Despite Progress Sierra Still Seeing Substantial Diamond Smuggling

Although the number of legally exported diamonds from Sierra Leone is continuously growing, it is estimated that around 40 percent of the country’s diamonds are still being smuggled out.

Despite increased surveillance at the country's only international airport, smugglers continue to operate with ease, according to SAPA, the South African news agency.

In addition, monitoring offices based at diamond mines have not been completely able to wipe out illegal diamond trading, not least due to the fact that some monitors have little or no experience of the diamond trade.

“Those mines monitors are poor (ruling) party supporters who are being compensated for their loyalty to the party,” said Aiah Fomba, a youth activist in the diamond-producing district of Kono, east of Freetown.

“We see smuggling of diamonds happening every day. The mines monitors are poor and broke, and can be bribed, as happens often,” added Fomba, who works for the Movement of Concerned Kono Youths.

Abdul Sanu, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Mineral Resources in Freetown, said authorities were doing as well as could be expected in difficult conditions.

“The monitors are doing their best in tracking smugglers, and we have seen several positive strides made by them. I can only say that they are ill-equipped and poorly-paid - and without incentives you don't expect them to perform excellently.”

One monitor, who requested anonymity, said his monthly pay amounted to less than $100. “We get paid such a pittance to track down smugglers of millions of dollars worth of diamonds. We don't even have vehicles and other logistics.”

In a bid to give monitors an incentive to catch more smugglers, the government has agreed to pay them a percentage of the value of such diamond consignments.