[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23713]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       ATROCITIES IN SIERRA LEONE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARTIN T. MEEHAN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 18, 2000

  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join many of my colleagues in 
expressing our outrage with the continuing atrocities in Sierra Leone.
  Two weeks ago, seven Sierra Leoneans testified before the House 
International Relations Committee's Subcommittee on Africa. They told 
chilling and horrifying tales that I will not soon forget.
  Thousands of Sierra Leoneans--men, women, children, and even 
infants--have had their limbs amputated as part of a campaign of terror 
by rebels. As the democratically elected government and the rebels 
battle over control of the nation's lucrative diamond mines, the 
citizens of Sierra Leone live lives of fear and tragedy. Meanwhile, the 
international diamond industry continues to purchase enormous 
quantities of diamonds from Sierra Leone. It does not matter who 
controls the mines, the rebels or the government, as long as the 
industry continues to receive its precious commodity.
  I want to commend brave Sierra Leoneans who have risked their lives 
to tell the world about the atrocities in their country. I also want to 
commend organizations such as the Friends of Sierra Leone. The Friends 
of Sierra Leone is a non-profit organization made up of Sierra Leone 
emigres, former Peace Corps volunteers, and other human rights 
activists. Without the hard work of the Friends of Sierra Leone and 
similar organizations, these atrocities would not be receiving the 
attention of the media and Congress.
  One volunteer in particular who educated me on this issue is 
Massachusetts State Senator David Magnani of Framingham. Senator 
Magnani spent two years in Sierra Leone and another year in Kenya as a 
Peace Corps volunteer in the late 1960's. Since then, he has closely 
followed events both in Sierra Leone and throughout Africa. I 
appreciate his efforts on this important issue.
  Consequently, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 5147, The Carat Act, 
introduced by Representative Tony Hall. This bill imposes an embargo on 
diamonds from Sierra Leone and Angola that have not been certified by 
their governments. Furthermore, it prohibits the shipment of diamonds 
from known smuggling centers. This legislation would assure that 
diamonds imported from unknown sources, like those that come from the 
mines controlled by Sierra Leone's rebels, would be embargoed from 
importation into the United States.
  Legislation like this lets the diamond industry and Sierra Leone's 
rebels know that we are very serious about not importing diamonds that 
have come at the cost of innocent lives. It is the responsibility of 
Congress to take this stand, and I urge your support for this bill.

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