Fowler Report
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The Fowler Report, released on March 14, 2000, is a United Nations report detailing how various African and European governments, including that of Angola and the political wing of UNITA, violated the Lusaka Protocol. Robert Fowler, Canada's ambassador to the United Nations, headed the commission that compiled the report.[1]
[edit] Diamonds
According to the report, Joe De Deker, a former stockholder in De Beers, worked with the government of Zaire to supply military equipment to UNITA from 1993 to 1997. De Deker's brother, Ronnie, allegedly flew from South Africa to Angola, directing weapons originating in Eastern Europe. In return, UNITA gave Ronnie bushels of diamonds worth US$6 million. De Deker sent the diamonds to De Beer's buying office in Antwerp, Belgium. De Beers openly acknowledges spending $500 million on legal and illegal Angolan diamonds in 1992 alone. The United Nations estimates Angolans made between three and four billion dollars through the diamond trade between 1992 and 1998.[2][3] The UN also estimates that out of that sum, UNITA made at least $3.72 billion, or 93% of all diamond sales, despite international sanctions.[4]
[edit] Support for UNITA
Togolese President Gnassingbé Eyadéma allowed UNITA to use Togo as a base of operations. He gave money to relatives of Jonas Savimbi and shipped arms to UNITA militants. The report condemned Burkinabé President Blaise Compaoré for sending fuel to UNITA and maintaining a stronger alliance with UNITA than all other African leaders. The Rwandan and Gabonese governments refueled UNITA airplanes and sent fuel to Angola. The governments of South Africa, Zambia, Côte d'Ivoire, Morocco and Belgium did not enforce the UN-travel ban on UNITA officials while France, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States allowed UNITA to maintain offices in their respective countries.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b W. Martin, James (2004). Historical Dictionary of Angola, 58.
- ^ Roberts, Janine (2003). Glitter & Greed: The Secret World of the Diamond Empire, 223-224.
- ^ Arms Project (1994). Angola: Arms Trade and Violations of the Laws of War Since the 1992 Elections: Sumário Em Portugués. Human Rights Watch, 3.
- ^ Arnold, Guy (2000). The New South Africa, 131.
