UN SANCTIONS COMMITTEE CONSIDERING SANCTION ON G
GAMBIA GOVERNMENT.

The Security Council committee established pursuant to
resolution 1132 [1997] concerning Sierra leone,and in
accordance with paragraph 19 of section B of
resolution 1306 [2000]states that:The gambia produces
no diamonds,but in the recent years it has become a
diamond-exporting nation.In 1998,Belgium recorded
imports from the Gambia of 449,000 carats valued at
$78.3 million,an average value of $174 per carat.the
volume declined the following year to 206,000
carats,with an average per carat value of $234.Up to
mid-2000,there was a more significant:82,000 carats
valued at $17.6 million [214/ct].
  All of the Belgium importers of 'Gambia'rough also
import from one or more of the producing countries in
the region:Sierra Leone,Guinea and/or liberia.'Company
B' explains its importation of $50 in 'Gambia'diamonds
between 1 January 1998 and mid-August 2000 as
follows:The Gambia has become has become a
'mini-Antwerp',and reputable companies are simple
buying what is available on the open market.When
pressed,Company B acknowledges that these diamonds
have entered Gambia for one of two reasons:either to
evade taxes in the countries where they have been
mined,or to avoid detection as conflict
diamonds.Knowledgeable diamantaires say that 90 per
cent of 'gambia'diamonds are from Sierra Leone.
 The gambia Government didn't respond to the panel's
repeated requests for information on diamond imports
and exports but recently after pressure from different
quarters,made a statement that the Gambia government
has never been involved in diamons trade but there is
a particular tribe 'Marakas'known as the
'Sarahules'who trade diamonds.
 The panel is still pursuing the matter.
Saihou

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