to fuel the violent civil war in Sierra Leone. The song won Best Rap Song at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, and won one of the Pop Awards at the 2006 BMI London Awards, before being named by Slant Magazine as among the best singles of the 2000s decade.

The civil war also served as the background for the 2006 movie Blood Diamond, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly. During the end of the movie Lord of War, Yuri Orlov (played by Nicolas Cage) sells arms to militias during the civil war. The militias are allied with André Baptiste (Eamonn Walker), who is based on Charles Taylor.

The use of children in both the rebel (RUF) military and the government militia is depicted in Ishmael Beah's 2007 memoir, A Long Way Gone.

Mariatu Kamara wrote about being attacked by the rebels and having her hands chopped off in her book The Bite of the Mango. Ishmael Beah wrote a foreword to Kamara's book.

In the 2012 Documentary La vita non perde valore, by Wilma Massucco, former child soldiers and some of their victims talk about the way how they feel and live, ten years after the Sierra Leone civil war ending, thanks to the personal, familiar and social rehabilitation provided to them by Father Giuseppe Berton, an Italian missionary of the Xaverian order. The documentary has been analyzed in different Universities, becoming subject of various degrees,.

Jonathon Torgovnik wrote about eight women that he interviewed after the war had ended in his book; Girl Soldier: Life After War in Sierra Leone. In the book he describes the experiences of the eight women who were abducted during the war and forced to fight in it.

title: Sierra Leone Civil War


text:
Resurrection plant

A resurrection plant is any poikilohydric plant that can survive extreme dehydration, even over months or years.

Examples include:
 * Anastatica hierochuntica, also known as the Rose of Jericho, a plant species native to deserts of North Africa
 * Asteriscus (plant);
 * Dorcoceras hygrometrica,
 * Craterostigma, members of the Linderniaceae/Scrophulariaceae with snapdragon-like flowers
 * Haberlea rhodopensis
 * Lichen, a symbiosis that can survive extreme desiccation,
 * Mesembryanthemum, the plant can revive within a short period of time after a drought
 * Myrothamnus flabellifolius, a plant species native to Southern Africa
 * Pleopeltis polypodioides, also known as resurrection fern
 * Ramonda serbica, a species in the family Gesneriaceae
 * Selaginella lepidophylla, a plant species native to North America, Central and South America, and sold as a novelty
 * Tillandsia
 * Xerophyta, a monocotyledonous genus of 57 species typically occurring on rock outcrops in Southern African grasslands

Certain resurrection plants have long been sold in their dry, "lifeless" form as curiosities. This custom was noted by many 19th-century authors, and continues today.

In December, 2015, resurrection plants were featured in a TED talk given by Professor Jill Farrant , Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, South Africa, who performs targeted genetic modification of crop plants to make them tolerate desiccation by activating genes that are already there but not natively expressed in response to drought.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Resurrection plant


text:
Paul Laine

Paul Robert Laine is a Canadian musician. He began his professional career as a solo artist, then was the singer of Danger Danger out of New York for eleven years, then fronted his own band, Shugaazer. Laine now has a band called "Darkhorse," whose album Let It Ride was released on April 29, 2014. He also teamed up with his former Danger Danger bandmates Bruno Ravel and Rob Marcello to form "The Defiants, " who released their debut self-titled album on April 15, 2016.

In 2022, Paul teamed up with Lee Revill with the new band, Jet Set Junkies.

2024 found Paul joining the Canadian Music Hall of Fame group Trooper as lead singer.

Solo albums

 * Stick It in Your Ear (1990)
 * Can't Get Enuff (1996)

With Danger Danger

 * Dawn (1995)
 * Four the Hard Way (1997)
 * The Return of the Great Gildersleeves (2000)
 * Cockroach (2001)
 * Live and Nude (2005)

With Shugaazer

 * Shift (2004)

With Andersen-Laine-Readman

 * III (2006)

With Darkhorse

 * Let It Ride (2014)

With The Defiants

 * The Defiants (2016)
 * Zokusho (2019)
 * Drive (2023)

title: Paul Laine


text:
User:PeteVerdon

As of August 2005 I've been editing Wikipedia for about two years, at first mostly as an anonymous user (even after I registered an account in order to upload my first picture). I work on all subjects, but I have particular knowledge in the areas of traditional ale and sailing. I also have an interest in computing, but given the demographic bias of Wikipedia everything there tends to be already covered.

Since I sometimes struggle to work out from people's user-pages which country they are from (it often has a bearing on terminology in articles, in particular), I'll point out here that I am British and have lived all my life in the south of England.

title: User:PeteVerdon


text:
User:SixSmith

I am a relatively new member to Wikipedia. As an avid sports fan and video game player, I normally edit and create pages that have to do with those things. During my time on Wikipedia, the majority of my edits have been for two categories:

 * American football - Although I have done some edits outside of the NFL and I live in the area of Chicago, Illinois, nearly all of my edits here have been to articles involving Super Bowl XXXIV because I am a St. Louis Rams fan.

