Brig. Gen. Jonathan Riley told the press that British troops will stay in Sierra Leone until the war against the opposition Revolutionary Union Front (RUF) "is either won or resolved on favorable terms." Britain is beefing up its role as a United Nations–backed military force is scheduled to be reduced by 2,000 troops this month.

In addition to the 600 British troops in Sierra Leone, including 350 Gurkhas, London has told the UN it will keep 5,000 more soldiers "over the horizon" ready for rapid deployment. The British government has refused to join the UN force, which has been made up primarily of troops from India and Jordan.

The gunboat HMS Iron Duke, with a company of 185, will remain in Sierra Leone's territorial waters for the foreseeable future. Since last September London has engaged rebel forces, organized an amphibious landing by marines with helicopter support, conducted two days of live-fire jungle training, and carried out six-week training courses for the army of the current government.

Britain and the UN are backing the current regime in Sierra Leone against the RUF, an armed opposition group that currently controls a large part of the country, including rich diamond fields. The group once held power in Sierra Leone after ousting the regime of Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who was backed by Britain. The RUF carried out extensive brutal attacks against the population and was driven out of the capital by Nigerian troops in 1998.

After Kabbah was reinstalled as president, he invited the UN and British troops in. These forces have already come into conflict with working people in Sierra Leone. On November 5, Nigerian troops--part of the UN military force--together with local police, opened fire to disperse youths protesting against a dusk-to-dawn curfew. The youths built barricades and demanded the right to mobilize to protect their neighborhood against armed gangs. The troops halted their attempt to march to the city center.

The rebel force has agreed to begin opening areas under its control and turning in its weapons. Britain has pushed the UN to more aggressively move into rebel-held territory.

London, together with its imperialist ally in Washington, has been campaigning against what it has termed "blood diamond" exports from Sierra Leone and other African countries. The diamond-producing region of Sierra Leone is controlled by RUF forces.

Britain says that since these products are "war diamonds" allegedly smuggled out through Liberia, Gambia, and the Ivory Coast--outside of the control of the international diamond cartel controlled by the De Beers family--they should be banned from the market.

British foreign secretary Robin Cook put it succinctly when he declared last November, "The real proof of the rebel's commitment to peace will be whether they give up control of the diamond fields."

According to the Financial Times, the UN Security Council is expected to impose sanctions against the government of Charles Taylor in Liberia, including seizing "assets belonging to Mr. Taylor and his regime" and banning diamond and timber exports.

A meeting of the World Diamond Congress in London this week will propose the U.S. ban imports of these "illegal" diamonds and urge Congress to pass prompt legislation. Former U.S. national security adviser Sandy Berger has urged the White House to back such measures. Foreign Office Minister Peter Hain has pledged full support from the British government for any proposed sanctions.  
 
 
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