The following is an unauthorized version of the Report of the Panel of Experts to the United Nations on Sierra Leone.
This is not the official report. The official report has not yet been released. The report posted here is subject to change by the sanctions committee.
ANNEX 2
MEETINGS AND CONSULTATIONS
BELGIUM
BURKINA FASO
Government
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Cabinet of Development Cooperation
Ministry of Economic Affairs
Ministry of Finance (Customs)
Cabinet of the Secretary of State for Foreign Trade
Diamond Office
Diamond High Council (Hoge Raad voor Diamant)
Private Sector
Mackie Diamonds
Omega Diamonds
Rapaport Belgium
Talib Diamonds
Civil Society
International Peace Information Service (IPIS)
CANADA
Government
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Energy and Mines
Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade
Customs and Excise
National Police
Ministry of Transport
Ministry of Defence
Representatives of the Armed Forces
Civil Society
Mouvement Burkinabe des Droits de l'Homme et des Peuples
Private Sector
Chamber of Commerce
Diplomatic, Bilateral & Multilateral Agencies
France
United States
Agence pour la Securité de la Navigation en Afrique et à Madagascar (ASECNA)
UNDP
COTE D'IVOIRE
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)
FRANCE
Modern Africa Fund Managers
BBC
GHANA
Several Panel members visited Interpol Headquarters in Lyon. Discussions were also held with
the Police Attaché in the Paris Embassy of Israel, and the Deputy Air Attaché in the Embassy of
India
GUINEA
Government
Ministry of Roads and Transport
Civil Aviation Authority
Aviation Security
Air Traffic Services
Diplomatic, Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies
UNDP
INDIA
Government
Ministère des Mines, de la Géologie et de l'Environment
Direction Nationale de l'Aviation Civile
Agence Nationale de la Navigation Aérienne
Diplomatic, Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies
Canada
France
Ukraine
United Kingdom
World Bank
Office of Roberts Flight Information Region (FIR)
UNDP
Private Sector
Société de Gestion de l'Aéroport de Conakry
ISRAEL
Government
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Commerce
Customs and Central Excise Department
Airport and Customs Officials, Mumbai (Bombay)
Diplomatic, Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies
UNDP
Private Sector
Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India
Media
The Hindu
Indian Express
KENYA
Government
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Industry and Trade: Diamonds, Precious Stones & Jewellery Administration
Private Sector
Israel Diamond Exchange
Israel Diamond Manufacturers Association
Tacy Ltd.
Media
Market Direct Business Communications
Pazit Ravina
LIBERIA
African Airlines Association
International Air Transport Association (IATA)
International Civil Aviation Organization (East & Southern Africa Regional Office)
UNDP
NIGER
Government
President Charles Taylor
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Lands, Mines & Energy
Ministry of Planning & Economic Affairs
Ministry of Transport
Ministry of Revenue
Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Finance, Bureau of Customs & Excise
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Liberian Police
Roberts International Airport
Private Sector
Mr. George Haddad
Mars Diamonds
Diplomatic, Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies
European Union
Sierra Leone
UNDP
United Kingdom
United States
Civil Society
Centre for Democratic Empowerment
Liberian Interfaith Council
Liberian National Bar Association
Susuku
Media
BBC
The Enquirer
The News
MALI
Government
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Transport
Civil Aviation Authority
Diplomatic, Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies
Agence pour la Sécurité de la Navigation en Afrique et à Madagascar (ASECNA)
UNDP
NIGERIA
Civil Aviation Authority
L'Agence pour la Sécurité de la Navigation en Afrique et à Madagascar (ASECNA)
UNDP
SENEGAL
ECOWAS
UNDP officials in Abuja
ICAO (West & Central Africa Regional Bureau)
SIERRA LEONE
SOUTH AFRICA
Government
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Mineral Resources (in Freetown and Kenema)
Ministry of Trade
Ministry of Justice
Customs and Excise
Port Authority
Airports Authority
Government Gold and Diamond Office
National Security Advisor
Sierra Leone Police (several agencies)
Sierra Leone Army
Sierra Leone Air Wing
Private Sector
Diamond Counsellor International
Mackie Diamonds
Sar-Kuma Mining Co. Ltd.