 * NASCAR - I actually find that I like looking up career statistics for NASCAR drivers, which is one of the reasons I have joined the NASCAR WikiProject.

When I have nothing better to do, I will occasionally look through the 500 most recently created pages in an attempt to catch copyvios, patent nonsense, or anything else that does not belong in Wikipedia.

title: User:SixSmith


text: File:PeteVerdon.jpg

title: File:PeteVerdon.jpg


text: User talk:218.248.1.13

title: User talk:218.248.1.13


text:
User talk:SixSmith

Hi!

Hey Six, good edit on Fidel Castro, some seem intent on presenting him as a "leader", when the neutral fact of the matter is that he is a dictator. Coqsportif 23:32, 17 August 2005 (UTC)

Talk: page comments
Welcome to Wikipedia SixSmith. Please don't edit other people's Talk: page comments; it's better to allow them to speak for themselves, even if you don't agree with their word choices or spelling. Thanks. Jayjg (talk) 23:38, 17 August 2005 (UTC)

title: User talk:SixSmith


text:
User:Attackoftheshow/ScriptArchive3

OPTION 24: "Attacking the Show"

 * Words on black screen along with a quick voice over: "The following skit was made online by our adoring fans..."

Kevin is walking down office cooridor

((Cream pie in face))

Kevin to camera: Ah come on! Why don't you love me!?!

Brendan is hitting on a girl

((Office Jesus knees him in groin))

Brendan: Son of a... ((thinks twice)) ...God!!

Sarah is drinking some water

((She spills the drink on her shirt))

Sarah to camera: Ugh! You perverts!! ((Slaps camera))

Scott is at his desk typing

((Technician comes over and yanks out the ethernet cord from his computer))

Scott: What are you doing?

Technician: The internets have been cancelled. Sorry buddy!

Drunk Vader is at a bar

((He orders a beer))

Bar tender: We're all out. Completely dry.

Drunk Vader turns to camera: Noooooooo!

 * Words on black screen: "Thanks a lot!"

///PREMISE -- ''Viewers get to attack the show by causing a series of unfortunate events to happen to the hosts and staff. The events can easily be removed or changed to fit 30 second time.''-C8M

///ALTERNATE SCENES FOR OPTION 24: Attacking the Show!

Justin is having fun playing his Nintendo DS w/ stylus in hand
 * 1

((Someone tosses his stylus out the window))

Justin condescendingly to camera: How ironic.

Office Jesus is working at his desk
 * 2

((Intern stands behind Office Jesus and keeps pressing Speak and Spell button over and over))

((Office Jesus looks perturbed, squints eyes and stares into camera, camera starts to shake))

Option 31
''{Office Jesus is typing at his cubicle. Scott Moscella is right next door.}''

SCOTT: Hey can I borrow your stapler?

{Office Jesus stops typing}

JESUS: {Looks towards stapler right beside him} This stapler?

SCOTT: Yeah.

{Jesus hesitates, picks up the stapler then throws it across the room.}

JESUS: It's over there.

{Scott looks ticked off then goes back to his cubicle, Jesus starts typing again.}

Kevin and Sarah are both at their hosting position.

Sarah: Kevin, viewers think your pretty lucky because everday your have on a different cool Jinx shirt. What they don't know is after the show, you have to give them back to wardrobe.

Kevin: Yes, that's true. But as you know, I have my own stylish line of tech wear. Take a look...

 * Video comes up. AOTS from the day before ends. Our hosts walk off the set. Wardrobe runs over and takes off Kevin's shirt.

Kevin: Ahh, another hard working day.

Kevin walks over to his cubicle. Prints out some tech terms and proceeds to staple the paper's to his chest. He then struts around wearing his fashionable wear in pain. End video*

-Matt B.

32. My dumbass idea
Simply have someone run around the office pulling stuff out of their desk and telling them they have been defragged. Bow to the cow!

Lord of the Office vs. Lord of the Sith
Scene Opens with drunk vader walking down a row of cubicles

Drunk Vader: *grumbling* waddaya mean dont serve sith gah!

Vader rounds a cubicle and bumps into Office Jesus.

Vader: Watch it buddy Dark lord of the Sith walkin here.

Office jesus rolls his eyes and stars to walk on but vader pulls up hand as if to force choke him Office Jesus keeps walking. Vader follows and finds Office Jesus at the water cooler filling a cup. DV confronts OJ trying to force choke him,

Office Jesus: Your sad devotion to that ancient religion makes you weak.

Drunk Vader: Oh Yeah What you got huh?

OJ dips finger in cup, his water turns to wine,

Drunk Vader: you truly are the son of god!

Keven moves into frame.

Kevin: Hey sarah did you see that???

Sarah moves into frame,

Sarah: what the wine thing, that is so old! But he does make a good magarita!

