UN Slaps Ban On Baba Jobe
The Independent (Banjul)
June 8, 2001
Posted to the web June 8, 2001
Banjul, the Gambia
APRC Strongman and Youth Wing leader Baba Jobe has been banned from
traveling outside the country by the United Nations Security Council. UN
Security Council Resolution 1343 (2001) on Liberia slapped a wide-ranging
ban on persons suspected of involvement in arms trafficking and dealing in
blood diamonds in Liberia and Sierra Leone. UN Security Council Resolution
1343 adopted on March 7, came into force on May 7, 2001 and resolves
unequivocally to prevent Baba Jobe who is the State House Assistant
Secretary and other "Gambian-Liberians" from leaving their country of
residence.
According to Paragraph 7 of the UN resolution, those Liberian/Gambian
nationals banned include Ebrahim Baldeh, RUF Commander, Baba Jobe described
as an arms trafficker and Director of The Gambia Millenium Airline, Lt
General Momo Gibba, Senior ADC to Charles Taylor and Battalion Commander of
Anti Terrorist Unit, Fafani Camara, Deputy Minister for National Security,
Liberia, Musa Ceesay Chief of presidential Protocol, Liberia.
The Security Council resolution decided "that all States shall take the
necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect import of all rough
diamonds from Liberia, whether or not such diamonds originated in Liberia;
that all States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the entry into
or transit through their territories of senior members of the Government of
Liberia and its armed forces and their spouses and any other individuals
providing financial and military support to armed rebel groups in countries
neighbouring Liberia, in particular the RUF in Sierra Leone; and that the
measures imposed by subparagraph (a) above shall not apply where the
Committee established by paragraph 14 below determines that such travel is
justified on the grounds of humanitarian need, including religious
obligation, or where the Committee concludes that exemption would otherwise
promote Liberian compliance with the demands of the Council, or assist in
the peaceful resolution of the conflict in the sub-region."
The Security Council lists Baba Jobe as an "Arms Trafficker" and "Director
of the Gambia New Millenium Air Company." Also on the list are Liberia's
President Charles Taylor, his wife Jewel Howard Taylor, his ex-wife Tupee
Enid Taylor, his son Charles "Chuckie" Taylor, notorious Sierra Leone rebel
Sam "Maskita" Bockarie, scores of Liberian ministers, security chiefs,
business men, heads of parastatals, and several foreign nationals, some of
whom hold multiple diplomatic passports. The ban affects a total number of
136 persons, most of them top Liberian government officials and advisers to
President Charles Taylor. The Liberian leader was quoted recently as saying
that the ban in diamonds has crippled Liberia's foreign exchange reserves.
Baba Jobe's banning by the Security Council comes in the wake of United
Nations allegations that some Gambians were involved in the unholy trade in
"blood diamonds" from Sierra Leone. Proceeds from this trade are used to buy
weapons and fuel the bloody wars in the West African subregion, particularly
in Sierra Leone. Strong denials and protestations of innocence by Charles
Taylor did not prevent the UN Security Council from imposing sanctions on
his country.
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