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In 1998, Teun Voeten headed to Sierra Leone for what he thought would be a standard photo assignment on the child soldiers there. But the cease-fire ends just as he arrives, and the clash between the military junta and the West African peace-keeping forces force him to hide in the bush from rebels who are intent on killing him. How de Body? ("how are you?" in Sierra Leone's pidgin English) is a first-hand peek into the conflict that has been raging in Sierra Leone for nearly a decade. Accessible and conversational, it's a look into the dangerous diamond trade that fuels the conflict, the legacy of war practices such as forced amputations, the tragic use of child soldiers, and more. The book is also a tribute to the people who never make the headlines: Eddy Smith, a BBC correspondent who shows Voeten the ropes and eventually helps him escape; Alfred Kanu, a school principal who risks life and limb to keep his students and teachers going amidst the bullets and raids; and Padre Victor, who runs a safe haven for ex-child soldiers; among others.
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