[House Document 108-21]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
108th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document
108-21
PERIODIC REPORT ON THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SIERRA LEONE
AND LIBERIA
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
A SIX-MONTH PERIODIC REPORT ON THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO
SIERRA LEONE AND LIBERIA THAT WAS DECLARED IN EXECUTIVE ORDER 13194, OF
JANUARY 18, 2001 AND EXPANDED IN SCOPE IN EXECUTIVE ORDER 13213, OF MAY
22, 2001, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1641(c) AND 50 U.S.C. 1703(c)
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
January 27, 2003.--Referred to the Committee on International Relations
and ordered to be printed
The White House,
Washington, January 16, 2003.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: As required by section 401(c) of the
National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1641(c), and section 204(c)
of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C.
1703(c), I am providing herewith a 6-month periodic report
prepared by my Administration on the national emergency with
respect to Sierra Leone and Liberia that was declared in
Executive Order 13194 of January 18, 2001, and expanded in
scope in Executive Order 13213 of May 22, 2001.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush.
Periodic Report on the National Emergency With Respect to Sierra Leone
and Liberia
This report to the Congress covers developments over the
course of the past 6 months concerning the national emergency
declared in Executive Order 13194 of January 18, 2001, in
response to the actions and policies of the insurgent
Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone and pursuant
to which the United States imposed a general ban on the direct
and indirect importation of all rough diamonds from Sierra
Leone into the United States, except those imports controlled
through the Certificate of Origin regime of the Government of
Sierra Leone. On May 22, 2001, I issued Executive Order 13213,
which expanded the scope of that national emergency to include
actions of the Government of Liberia in support of the RUF and
prohibited the importation of all rough diamonds from Liberia.
This report is submitted pursuant to section 204(c) of the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1703(c),
and section 401(c) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C.
1641(c).
1. There have been no amendments to the Rough Diamonds
(Sierra Leone and Liberia) Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R.
Part 591 (the ``Regulations'').
2. In the 6-month period since July 18, 2002, the Office of
Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has not issued any specific
licenses authorizing transactions otherwise prohibited by the
Regulations. Since my last report, OFAC has undertaken one
civil penalty proceeding which has resulted in a recommendation
to the U.S. Customs Service concerning a seizure for apparent
violations of the sanctions and may, in the future, result in
an OFAC civil penalty assessment. OFAC continues to disseminate
details of this program to the financial and international
trade communities and, in cooperation with the U.S. Customs
Service, is closely monitoring potential violations of the
general bans on the importation of rough diamonds from Sierra
Leone that are not controlled through the Certificate of Origin
regime and on the importation of all rough diamonds from
Liberia.
3. The expenses incurred by the Federal Government in the
6-month period from July 18, 2002, through January 17, 2003,
that are directly attributable to the exercise of powers and
authorities conferred by the declaration of a national
emergency with respect to Sierra Leone and Liberia are reported
to be approximately $41,000, most of which represent wage and
salary costs for Federal personnel. Personnel costs were
largely centered in the Department of the Treasury
(particularly in the OFAC, the U.S. Customs Service, the Office
of the Under Secretary for Enforcement, and the Office of the
General Counsel), the Department of State, and the Department
of Commerce.
4. For the first time in more than a decade, Sierra Leone
is at peace. More than 47,000 RUF rebels and members of a pro-
government militia organization have disarmed. More than 80,000
Sierra Leonean refugees and a large number of internally
displaced persons have returned to their homes. Multi-party
elections were conducted peacefully on May 14, 2002. The RUF,
the political party that grew out of the rebel RUF, fared
poorly, not winning a single seat in Parliament. The United
Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, the world's largest U.N.
peacekeeping force, continues to assist the Sierra Leone army
to provide internal security. The army has been reconfigured,
renamed, and re-trained by the British-led International
Military Advisory and Training Team. The Sierra Leone military
are deployed to all vital locations and are securing the
country's borders, with heavy British guidance and support. The
police have a presence in all provincial capitals. Government
authority and services are being extended, albeit slowly,
throughout the country.
Though there has been improvement, a significant portion of
the mining and trading of diamonds remains outside Sierra Leone
Government control. Liberian President Charles Taylor, who
supported and sustained the RUF during its long campaign of
terror in Sierra Leone, remains defiant of U.N. Security
Council sanctions. He continues to trade in illicit diamonds
smuggled from Sierra Leone, smuggle illegal arms, support RUF
elements within Liberia, and pose a threat to the security and
fragile stability of Sierra Leone. In June 2002, Liberian
troops crossed into Sierra Leone to attack border villages.
Until the threat to Sierra Leone from Charles Taylor is
eliminated, and the mining of Sierra Leonean diamonds is
brought under control, the threat to U.S. foreign policy
remains and Executive Orders 13194 and 13213 will remain in
effect.
I will continue to exercise the powers at my disposal to
deal with this threat and will continue to report periodically
to the Congress on significant developments as required by law.