UN urged to put sanctions on Liberia's timber exports
Copyright 2001 The Financial Times
September 6, 2001
By CAROLA HOYOS
NEW YORK - Global Witness, the UK non-governmental organisation that helped kick-start the vast campaign against conflict diamonds, has set its sights on timber.
In a report released today, it recommends the United Nations Security Council impose sanctions on Liberia's timber exports, which help to finance the war in neighbouring Sierra Leone and along the border with Guinea.
Additionally, the ships that transport logs and the roads that crisscross Liberia's forests enable Charles Taylor, Liberia's president, to import weapons and machinery for his war effort, the report states. "At least seven out of the 25 logging companies recorded in the Forest Development Authority's annual and semi-annual reports have direct links with either arms supply or the funding and provision of armed militias for Taylor's military use," the report says.
Global Witness estimates that last year, Liberia's timber industry netted profits of at least Dollars 100m, much of which went directly to Mr Taylor and his inner circle.
The UN in March placed embargoes on arms and diamonds and banned international travel of high-ranking Liberian officials, many of whom are closely associated with the timber industry.
The US and other countries in March were ready to consider a timber embargo as well, but China and France - which, Global Witness says, are two of Liberia's largest timber buyers - wanted further investigation into the link between Liberia's timber industry and the war in Sierra Leone.
UN Security Council members are therefore expected to study the Global Witness report as well as a report by a UN panel of experts, scheduled to make its presentation in late October.
But diplomats warn that the situation in Sierra Leone and the mood in the Security Council appears to have changed since March.
On Monday, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, Sierra Leone's president, shaking hands with Issa Sesay, the rebel commander, declared the country's 10-year war over. But peace in the small diamond-rich country is not certain.
"We are at the beginning of the end game in Sierra Leone. I don't think the Security Council is going to want to turn up the ratchet on Liberia," said one western diplomat.
But Patrick Alley, co-director of Global Witness, counters: "Right now Taylor has got 75 per cent of the leading RUF personnel with its best weaponry in Liberia and he has the money, through timber, to maintain them. That is a bigger threat to the peace process than sanctions on timber."