U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

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89–011 2001

107th Congress, 1st Session – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 107–102

PERIODIC REPORT ON THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY

WITH RESPECT TO SIERRA LEONE

MESSAGE

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

TRANSMITTING

A SIX-MONTH PERIODIC REPORT ON THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY

WITH RESPECT TO SIERRA LEONE THAT WAS DECLARED IN EXECUTIVE ORDER 13194 OF JANUARY 18, 2001, PURSUANT TO 50

U.S.C. 1641(c)

JULY 17, 2001.—Message and accompanying papers referred to the

Committee on International Relations and ordered to be printed

(1)

To the Congress of the United States:

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 transmit herewith

a 6-month periodic report on the national emergency with respect

to Sierra Leone that was declared in Executive Order 13194 of January 18, 2001.

GEORGE W. BUSH.

THE WHITE HOUSE, July 17, 2001.

(3)

PRESIDENT’S PERIODIC REPORT ON THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH

RESPECT TO SIERRA LEONE

I hereby report to the Congress on 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 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 to 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). This report discusses only matters concerning the national

emergency declared in response to the actions of the RUF in Sierra

Leone, and the embargo on the importation of rough diamonds

from Sierra Leone and Liberia (‘‘Conflict Diamonds’’).

On January 18, 2001, President Clinton issued Executive Order

13194 (66 FR 7389, January 23, 2001), in which he declared a national emergency to deal with the threat posed to United States

foreign policy by: (1) the RUF’s illicit trade in diamonds to fund its

operations and procurement of weapons in the brutal, decade-long

civil war in Sierra Leone; (2) the RUF’s flagrant violation of the

Lome ́ Peace Agreement of July 7, 1999; and (3) the RUF’s attacks

on personnel of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone. In

order to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution

(UNSCR) 1306 of July 5, 2000, and to ensure that the importation

into the United States of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone will

not contribute further financial support to the RUF, the order prohibits the direct or indirect importation into the United States of

all rough diamonds from Sierra Leone except for those importations

controlled through the Certificate of Origin regime of the Government of Sierra Leone. The exemption for importations of diamonds

controlled by the Government of Sierra Leone seeks to avoid undermining the legitimate diamond trade or diminishing confidence in

the integrity of the legitimate diamond industry.

On May 22, 2001, I issued Executive Order 13213 (66 FR 28829,

May 24, 2001), to expand the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13194 and to take additional measures

with respect to prohibiting the importation of rough diamonds from

Sierra Leone. In order to further the objectives of Executive Order

13194, to implement UNSCR 1343 of March 7, 2001, and to counteract, among other things, the Government of Liberia’s facilitation

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of and participation in the RUF’s illicit trade in diamonds through

Liberia, Executive Order 13213 prohibits the direct or indirect importation into the United States of all rough diamonds from Liberia, whether or not such diamonds originated in Liberia.

1. OFAC has disseminated details of this program to the financial and international trade communities by both electronic and

conventional media. In the 6-month period since January 18, 2001,

OFAC has not issued any specific licenses authorizing transactions

otherwise prohibited by the Executive Orders and has neither assessed nor collected any civil monetary penalty for a violation of

the Executive Orders. OFAC, 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

which are not controlled through the Certificate of Origin regime

and of all rough diamonds from Liberia.

2. The expenses incurred by the Federal Government in the 6-

month period from January 18 through July 17, 2001, that are directly attributable to the exercise of powers and authorities conferred by the declaration of a national emergency with respect to

Sierra Leone are reported to be approximately $100,000, 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 Office of Foreign Assets Control, the U.S.

Customs Service, the Office of the Under Secretary for Enforcement, and the Office of the General Counsel), the Department of

State (particularly the Bureaus of Economic and Business Affairs,

African Affairs, International Organizations and the Office of the

Legal Adviser), and the Department of Commerce (the Bureau of

Export Administration and the General Counsel’s Office).

3. The political and security situation in Sierra Leone has improved considerably since the issuance of Executive Order 13194 on

January 18, 2001. While the need for continuation of the order remains, we have seen significant actions by the RUF to suggest that

the totality of actions taken in parallel with the order, such as an

expanded UN peacekeeping force in Sierra Leone, British training

of the Sierra Leone Army, the effective rebuff by the Guinean military of RUF incursions, and UN Security Council sanctions against

RUF sponsor President Taylor of Liberia are effective in wearing

down RUF effectiveness and its will to continue the conflict. The

RUF, however, remains an active and dangerous organization, and

until the threat from the RUF is completely eliminated, along with

its control of and illegal exploitation of diamond mining areas, the

threat to U.S. foreign policy remains and Executive Order 13194

will remain in effect. I shall exercise the powers at my disposal to

deal with the threat posed to the foreign policy of the United States

by the actions of the insurgent Revolutionary United Front and will

continue to report periodically to the Congress on significant developments concerning the national emergency declared with respect

to Sierra Leone and expanded in scope with respect to Liberia.

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