Rex Diamonds
Sierra Leone Airports Authority
Several diamond dealers in Kenema
Diplomatic, Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies
UN Special Representative of the Secretary General
UNAMSIL
- officers and officials in Daru
UNV (United Nations Volunteers)
- a wide range of officers and officials in Freetown
United Kingdom
United States
Civil Society
Campaign for Good Governance
Human Rights Watch
Network Movement for Justice and Development
Oxfam GB
Search for Common Ground
Sierra Leone Muslim Congress
Various Chiefs and Elders from Kono District
Civil Defence Force (Kamajor) leaders in Kenema and Daru
Media
BBC
CBS News
NHK Japan Broadcasting Corporation
Other
Government
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Justice
South African Diamond Board
Civil Aviation Authority
Private Sector
Executive Research Associates
Landmat
Lanseria Airport
Raymond Kramer & Associates
Diplomatic, Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies
UNDP
United Kingdom
United States
Civil Society
Institute for Security Studies
Institute for Global Dialogue
South African Institute for International Affairs
Media
Sunday Independent
Khareen Pech
Participation in Inter-ministerial Meeting on Conflict Diamonds gave Panel members access to a wide range of government and private sector firms from Africa, Europe, Israel and North America.
The Panel also participated in an Air Transport Sector Workshop: Controlling the Movement of Illicit Goods, attended by a wide range of experts from civil aviation and South Africa agencies, including the National Anti-Corruption Unit, Air Traffic and Navigation Services and the National Inter-Departmental Structure. The workshop was organised by Saferworld (U.K.) and the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria
SPAINMeeting with police officials, Madrid.
SWITZERLAND
UKRAINE
Government
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (UN & International Organisations; Financial & Economic Affairs)
Federal Customs Administration (Berne)
Federal Customs Administration (Geneva Free Port)
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs
Federal Office for Police Matters (Money Laundering Reporting Office NCO Division)
Private Sector
Acal Amit S.A.
HSB Republic Bank (Suisse) S.A.
Bucher & Co. Publikationen
TAG Aviation
Civil Society
Small Arms Survey
Other
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Government
State Security Service
National Security Directorate
Border Control Authority
Civil Aviation Authority
Ministry of Defence
National Security Directorate
Ukrspetsexport
Diplomatic, Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies
UNDP
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Civil Aviation Authorities
Customs and diamond officials in Sharjah
A visit was also made to Sharjah airport.
UNITED KINGDOM
THE UNITED STATES
Government
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Department for International Development
- Minister of State
- United Nations Department
- Africa Department
- Sanctions Unit
- Arms Control Unit
Metropolitan Police Service
HM Customs & Excise
Private Sector
De Beers
Anaconda Worldwide Ltd.
WWW International Diamond Consultants Ltd.
M. Vainer Ltd.
Civil Society
Amnesty International
Global Witness
International Alert
Human Rights Watch
Media
Financial Times
Basel Magazine
Insight News Television
Africa Confidential
Thomas Brian-Johnson
INDIVIDUALS
Government
Department of State
Defence Intelligence Agency
Department of National Intelligence
USAID
Private Sector
World Diamond Council
Rapaport Diamonds
Diplomatic, Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies
Sierra Leone Embassy
Missions to the United Nations:Media
- Bangladesh
- Belgium
- Canada
- France
- India
- Kazakhstan
- Sierra Leone
- Switzerland
- Uganda
- United Kingdom
- United States
Sebastian Junger
Teun Voeten
The Perspective
A number of individuals have played a key part in some of the events noted in this report, or have been mentioned in that connection in media reports. The Panel was grateful to several who agreed to be interviewed:
Andrei Bressler
John Caldwell
Roger Crooks
Omrie Golley
Michael Harridine
Nicholas Karras
Ya'ir Klein
Johnny Paul Koroma
Raymond Kramer
Ze'ev Morgenstern
Richard Ratcliffe
Fred Rindel
Niko Schefer
Note: Given the sensitive nature of the subjects being investigated by the Panel, many individuals spoke under conditions of confidentiality. Several interviews have therefore not been noted.
