VZCZCXYZ0023
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDK #2093/01 2431153
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 311153Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6168
INFO RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA PRIORITY 1299
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY PRIORITY 1153
RUEHFN/AMEMBASSY FREETOWN PRIORITY 0816
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0751

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAKAR 002093 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR PRM/A, DRL/AE AND AF/W 
ACCRA FOR REFCOORD 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2016 
TAGS: PREF PHUM SL GV SG
SUBJECT: REFUGEE REFERRAL FOR SIERRA LEONE REFUGEE JOSEPH 
F.M. SANKOH 
 
 
Classified By: DCM Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (d). 
 
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST 
-------------------------- 
¶1.  (C) Embassy Dakar requests authorization for a refugee 
referral to the U.S. Resettlement Program on behalf of Sierra 
Leone refugee Joseph F.M. Sankoh, who took refuge in Dakar in 
March 2006.  He, his wife and otehr family members previously 
took refuge in Guinea in 1997.  The family joined him in 
Dakar on August 30, 2006.  Sankoh has presented evidence of 
persecution based on his political opinion and position as 
personal assistant/secretary to former President Momoh.  He 
was exiled to Guinea in 1992, where he received refugee 
status from UNHCR.  However, he was arrested and imprisoned 
twice (once in Sierra Leone and once in Guinea), and 
ultimately forced to flee to Dakar in 2006.  His 
father-in-law was burned alive for harboring him and his 
family during their original escape from Sierra Leone.  He 
and his family have received numerous threats, and his family 
was recently taken by police in Guinea for questioning as to 
Sankoh's whereabouts.  After growing increasingly fearful for 
their lives, his family joined him in Dakar, but they have no 
means of financial or other support.  Embassy believes their 
lives are in immediate danger.  END SUMMARY AND ACTION 
REQUEST. 
 
POST'S REFERRAL 
--------------- 
¶2.  (C) Post's refugee referral is for Joseph F.M. Sankoh 
(DPOB: 26 SEP 1966, Simbaia, Sierra Leone) and his family who 
are currently in hiding in Dakar.  His family members' names 
and DPOBs are: 
 
Spouse:  Aicha Sankoh (DPOB: 29 Sep 79, Makeni, Sierra Leone) 
Daughter: Josephine Sankoh (DPOB: 2 Oct 99, Conakry, Guinea) 
Son: Edward Sankoh (DPOB: 9 Dec 2000, Conakry, Guinea) 
Daughter: Esther Sankoh (DPOB: 1 Apr 2003, Conakry, Guinea) 
Brother: John Sankoh (DPOB: 14 Dec 64, Bendugu, Sierra Leone) 
Brother: David Sankoh (DPOB: 14 Jan 77, Bendugu, Sierra Leone) 
Sister: Kadiatu Sankoh (DPOB: 18 Mar 82, Bendugu, Sierra 
Leone) 
Spouse's Brother: Raymond Kamara (DPOB: 25 Jul 75, Makeni, 
Sierra Leone) 
Spouse's Brother: Moses Kamara (DPOB: 3 Aug 77, Makeni, 
Sierra Leone) 
Spouse's Brother: Djibril Kamara (DPOB: 1 Jan 80, Makeni, 
Sierra Leone) 
Spouse's Sister: Kadiatu Kamara (DPOB: 14 May 84, Makeni, 
Sierra Leone) 
Spouse's Brother: Kelvin Kamara (DPOB: 25 Aug 86, Makeni, 
Sierr Leone) 
Spouse's Sister's Daughter: Nampie Kamara(DPOB: 2 Nov 2001, 
Conakry, Guinea) 
 
In additin, Joseph has a son named Elijah Sankoh (DPOB: 29 
Jun 89, Freetown, Sierra Leone), who was taken byhis 
biological mother to Sierra Leone. 
 
¶3.  (C Sankoh finished his university education in Sierra 
Leone in 1989.  Upon completing his studies, he began working 
as then President Joseph Momoh's personal 
assistant/secretary.  He was also related to Momoh by 
marriage, and Momoh's wife "adopted" him as her son.  In 
1992, a military coup overthrew Momoh and sent Momoh and 
Sankoh into exile in Guinea. 
 
¶4.  (C) They remained there until February 1997, when Sankoh 
said he and Momoh were ordered to return to Sierra Leone, 
along with all other politicians in exile.  In May of that 
year, there was another coup, followed by Momoh's arrest. 
Sankoh and his family, in fear for their lives, escaped to 
Makeni (in northern Sierra Leone), and then to Conakry.  His 
youngest daughter died during the escape.  She got sick and 
could not seek medical attention.  While still in Makeni, 
they stayed with Sankoh's father-in-law, who was later burned 
alive for harboring them.  In 1998, Sankoh was arrested in 
Conakry and sent back to Sierra Leone.  He spent 25 days in 
prison, where his only food was an occasional portion of 
cornmeal.  He was freed when Revolutionary United Front 
rebels burned down the prison. 
 
¶5.  (C) He returned to Conakry, where he remained with his 
family and Momoh (who had since been freed from prison) until 
Momoh's death in 2003.  Momoh died shortly after receiving a 
letter from the GOSL, denying Momoh's requests for the return 
 
of his property, a diplomatic passport, and medical care.  In 
an interview with BBC after Momoh's death, Sankoh accused the 
Government of Sierra Leone of being responsible for Momoh's 
death.  Just after that interview, Sankoh began receiving 
threats to his life and intimidating visits from unknown 
persons.  In January 2006, Guinean security forces entered 
his home and beat him and his family.  They then arrested and 
imprisoned him in the Central Prison of Conakry.  He was 
released in March, after the International Committtee of the 
Red Cross intervened in his case.  Immediately upon release, 
he fled to Dakar, where he went into hiding.  On August 9, he 
heard reports that his family had been taken in by gendarmes 
for hours of questioning about Sankoh's whereabouts.  On 
August 30, they succeeded in fleeing Conakry and joining 
Sankoh in Dakar.  He and his family are frightened and have 
little money to survive. 
 
¶6.  (C) Post has corroborated Sankoh's story with Embassy 
Freetown, which confirmed that Sankoh was not involved in 
committing serious human rights violations.  The Sankohs have 
approached UNHCR/Dakar, but they have reportedly received no 
assistance from the Dakar office. 
 
¶7.  (C) ACTION REQUEST: PRM's immediate consideration of this 
request is greatly appreciated.  END ACTION REQUEST. 
JACOBS