OPTION 34
Kevin is walking along in office

Nerdy sounding disembodied Voice Over: Hey Periera!

Kevin (startled): Woah! Who said that?

VO: It's me griefer83 from the chat room. The guy who's question you made fun of on the air 3 months ago and banned from the chat room. So I hear you gave the viewers control of the show open yesterday, remember?

Kevin: Uh... yeah. Yeah we did didn't we..

VO: That's cool. That's cool. I hope it doesn't hurt too much?

Kevin: What? I'm not hur.....t

((Fist comes out of nowhere and punches Kevin from off screen))

VO: ((Laughing))

Kevin: Real funny. That's real clever.

VO: Sorry man. It's just this power is so... Hey..Hey Kevin isn't that your mom over there with Drunk Vader ((or Brendan)).

Kevin: Mom! No! ... No! Not the tongue! Eww...

VO: Heh heh heh that was a low blow. So what's it like?

Kevin: Like? What do you mean what's what like?

((Hand comes out of nowhere and grabs Kevin's chest))

VO: Titty twister!

Kevin: This is ridiculous! I do not get paid enough. I'll have you know I am a professional!

VO: Professional LOSER! I'm just messin with ya. Feeling thirsty?

Kevin: Well now that you mention it I do feel a little...

((Hand comes out and throws liquid in Kevin's face))

VO: Here's a towel big guy. Clean yourself up.

((Hand presents towel)) ((Kevin proceeds to dry face off)) ((We see the towel leaves some kind of ink or mud on Kevin's face.))

VO: ((Laughing))

Kevin: What's so funny?

VO: Oh nothing. Hey you better answer that!

Kevin: Answer what?

VO: The ringing in your ears!

((Megaphone comes out next to Kevin's head))

VO: IT'S "PICK UP ON THIS!"

(Intro music to AOTS plays)

Its a Dream!
Scene opens with Kevin and Sarah in their jammies asleep on the big red couch. Kevin wakes up startled and immediately wakes up Sarah. He tells her about his dream of a cool show called The Screen Savers where everyone was intelligent and the show was worth watching. Then Kevin Rose enters the scene, punches Kevin P-whatever-his-name-is and pulls out a big TSS logo'd sign from behind the couch, setting it up against the coffee table-whatever it is. Camera zooms in on sign then fades to black. Wednesday we're all treated to the return of TechTV. Woohoo!

all your base are belong to us

|q|u|a|k|e|4
Setting: a light gray room, a white stool is there with kevin pereira sitting on it

Kevin:I started when i was 13

 * Screenshots of Quake 2*

Kevin:People Knew me as Immortal, or Immy for short

 * photo of kevin around 15*

Kevin:I did not know how addictive quake was.

 * video of "Modern Day" Kevin Pereira swinging around a Copy of Quake 3 in the gamelab*

Kevin:It became my life... Until one day...

 * Kevin drops Quake 3, and stares at the camera*

Kevin:G4 Hired Me, to work at a Video Game Network.

 * Scott, Gavin, Brendan, and Sarah look at a big screen TV with a video of Kevin Pereira from Arena showing, while pointing and laughing, as Kevin Enters the room*

Kevin:I had an unhealty habit... and I don't know when to Quit

 * Kevin packs his suitcase before the show On the Set*

Kevin:I had to say goodbye to my friends

 * Kevin wavs Goodbye in his office with the suitcase, out to the street(Kevin:Goodbye Attack of the Show)*

Kevin:and continue My Life...AT QUAKECON!

(KEVIN:OH MY GOD RUN FOR YOUR LIVES)*
 * kevin runs as fast as he can back into the studio with everything as bullets are being fired

Kevin: I'm Kevin Pereira, and I am Addicted to quake!

 * kevin stands up of the stool, gets applause from people at the cubes*

Casey: Did you bring us any info on Quake 4?

(camera zooms in and Kevin is shocked)

Sarah Has Amnesia
Sarah wakes up in a place unknown to her. She realizes that she doesn't remember ANYTHING. Ms. Lane, being the adventurous one she is, gets up and decides to explore what we know are the G4 studios. She REALLY doesn't know what this place is and it shows.

She stumbles upon Kevin's cubicle.

SARAH: Who are you?

Kevin looks puzzled for a brief moment, but he's a bright kid, and comes to the conclusion that she either had to much to drink from Margarita Friday or has amnesia.

KEVIN: Don't play games with me, baby! Anyway, we're still on for tonight, right?

SARAH: (Pretending she knows)Yeah...where are we going again?

KEVIN: Well, I was thinking about a nice candlelight dinner at my place.

Then Office Jesus comes around the corner and Sarah remembers everything in a flashback. Basically, OJ just homerowed her for no apparent reason. What is up with the women abuse on this show? We snap back to the present time and Sarah kicks Kevin in the naughty berries. OJ runs off, screaming like a little girl.

SARAH: SEANBABY, WHERE ARE YOU MY LOVE?

End of skit.

