10:50
Posted by Webmaster on January 7, 2008
The prosecution has asked the witness to read parts of the Security Council resolution 1306 (from the year 2000) creating the panel of experts.
Pros: Who named you to the panel?
Smillie: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Pros: What was your specific expertise on the panel? Work of the panel?
Smillie: I was appointed for my knowledge on the diamond industry. Mandate covered August 2000-January 2001. Traveled extensively around West Africa, and more than 20 countries in all. Met with government officials, diamond industry experts, large diamond companies like DeBeers, diamond miners, diggers, military people in Sierra Leone, Liberia, UNAMSIL officials in Sierra Leone, spoke with intelligence officials in Sierra Leone, United States, UK, others, spoke with journalists with knowledge of the situation; spoke with aid agencies and civil society organizations in Sierra Leone and Liberia. The Panel reviewed extensive written material, including documents found in Foday Sankoh’s house after his arrest, reviewed flight logs in many countries to track aircraft movements; many meetings with diamond dealers in Kenema, church leaders in Liberia, chiefs in Kono who had been dispersed throughout Sierra Leone by the violence. Spoke with presidents of Sierra Leone and Liberia, ministers in many countries.
