5 - Diamond Wheeling & Dealing

Summary

The business of dealing and exporting rough diamonds out of Sierra Leone is far from straightforward and presents a myriad of opportunities for illegal practices. Diamonds are bought and exported (legally or illegally) out of Sierra Leone through two main avenues. First, they are taken out through the country's main airport at Lunghi (via Freetown) where they are transported to the main diamond cutting centres in Europe and elsewhere. The majority have historically gone to Antwerp. Second, Sierra Leone's diamonds are smuggled across the border to Liberia or Guinea. Those involved in the export of diamonds have included mining companies (including government owned or partially owned), individual licensed and non-licensed holders. Since the late 1990s, the official procedure for the export of diamonds from Sierra Leone began with an application for a one yearly Export Licence. This had to go through the minister of mineral resources for approval who in turn is advised by the director of mines. The latter also approved of the buying agents used by the exporters. Parcels of diamonds were then made up and sealed in the Government Gold and Diamond Office (GGDO) in Freetown and did not require checking or opening on leaving Freetown or entering Antwerp. However, in practice it appears that many exporters did not go through the GGDO and openly flouted this procedure. This can be seen in the reduction of official exports in 1999 which reached an all time low at $1.2 million (Global Witness 2000).