P.S. You might have to cut it down, but if you can squeeze the whole thing into the timeslot, I will consider you gods! -The Don-meister

A Triad Of Ideas
I Actually Have 3 Relatively Good Ideas...

1. -Two Interns are trying to play Zelda on an NES system but the screen keeps turning Green. Intern #1 opens the front cartridge slot and blows into it. A large cloud of dust billows out and the guy who thinks he's link appears behind the console.-

Link: You have awakened me from my 800 year rest..."

Intern #1: But Zelda was released in 1987-"

Link: Silence! Now, because you have awoken me, you will be premitted 1 wish each."

Intern #2: I wish was immune to being Homerowed!"

-A magical sound is placed here as Link waves his sword over Intern #2.-

Link: It is done. And you?"

Intern #1: I don't know... the only thing I could ever really wish for is..."

-a sortof flash back/dream like sequence plays out where sarah is facing the camera (intern #1) and as she says his name Prepares to kiss him. Suddenly Intern #1 is Snapped out of his Dream By Intern #2. The scene has returned to him blowing on the console, only now his lips are shut in the console door.-

Intern #2: Dude, I know you love gaming.... but... c'mon!

__________________

2. -Kevin is sitting at his computer. Sarah walks over."

Sarah: What are you doing.

Kevin: Just checking out Half Baked Ideas again... check out this one: "Kevin and Sarah should let more people write the opening skit for them. Have a whole bunch of people submit ideas for this skit and then, when the time comes to pick one... they will have a great one!"

-Both Kevin and Sarah stare at eachother for about 10 seconds in silence. then Kevin laughs.-

Kevin: Hilarious huh? totally insane I know!"

Sarah: Yah, nice try genius... but next time don't use your own user name.

-Kevin looks at the screen while saying "Darnit" and then types out while saying out loud "Nevermind, Sarah says it's a no go."-

____________________ 3. This idea is actually sort of a Soap Opera begining to the show, so imagine a soft edge around the screen and everyone being very dramatic as they perform this like Passions or something.

-The office appears on the screen and Text fades in which reads:-

"As The Office Stays Incredibly Still and Boring"

-Sarah walks in, distressed, she confronts Kevin who has his face turned from the camera till Sarah speaks, at which time he swivels around in his chair, placing his elbow on the arm rest and his hand on his chin.-

Sarah: There's something I need to tell you... it's... about The Gems..."

Kevin: What is it Sarah, talk to me... whats the matter?"

Sarah: The Gems... they are.. they are having an affair!"

Kevin: No! this can't be!"

Sarah: It's true! I saw them... "

Kevin: Impossible... but your carrying their child! What a sick sick world we live in..."

-sarah sobs as an Intern comes in looking very upset-

Intern: I just got a call from the hospital... it appears that the Set of Attack of the show was in a Car accident... it... it didn't survive."

Kevin: My God..."

Sarah: No... not the set... it was so young... so...kind and helpful...

Kevin: Thats it... I can't take anymore of this madness.. I'm leaving television for good."

Sarah: but how can you? They towed your car last week! I drove you to work today..."

Kevin: Oh... then... I guess I'll stay.... for one... more... day."

(Whatever works best... I just like these three Ideas: 1. Genie in an NES Game 2. Kevin's Half Baked Idea Shot Down 3. Soap Opera opening)

change as you like Created By Ally @ Living_In_Intelectual_Stupidity@hotmail.com

OPTION 27
Kevin at computer speaking while typing on wikipedia....

Kevin: Kev..in... Land! ((Laughing)) Brilliant! ((Grabs framed photograph of AOTS bot off desk, cuddles it and starts crying a little.)) []

AOTS meeting room....

Boss: So any ideas for tomorrows open?

Person 1: I was thinking Office Jesus goes...

Person 2: Ugh not Office Jesus again.

Person 1: What if Drunk Vader and Office Jesus are on a boat

Person 3: This job is hard. *throws down pencil*

Boss: There's gotta be an easier way.

Office Jesus ((completing rubix cube)): Why not have the viewers write the show for you.

Everyone: ((Dumbfounded))

Boss: Sounds like a good idea. Kevin you have the day off! Now let's all get started on those Kevin Land blueprints.

((Kevin walks out of meeting smugly)) ((Everyone gets to work on Kevin Land))

Sarah at computer speaking while typing on wikipedia...

Sarah: Mar-ga-rit-as. Excellent. ((Grabs a drink out of her desk drawer and starts sipping it while making sure nobody sees her.))

AOTS meeting room again...

Person 3: This job is hard. *throws down pencil*

Boss: There's gotta be an easier way.

Office Jesus: Why not have the viewers write the show for you.

