Concord Times (Freetown)
January 17, 2001

By Joseph Dumbuya
Freetown

The row over the discovery and purchase of a 28-carat diamond by a certain
Maraka led to the expulsion of some 42 of them from Kono by the rebels, a
civilian from Koidu speaking from a position of anonymity told Concord
Times.

He revealed that when news of the diamond broke out, the rebels mounted an
investigation. Junior Sankoh, Blood Master and Col. Blood were ordered to
retrieve the diamond.

Failure to achieve this saw the rebels directing their anger at the Marakas
accusing them of complicity. They detained 42 Marakas mostly Malians in a
container at Motema to force them into disclosing the buyer of the diamond.

'When this failed they took the Marakas to Makali in the Tonkolili District
and ordered them to leave their territory' the source said.

'The rebels accused the Marakas of being agents of President Kabbah, who has
sent them into their territory to spy on them'.

Meanwhile, Kono is said to have a large population of foreigners especially
Marakas from Mali, Senegal and Gambia. They are said to be
doing brisk business with rebels and their agents in Guinea and their home
country.

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