[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.

                                