Everyone: ((Dumbfounded))

Boss: Sounds good to me. Oh and Kevin "megaphone this?" you're fired! ''((Kevin looks sad))

Well everyone you have the day off. Let's get wasted! ((Everyone else is happy especially Sarah))''

///PREMISE ''-- Wiki edits control reality like a mirror looking inside of a mirror. Kevin tries to use wiki to his benefit, but in the end Sarah gets the last laugh. Office Jesus plays with either a.) Rubix Cube b.) Speak and Spell c.) Simon. AOTS bot makes cameo in photo. Kevin Land begins construction. -C8M''

target audience option28?
so I think the 30 seconds should be devoted to recognizing that you're show at 3am has very specific commercials. What you present in between your quality Attack programming makes me feel as if I've already become something I truly hope to avoid, in debt. I mean you run the commercial of the guy dressed in the suit covered in question marks running around DC screaming about unknown government programs that can save you money. That commercial is so dated he says that you're sticking it to Clinton by buying his book. Along with riddler wannabe you have both (usually seen back to back) versions of the entrepreneur commercials. I.e. "I made money (but not really that much money) just by going to this website, so you should too!" While these 3 commercials only melt my eyes slightly, the worst of them all is the Rhapsody online music program commercial where the guy repeats "You gotta get Rhapsody!" until your toes no longer exist. Why do I not need a credit card? am I not good enough for a credit card? The worst part is that it's run by the realNetworks (exhibited in the fine print) which produces the most annoying audio format in existence and already a devout money-mongering organization. Oh and last but not least, don't forget the Debt Free commercials, which are only marginally mindnumbing. For some reason, I just don't believe it's an actual non-profit organization. These four commercials are run ad nauseam throughout the program. So what I'd like to see is some sort of giveaway to help a special viewer get out of the debt that they are most obviously in, as your commercials only allow one viewpoint of the viewers, that they are: 1. In need of money. 2. In debt and in need of money. 3. College students in debt and in need of money.

Kevin, Sarah and Brendan are standing in a blank room
Kevin, Sarah and Brendan are standing in a blank room.

Announcer: It was a normal day at the Attack of the Show set, when suddenly. . .!

(a generic explosion takes place to the left. Out of the explosion Crash Bandicoot appears wearing an eye patch, pirate hat, with a parrot on his right shoulder and left arm decaying.)

Crash: Yarr, It be I, Zombie. . .Pirate Crash Bandicoot and I'm here to kill Naughty dog for selling me (voice slowly getting quieter) to. . .you know. . .t-that one guy. . .(starts crying uncontrollably) I don't even know anymooooorre.

Announcer: Then, with Crash's breakdown, an unseen force notices its chance to strike. Suddenly it began to rain evil, radio active Ice Creams! (A bunch of strawberry ice cream cones fall from the sky) And they decided to posses Crash Bandicoot to make him think he's Sonic the Hedgehog.

Crash (In Sonic like voice): Hey, I'm Sonic the Hedgehog and I'm going to turn the world into a music based game.

Kevin: Nooo, what will the lawn gnomes do?

???: We'll save the day!

(cue Original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Theme Song with the TMNT going through various poses)

Announcer (talking over the theme:) Yes, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have come to save the day, but will they succeed? But we all know the only way they will succeed against the horrible Crash, Sonic pirate zombie hybrid. . .of doom. . .is with a bout of mortal Tetris!!!

(A Black Screen with the word LATER in white letters)

(The Crash/Sonic thing floating triumphantly with tentacles now growing out his back with Turtles in hurt position)

Crash: (in 5 year old girl voice:) Yea, I win!

Mario: Not-a-if I can-a help it-a. It's-a me-a, Mario!

(A black screen with the words two hours later in white letters)

Some guy: (to the tune of the tetris theme) two hours later

(Crash now with chicken head, floating triumphantly once again with Mario in a hurt position)

Mario: Mama mia.

Crash: (Opens his beak and we hear a wild assortment of barnyard animal sounds)

Mircosoft Sam: Here I come to save the day!

Everyone: Mircosoft Sam-ta!

Crash: (Lets out barnyard assortment again)

Mircosoft sam-ta: Ho Ho Ho merry holidaymas

Announcer: So then Mircosoft Sam-ta released the universe's greatest gift, Mentos the fresh maker! (Mentos in boxes and rolls rain from the sky and a giant yellow banner with the word "YEY!" floats down from the ceiling)

Everyone: Yea!!!

The End

Script by Alejandro Chavez ©2005

Re: WP:PCW
( Regarding the List of Six submission for "cult of Jimbo Wales stalkers" at WP:PCW. )

 * 1) WP:PCW wow... why not link to something original... like a highschool blog about love lost in the lunch line. oh woe... here come the tears. [sarcasm seeping from every pore] (last: 03:28 UTC, 16 August 2005 )

re:
 * 1) Woman Sheds Pounds on McDonalds Diet

<=== there is something to be said for fat people and there mcdonalds... and it is... dont go there. "FIN" (Sunday, August 14, 2005)

Lord of the Office VS. The Dork lord of the sith.
Scene Opens with drunk vader walking down a row of cubicles

Drunk Vader: *grumbling* waddaya mean dont serve sith gah!

