Last year Mr David Pratt MP was appointed by the Canadian Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Hon Lloyd Axworthy PC, MP, to act as Canada's Special Envoy to Sierra
Leone. Mr Pratt delivered a report on his assessment of the situation in Sierra Leone, entitled The Forgotten Crisis, to Mr Axworthy on 23 April 1999. The report refers to Sandline's
activities in the country last year although no approach had been made to the
company to confirm the accuracy of the statements. The report came to
Sandline's attention after it had been published and, for the record, the
relevant paragraphs of a letter dated 13 May to Mr Pratt pointing out the errors
therein have been reproduced below. Mr Pratt has since responded that the
company's comments have been circulated to various individuals in Foreign
Affairs.
Extract from Sandline letter of 13 May 1999 to Mr Pratt MP:
Your report goes on to state: 'During this period [from May 1997], exiled
President Kabbah made contact with a British security firm, Sandline
International, which had connections with Executive Outcomes, Branch Energy and
DiamondWorks, a company traded on the Vancouver Stock Market. The apparent aim
was to obtain Sandline assistance in ousting the AFRC and liberating the diamond
areas. Finance was reportedly provided by a Vancouver-based Indian national,
Rakesh Saxena. In February 1998, 28 tons of small arms arrived in Sierra Leone
as a part of this deal, and was impounded by ECOMOG as a contravention of a UN
arms embargo.'
It is important to again clarify on behalf of Sandline that the consignment of
small arms, which had been ordered by President Kabbah against an End User
Certificate personally signed by him, was delivered to Sierra Leone with the
full co-operation of ECOMOG. In fact, the Nigerian commanders of ECOMOG helped
Sandline organise the necessary flightplan clearances and en-route refuelling
stops for the shipment. On arrival the consignment was delivered as planned to
ECOMOG for safekeeping and subsequent issue. There was never any question of the
consignment being 'impounded'. Furthermore, two official UK government inquiries
(the Legg Report and the Foreign Affairs Committee Report) have confirmed that
Sandline had a degree of approval from the British High Commissioner and was
entitled to believe that it had the approval of Her Majesty's Government to
deliver the consignment. In addition, the UN's own legal adviser issued an
opinion stating that the delivery was not a breach of sanctions.
You should also be aware that Sandline was not hired by the government of Sierra
Leone to 'liberate the diamond areas' as stated in your report, but to assist
President Kabbah and his forces with the retaking of Freetown and the removal of
rebel forces generally.