ANNEX 3
KEY FIGURES IN THE RUF
Many of the RUF leaders have been given, or have given themselves high-ranking military titles and nicknames or aliases. As many of them are known mainly by the latter, the report has occasionally used these as well as real names, where known. The following are some of the main RUF leaders.
Foday Saybana Sankoh, Chairman of the RUF; currently in prison in Sierra Leone
General Issa H. Sesay, formerly Brigadier, then Battlefield Commander; currently Interim Head of the RUF
Brigadier-General Maurice Kallon; currently heading the northern axis of the RUF
Brigadier Dennis Mingo (alias 'Superman'), Battle Group Commander, latterly Battle Commander, Lunsar Axis; currently fighting with the RUF
Lt. Col. Gibril Massaquoi, latterly Foday Sankoh's personal assistant; currently acting as RUF Spokesman behind RUF lines
Major-General Sam Bockarie (alias 'Mosquito'), former Battle Group Commander and 'High Command'; currently in exile in Liberia
Colonel Boston Flamoh or Flomoh (alias 'Rambo'); killed by RUF comrades in Makeni
Brigadier Mike Lamin, formerly Chief Intelligence Officer; Minister of Trade and Industries until May 2000; currently in prison in Freetown
Eldred Collins, Public Relations Officer, RUF Party; currently in prison in Freetown
General Ibrahim Bah, a Burkinabe, possibly of Gambian origin; senior logistics expert in the movement of weapons and diamonds between Burkina Faso, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Also known as Ibrahima Baldé and Baldé Ibrahima.
ANNEX 5
LIST OF PROBLEMS AND RECOMMENDATIONS PROVIDED BY SIERRA LEONE AIRPORTS AUTHORITY
Drawbacks in Detecting Diamonds and Arms Smuggling Through the Airports
- No equipment available to detect diamonds or arms.
- Security personnel screening passengers not properly trained in diamonds and arms detection.
- Coordination between various security agencies, viz: airport security, police, UNAMSIL, SLA etc. very inadequate and the sheer numbers represented make the process counter-productive.
- Social aspects of state security personnel exposes them to temptation; e.g. very low salaries and allowances, poor IQs, poor education, little exposure, etc.
- VIP protocol and escort extended by state security personnel to too many classes of people, e.g. ministers, parliamentarians, judges, army and police officers, corporate executives, diplomats, etc.
- Poor integrity of many state security and customs personnel, who use the privilege of their position to directly facilitate smuggling for personal benefit.
- No facilities for detecting unauthorized aircraft landing elsewhere other than Lungi and Hastings airports.
- Direct disloyalty of some state security and customs personnel who intentionally facilitate smuggling in order to promote the course of saboteurs and dissidents of the government.
Recommendations
- To strengthen the aspect of coordination and control by the SLAA through the provision of equipment such as:
- X-ray baggage screening equipment (high resolutions) for both Lungi and Hastings Airports;
- Surveillance radar equipment at Lungi Airport with a coverage of low altitudes;
- Air-to-ground and ground-to-ground state-of-the-art VHF and HF communication equipment to be installed at Lungi, Hastings, Bo and Kenema Airports;
- Appropriate training of SLAA personnel in Security, ATC and operations management.
- To properly screen all state security and customs personnel deployed at the airport to ensure integrity, loyalty, education, intelligence and character.
- To provide induction courses and appropriate training for all state security and customs personnel on the detection of diamonds, arms, laws relating to international smuggling, etc.
- Substantially improve the remuneration of all personnel charged with the responsibility of screening passengers.
- To desist from all VIP protocol except for persons using the Presidential Lounge and the heads of diplomatic mission only.
- To improve coordination and the exchange of information between various security agencies.
- To reduce the over-abundance of state security personnel deployed in passenger screening processes and to limit it to a small and well-trained core.
- To impose stiff penalties of jail terms without any option of a fine, for persons convicted of smuggling or facilitating smuggling through action or omission.