Vader rounds a cubicle and bumps into Office Jesus.

Vader: Watch it buddy Dark lord of the Sith walkin here.

Office jesus rolls his eyes and stars to walk on but vader pulls up hand as if to force choke him Office Jesus keeps on Vader follows and finds Office Jesus at the water cooler filling a cup. DV confronts OJ trying to force choke him,

Office Jesus: Your sad devotion to that ancient religion makes you weak.

Drunk Vader: Oh Yeah What you got huh?

OJ dips finger in cup, his water turns to wine,

Drunk Vader: you truly are the son of god!

Keven moves into frame.

Kevin: Hey sarah did you see that???

Sarah moves into frame,

Sarah: what the wine thing, that is so old! But he does make a good magarita!

SHOW ATTACK: ACTION EXPLOSION
Scene opens up with insane heavy metal riff in the background. Wide shot of Kevin Pereira skiing down a slope of a mountian, shooting a pistol at a fleet of helicopters chasing him. The helicopters are all black, and are only firing machine guns.

PEREIRA: Give up, Dr. Tallarico! I've got your precious secret plans, and you won't stop me from reporting you to the proper authorities!

One of the helicopters pulls ahead of the pack and flies ahead of Pereira. In it, Dr. Tallarico (Played by David Duchovny) speaks on a megaphone to Agent Pereira.

DR. TALLARICO: The end is now, Kenneth! Behold, for your death is at this moment, where we will kill you, and then you will die! From the pain!

Dr. Tallarico gives the signal to his fleet. They fire hundreds of missiles at the skiing Pereira, who finds a ramp/hill in the mountain side, and does a 1080 double whats-it flip to avoid all blasts.

PEREIRA: For Capitalism!

Using his pistol (in mid-air), Pereira shoots one bullet at each Helicopter. The bullets hit precisely the right spot of the fuel tank, causing each to explode with one shot. Out of bullets, Agent Pereira throws his pistol at the last helicopter (Carrying Dr. Tallarico), which breaks through the glass, hits the helicopter driver in the face, and causes him to get knocked out. The helicopter is explodes.

The chase over, Agent Pereira comes to a stop and observes the mountainscape. He takes out a forty out of nowhere and pours it on the ground.

PEREIRA: This ones for you, Agent Moran. Mission accomplished.

(THE THEME TO DAWSON'S CREEK PLAYS)

(SCENE FADE BLACK) Written by Evisruc

connections.
(on the idea that each show eventually ties together to make a daily mini show/series and each skit has significance's [to keep us dying to see more "WOW THAT WAS AMAZING" stuff] I create this)

4&1/2 second intro Office Jesus is at the urinal (chest up only view) Gavin walks in and is in pleasant "awe" to see that o/j uses the urinal. o/j's right shoulder does three hard twitches the sound of the gown/dresss/robe? falling into place. O/j turns towards Gavin and lays his right hand on Gavin's forehead as if blessing him or palming it like a basket ball, O/j then turns to the sink and lightly washes his hands. then leaves the can. he glides past (probably on a skateboard pulled by a rope) steve's "cubicle/office" and we see a glimpse of what might be either the words "home rowed" or something of the like on the monitor. the lights flicker in the office and the monitor sparks and the screen shuts off. this happens really fast and you have to be a forum /aots geek to even begin to catch it, most will notice that jesus just killed the editor's office. Office jesus then glides past kevin and sarah doing one of the other skits posted by a user (hopefully the fart skitt)[on a later date when they do that skit you see office jesus glide by in the background for no explained reason] .. then sarah farts uncontrollably. Office jesus pops up in the bar where drunk vader is and makes all the liquor disappear and hurries to brendan's location and puts a vex on him rendering him babeless and walks away with woman brendan is about to score.Brendan then says "I think my mojo is gone" then an evil look comes over his face as if he has plan.While he watches O/j leave with the  hotty (or fat pig who cares)... maybe hitman for hire krose to pull a homerowed on office jesus? who knows.. stay tuned and we shall see how this plays out!  TruXter

--SCRIPT THAT ISN'T LAME--
Ok...this script is a little longer than 30 seconds but its only like 40-50 seconds, but atleast it isnt some unoriginal piece of crap by some freak tard that couldnt come up with something so he just wrote a stupid story about Office Jesus farting on Drunk Vaders head. I think Kevin and Sarah will enjoy this script...srry Brendan couldnt fit you in.

-Kevin walks out of studio and two henchmen quickly throw a pimp robe on him and give him a bejeweled cup and a cane-

While Henchies put on robe Kevin says-"Uhg...I cant stand working with those nobodies and pretending I like it."

