U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

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19–011 2003

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)

JANUARY 27, 2003.—Referred to the Committee on International Relations 

and ordered to be printed


E:\Seals\Congress.#13
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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.

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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. 

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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.

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