The rise of land deals poses unpredictable risks to war-torn societies, exposing them to the violent folds of the global economy. In Sierra Leone, commercial land leases have perpetuated the chieftaincy monopoly, further curtailed social mobility, and sparked particular resentment among youths and ex-combatants. Drawing on the concept of the “war machine,” I analyse how Kamajor militia fighters shape contestation against land deals and explore the attendant risks for remobilisation and conflict transformation. My findings, based on in-depth ethnographic field research, indicate that while aggrieved communities turn to Kamajor-run civil society organisations for support, Kamajor living in precarious conditions largely shy away from open contestation. While the historically close ties between the Kamajor and the chieftaincy have eroded in the wake of commercial land leases, complex patronage networks along with the moral setback encountered from the Special Court proceedings and tight surveillance thwart a more overt response. Yet, the Kamajor’s background support remains key to the struggle of anti-plantation and mining activists.

中文翻译：

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从子弹到横幅再回来？前战斗人员在塞拉利昂有争议的土地交易中的矛盾角色

土地交易的兴起给饱受战争蹂躏的社会带来了不可预测的风险，使它们暴露在全球经济的剧烈波动中。在塞拉利昂，商业土地租赁使酋长垄断长期存在，进一步限制了社会流动，并引发了青年和前战斗人员的特别不满。借鉴“战争机器”的概念，我分析了卡马约民兵战士如何塑造对土地交易的争夺，并探讨随之而来的重新动员和冲突转化的风险。我的发现基于深入的人种学实地研究，结果表明，虽然受害社区向 Kamajor 经营的民间社会组织寻求支持，但生活在不稳定条件下的 Kamajor 在很大程度上回避公开争论。虽然卡马约和酋长之间历史上的密切联系在商业土地租赁之后受到侵蚀，但复杂的赞助网络以及特别法庭诉讼程序和严密监视中遇到的道德挫折阻碍了更公开的反应。然而，Kamajor 的背景支持仍然是反种植园和采矿活动家斗争的关键。