Kevin is walking down the street and notices some slutty dressed girls and says-"Hey there...ladies"

-A homeless guy, ofcourse the generic homeless guy, brown clothes, dirty, grey mustache, older, bumps into Kevin-

Kevin-"Do you have any idea who I am, I am the only person in the world to rate a 10 on a scale of ass-kickery"

-Kevin pulls out a poster from inside his robe that displays the official scale of ass-kickery, it looks like 0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 the camera zooms into the zero and slowly pans across to the number ten, but above the number 0 is a picture of Vin Diesel, above the 1 is a picture of Little Orphan Annie in order to truly show how uncool Vin Diesel is, and above the 10 is a picture of Sarah Lane-

-The homeless guy mumbles and walks off-

-Kevin looks at the poster and realizes he is no longer the highest ranked on the scale and breaks down-

-Changes scene to Sarah back in the studio behind the desk where Kevin usually is-

Sarah-"This will all soon be mine Muhahahaha"

-Kevin bursts on studio and grabs a shovel out of his robe and hits Sarah's head off, which is obviously a manican.

Kevin-"Over my dead body." ...or some other lame line

This is a pretty good script, and it will be funny after its done cause clearly Sarah isnt dead cause she is still on the show, so the script holds no meaning

Some things that might add to the humor would be having the two henchmen be huge and thick (preferrably uncut-im not gay or anything but it would funnier) dudes and one accidentaly drops the bejeweled cup, and Kevin gets pissed and says "Why I oughta" and threatens to hit the henchi with the cane, this would be funny cause his henchies are huge (like i prefer) and i am a skinny white guy who is probably very small

Another would be have the homeless guy instead of being generic homeless guy, have him look like the homeless guy off of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, I know Kevin knows what im talking about here

And last, have Sarah say "This will all soon be mine Muhahahaha" in a bored normal voice like she was reading it or something, and have her actually say Muahahaha, instead of laughing

OH AND ALSO---All u dumb basterds dont bother editing this cause its perfect as is, cept for the AOTS writers

Written by J-Koenig     heyman18@hotmail.com

''I believe it is up to us, the readers, to decide what is perfect and what is not. Telling people not to edit your script that you posted to a wiki is... basically being a n00b and telling people not to treat you like one even though you are. And it's not perfect. You misspelled "you" and "bastards." --madcrasher''

'Hipster Alone'
Music: We hear mock-up score similar to the theme in the movie 'Home Alone' - we just change a few notes here and there

Kevin plays himself (Note that McCaulay's character in 'Home Alone' was Kevin anyway, which adds extra underlying humor to it)

Kevin is sitting in a room type setting sipping on a mocha-frappa-whatever drink (it would be funny if the side of the cup said that as well) as purchased from his local hip-corporate coffee chain. Instead of wild and crazy things happening, he just sits there drinking his coffee.

Camera gets a side angle view of him sitting at the computer desk table, with a Window in the background (it would be nice if it looked as if it were night-time with a fake full moon in the sky)

(dramatic movie voice)

announcer:

THIS SUMMER

cut to a shot of Kevin typing on the keys from different dramatic angles

YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN KEVIN FINDS HIMSELF LEFT..

cut to a shot of him sipping the coffee up close, casually (to hear a slurp sound effect would be nice too)

Camera pans back to get a better shot of the window.

Cue Jeff knocking on the outside window behind kevin, wearing a beanie cap and a sweatshirt with another shirt underneath, also a jacket -ala Joe Pesci with an overly pesci-mean look on his face (he should be kneeling slightly since Pesci is short IRL)

Brendan is standing next to him with a fake goatee and a crowbar, wearing a plaid paul-bunyon-esque red shirt ala Daniel Stern (raises crowbar in the air and shakes it)

Kevin rolls the chair around to face the camera

Camera zooms quickly in on his face

Kevin puts his hands on his face ala the classic Home Alone face. Maybe we can have him take a really quick sip of the coffee right before he puts his hands on his face (before the camera zoom) for comedic effect.

announcer:

HIPSTER ALONE

(use chyron to add the text of this to the screen - if possible, add a small picture of the sillouette of a house in between the HIPSTER and ALONE to simulate the actual movie poster)

End segment

Authors Note:

I seriously have a million hilarious skits in my head, man. This was just a quickie. You should hear the one for 'Hipster Alone 2: Emo/Lost In General'

by '''Gary Otto webmaster@ultra-electro.com'''

 * Really? You have a million ideas as lame as this? Wow! That IS impressive! - Lyberty 23:09, 17 August 2005 (UTC)

The One Script (Long Version)
(Please note that the original announcement was that the script would be done on the same show as the appearance of Jim Wales and other Wiki content, so script was intended to be topical, as opposed to the other scripts here. It was also intended to be controversial, in keeping with the spirit of the show.)

INT. ATTACK OF THE SHOW CUBICLE FARM - DAY INTERN AT DESK,"WIKIPEDIA" (R) (TM) (C) ON MONITOR

KEVIN approaches INTERN. KEVIN Hey, do you have that User Created done?

INTERN (startled) Oh, yeah... um... almost.

KEVIN We need it for the show now! What have you been doing for the last six hours?

