VZCZCXRO1371
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHFN #0603/01 2070852
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 260852Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0082
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0041
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0015
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0003

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000603 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL CASC ASEC MOPS SL LE IS
SUBJECT: TFLE01: LEBANESE IN SIERRA LEONE APPEAL TO U.S. 
FOR STOP TO ISRAELI ATTACKS 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: On July 25, five representatives from the 
Lebanese community in Sierra Leone met with the Ambassador 
and PolOff to present a letter asking for strong U.S. action 
to broker a ceasefire with Israel.  The President of the 
Lebanese Community in Sierra Leone said that the bombings are 
out of proportion to Hizballah's crime of kidnapping two 
Israeli soldiers and that women and children are needlessly 
suffering.  He added that many of the Lebanese community's 
family members have been trapped in Lebanon and that the 
Sierra Leone Government has been of little help.  Earlier, he 
gave a press conference at which his distanced the Lebanese 
community in Sierra Leone from Hizballah.  Despite the issue 
being prominent in the news, neither the Government of Sierra 
Leone nor the non-Lebanese public has reacted.  The Lebanese 
community, however, is distraught.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. On July 25, five representatives from the Lebanese 
community in Sierra Leone met with the Ambassador and PolOff 
to speak out against Israel's "indiscriminate" bombings of 
Lebanon.  They presented a letter (text in paragraph 7) and 
appealed for the U.S. to stop "dragging its feet" in calling 
for a cease fire. 
 
¶3. Samir Hassanyah, the President of the Lebanese community 
in Sierra Leone, said that the group was calling on the 
Ambassador to formally read the letter of protest against 
Israel's actions and to ask for immediate intervention of the 
U.S. to reach a cease fire with Israel.  The bombings, 
Hassanyeh said, are out of proportion to Hizballah's crime of 
kidnapping two Israeli soldiers.  Hassanyeh said that the 
Lebanese community is looking to the international community, 
particularly the Americans, to mediate a fair peace in the 
Middle East to ensure that everyone -- including Israel -- 
enjoys an equitable solution. 
 
¶4. Hassanyeh added that many of the Lebanese community's 
family members have been trapped in Lebanon and that the 
Sierra Leone Government has been of little help.  Hisham 
Mackie (Sierra Leone's largest exporter of rough diamonds) 
added that his wife and children, who had been stuck in 
Lebanon, just escaped overland to Jordan.   Mustafa 
Abu-Tarraf said that he is particularly concerned about the 
reports of Israel's possible use of chemical weapons against 
civilians. 
 
¶5. The Ambassador offered his sympathy for members of the 
Lebanese community, especially those with family members who 
are trapped in Lebanon and reiterated U.S. support for the 
Government of Lebanon.  He described U.S. efforts to address 
the emerging humanitarian situation and Secretary Rice's 
efforts to help establish conditions for a cease fire. 
Problems such as the Lebanese army's inability to deploy 
throughout the country and the use of Hizballah as a proxy by 
Syria and Iran both undermine Lebanon's fragile government, 
he said.  The Ambassador added that he would bring the 
concerns of the Lebanese delegation to Washington's attention. 
 
¶6. COMMENT: The Lebanese community in Sierra Leone is small 
but influential.  The Lebanese dominate the country's primary 
export industry (diamonds) and own most of the restaurants, 
grocery stores, and businesses that well-to-do Sierra 
Leoneans and the expatriate community patronize.  Although 
most Lebanese families have lived in Sierra Leone for 
generations, it is extremely difficult for them to obtain 
Sierra Leonean citizenship, so retaining close ties to 
Lebanon is the norm.  The Lebanese have always enjoyed 
friendly relations with the U.S. Embassy and some Sierra 
Leone Lebanese hold U.S. passports.  The appeal to the 
Ambassador was cordial, but it was clear that the 
representatives hold strong feelings about the events in 
Lebanon.  There are reportedly 600 Sierra Leoneans (of 
African and Lebanese extraction) trapped in Lebanon, with an 
ineffectual consulate unable to protect its citizens from the 
violence.  Although Lebanon has been prominent in the news, 
neither the Government of Sierra Leone nor the general public 
have reacted.  The Lebanese community, however, is 
distraught.  At various events this week neither the acting 
Head of State (Vice President) nor the acting Foreign 
Minister raised Lebanon with the Ambassador.  Hassanyeh 
earlier sent a letter to the UN ERSG (Executive 
Representative of the Secretary General) asking for Secretary 
General  Annan to seek a ceasefire, but got no response since 
the ERSG is out of the country.  He also gave a press 
conference at which he distanced the Lebanese community in 
Sierra Leone from Hizballah.  In our private conversations 
with Lebanese, their comments have ranged from criticism of 
Hizballah and Israel (mainly from Druze Christians) to belief 
(mainly from Muslims) that the U.S. could force Israel to 
cease fire.  We have had several calls from Lebanese 
 
FREETOWN 00000603  002 OF 002 
 
 
concerned about evacuating family members vacationing in 
Lebanon, especially from cases where some (but not all) 
family members are dual AmCits.  We have referred those to 
the Embassy in Beirut.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶7. BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER 
 
From The Office of the President of the Lebanese Community in 
Sierra Leone 
25 July 2006 
 
Your Excellency, 
 
The destruction of the infrastructure of Lebanon, the 
indiscriminate killings of innocent people, and the constant 
bombings of civilian areas has been condemned worldwide, and 
we are sure that Your Excellency has witnessed through the 
media the vast tragedy that is taking place in our country. 
 
The retaliation of Israel over the kidnapping by Hisbollah 
(sic) of two of their soldiers is way out of proportion, and 
this has been emphasized by United Nations agencies and other 
Humanitarian Groups worldwide. 
 
Your Excellency, hundreds of innocent children and women have 
been massacred by the Israeli bombings, and yet the super 
powers, and particularly the United States of America are 
seen to be dragging their feet to implement a cease fire 
between Lebanon and Israel. 
 
As representatives of the Lebanese Community in Sierra Leone, 
we are asking through your Excellency that the United States 
in collaboration with other major powers play a more vital 
role to ensure not only that a cease fire is implemented, but 
a justified solution to the conflict be put in place. 
 
Finally Your Excellency we wish to assure you that the 
friendly and cordial relationship between our Community and 
your Embassy is appreciated. 
 
Yours sincerely 
For the Lebanese Community in Sierra Leone 
Samir Hassanyeh 
President 
END TEXT OF LETTER 
HULL