The document provides background information on Sierra Leone, a West African nation that was poorer than Haiti prior to its 2010 earthquake. It discusses the origins of the book "Black Man's Grave" by Gary Stewart and John Amman, who both lived in the village of Fadugu, Sierra Leone at different times. The book uses letters from Sierra Leonean correspondents to tell the story of how the civil war devastated the country and affected daily life. It profiles three main correspondents - A.K. Bangura, Umaru Mansaray, and Y.S. Mansaray - and includes some of their quotes describing the corruption, economic struggles, and rebel attacks that plagued Sierra Le

9. The Correspondents We had a number of correspondents whose letters found their way into our book, however there are three main letter writers who letters shape the book’s narrative:

15. Y.S. Mansaray - Quotes Y.S. would see his village attacked by rebels on numerous occasions: Oct. 19, 1998: [The] attack was launched on May 22 leaving 27 dead, burning 82 houses and abducting several boys and girls. Our two houses …were completely burnt down… The teacher’s residences and one of the [medical] treatment centre buildings were burnt. My uncle and one of my colleague teachers Mr. Alpha Kalokah and his younger brothers were brutally murdered.’ In the same letter YS described a second attack on Fadugu on September 11. 1998: ’ 61 houses were burnt, 6 persons killed including our Paramount Chief who was burnt alive in his residence. There is yet no schooling going on … These attacks have made life very difficult for the entire inhabitants of the region. Everything economically, socially and culturally has been disrupted…’ A third attack came on March 9, 1999: ‘The junta/rebels attacked Fadugu … leaving several people dead, destroying and burning houses and abducting men, women and children. I narrowly escaped when my house was attacked…Two men were cruelly murdered on the spot. The one had his intestines/guts removed while the other had his head cut off and were left lying on the highway. It was a very horrible scene. Some had their hands cut off and their bodies mutilated. In view of this dreadful event I felt I was no longer safe to stay and moreover there was no house for me to reside [in].