INTERN Well, I was doing it, but ....         (from embarrased to excited) Look! Wikipedia is all interlinked, and I noticed some articles were missing....

KEVIN We don't pay you to update Wikipedia! (thinks) Well, we don't pay you at all, but still... (changing subject) Besides, don't you already pay for hosting of your own website? Why don't you just update that?

INTERN But... but... Wikipedia is COLLABORATIVE! It's a NOBLE EXPERIMENT!

KEVIN Yeah, just like the Internet. (exasperated) Alright, fine. What are you updating?

INTERN An article on the fastest video card.

KEVIN (sarcastic) Oh that's useful. 'Cause that hasn't been written about on        5 million websites already. Look, I need the final User Created List in 5 minutes. (starts to walk away)

INTERN (looking up) Oh, oh, Kevin, wait!

KEVIN What?! INTERN Can you loan me $40? Wikipedia is having a fund-raising drive, and I've invested so much time in it, I'd hate to see it go away.....

(Kevin walks away disgusted) ROLL SHOW CREDITS

Script by Lyberty

The One Script (Shorter Version)
The One Script (Short Version)

(edited for length)

INT. ATTACK OF THE SHOW CUBICLE FARM - DAY INTERN AT DESK,"WIKIPEDIA" (R) (TM) (C) ON MONITOR

KEVIN approaches INTERN. KEVIN Hey, do you have that User Created done?

INTERN (startled) Oh, yeah... um... almost.

KEVIN We need it for the show now! What have you been doing for the last six hours?

INTERN Well, I was doing it, but ....        (from embarrased to excited) Look! (pointing) Wikipedia! It's all interlinked, and I        noticed some articles were missing....

KEVIN We don't pay you to update Wikipedia! (thinks) Well, we don't pay you at all, but still...       (changing subject) Besides, don't you already have your own website? Why don't you just update that?

INTERN But... but... Wikipedia is COLLABORATIVE! It's DISTRIBUTED! It's a "NOBLE EXPERIMENT"!

KEVIN Yeah, just like the Internet. (exasperated; starts walking away, disgusted) (forefully) User Created. Five minutes.

INTERN (voice fading as Kevin walks away) Can you loan me $40? Wikipedia is having a fund-raising drive.... ROLL SHOW CREDITS

Script by Lyberty

The One Script (Short Version; variation)
('further refinement)

INT. ATTACK OF THE SHOW CUBICLE FARM - DAY INTERN AT DESK,"WIKIPEDIA" (R) (TM) (C) ON MONITOR

BRENDAN approaches SARAH. BRENDAN Hey, do you have that User Created done?

SARAH Oh, yeah... um... almost.

KEVIN We need it for the show now! What have you been doing for the last six hours?

SARAH Well, I was doing it, but ....        (from embarrased to excited) Look! (pointing) Wikipedia! It's all interlinked, and I noticed some articles needed updating....

KEVIN Sarah, you've already got your own website. Why don't you just update that?

SARAH But... But... Wikipedia is COLLABORATIVE! It's DISTRIBUTED! It's a NOBLE EXPERIMENT!

BRENDAN Yeah, just like the Internet. (short silence)

SARAH (still staring at screen) Hey, can you loan me $40? Wikipedia is having a fund-raising drive.... ROLL SHOW CREDITS

Script by Lyberty

- < BACK TO THE MAIN DISCUSSION PAGE

title: User:Attackoftheshow/ScriptArchive3


text:
Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Exploit (World of Warcraft)

 This page is an archive of the proposed deletion of the article below. Further comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or on a Votes for Undeletion nomination). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result of the debate was keep (and merge). Eugene van der Pijll 16:54, 26 August 2005 (UTC)

Exploit (World of Warcraft)
Doesn't deserve an article of its own as everything here is covered by World of Warcraft or Exploit (online gaming) Kevin 22:56, August 17, 2005 (UTC)

 * Merge With World of Warcraft. Havok  (T/C) 22:59, 17 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Merge per Havok. Nandesuka 23:41, 17 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Fancruft. Delete or merge. Martg76 00:03, 18 August 2005 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in an undeletion request). No further edits should be made to this page.


text:
Talk:Classic pop

The first paragraph should have some type of begining point, but I don't know where it should start, Tin Pan Alley or ragtime. Also the article should also link to music of the united states Anon User October 11, 2005

How is classic pop different from pop standards? Maybe these articles should be merged? Or if they are kept separate, the difference between them needs to be better specified. Wasted Time R 22:56, 17 August 2005 (UTC)

Proposed merge with Traditional pop music
Both articles basically discuss the same style of music under different terminology (as did the old Pop standards article). I'm not too bothered which title (Classic pop or Traditional pop) is used for the final article (though I'd suggest the other terms should be listed early in the article), but at the moment Classic pop has far more info than Traditional pop music. -- Matthew Humphreys 12:43, 16 September 2006 (UTC)

title: Talk:Classic pop