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| − | {{person | + | {{Person |
| | + | |birth_date=1923/07/03 |
| | + | |death_date=1994/06/20 |
| | + | |death_place=London |
| | + | |nationality=Sierra Leonean |
| | + | |religion=Methodist |
| | + | |constitutes=Journalist, author |
| | |image=Bankole_Timothy.jpg | | |image=Bankole_Timothy.jpg |
| | |wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankole_Timothy | | |wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankole_Timothy |
| − | |constitutes=Journalist, author | + | |description=Biography of Sierra Leonean journalist, Bankole Timothy. |
| − | |birth_date=1923-07-03
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| − | |death_date=1994-06-20
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| − | |nationality=Sierra Leonean
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| | |employment= | | |employment= |
| | }} | | }} |
| | Emmanuel '''Bankole Timothy''' (3 July 1923 – 20 June 1994) was a [[Sierra Leone]]an [[journalist]]. He was also an author and wrote biographies of [[Albert Margai]], prime minister of Sierra Leone (1964–67), and [[Kwame Nkrumah]], president of [[Ghana]] (1960–66). Timothy was for many years editor of the ''Daily Graphic'' in Accra.<ref>[http://www.graphicghana.info/ ''Daily Graphic'' website]</ref> From 1965 until his retirement in 1993, Bankole Timothy was employed as a public relations specialist by the diamond mining and marketing cartel [[De Beers]]. | | Emmanuel '''Bankole Timothy''' (3 July 1923 – 20 June 1994) was a [[Sierra Leone]]an [[journalist]]. He was also an author and wrote biographies of [[Albert Margai]], prime minister of Sierra Leone (1964–67), and [[Kwame Nkrumah]], president of [[Ghana]] (1960–66). Timothy was for many years editor of the ''Daily Graphic'' in Accra.<ref>[http://www.graphicghana.info/ ''Daily Graphic'' website]</ref> From 1965 until his retirement in 1993, Bankole Timothy was employed as a public relations specialist by the diamond mining and marketing cartel [[De Beers]]. |
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| − | On Wednesday morning 21 December 1988, Bankole Timothy went to Heathrow airport to meet UN Commissioner for Namibia [[Bernt Carlsson]] on his arrival from Brussels, and conveyed Carlsson to a [[Bernt Carlsson#Carlsson's "secret meeting"|"secret meeting"]] at [[De Beers]] London headquarters. Following this meeting [[Bernt Carlsson]] returned to Heathrow and took [[Pan Am Flight 103]] to New York, where he was scheduled to attend the signing ceremony on 22 December 1988 of the [[New York Accords]], granting independence to [[Namibia]] that apartheid [[South Africa]] was occupying in defiance of [[United Nations Commissioner for Namibia#UNSCR 435|UN Security Council Resolution 435]].
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| − | On Wednesday evening 21 December 1988, [[Pan Am Flight 103]] was sabotaged over Lockerbie in Scotland, [[Bernt Carlsson#Highest profile Lockerbie bombing victim|killing Bernt Carlsson, the highest profile victim among its 259 passengers and crew]].
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| − | Which raises this crucial Lockerbie bombing question: how closely were Bankole Timothy and [[De Beers]] involved in the apartheid regime's [[Bernt Carlsson#Assassinated on Pan Am Flight 103|conspiracy to murder Bernt Carlsson on Pan Am Flight 103]]?
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| | ==Biography== | | ==Biography== |
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| | Bankole was well liked by all his colleagues because of his jovial and easy manner which were very much his hallmarks. It was felt that his major contribution while working for the London Diamond Companies was the work that he did with the African correspondents of the UK press and the excellent contacts he established in UK and foreign diplomatic circles. This helped to create a more favourable environment for the London Diamond Companies. | | Bankole was well liked by all his colleagues because of his jovial and easy manner which were very much his hallmarks. It was felt that his major contribution while working for the London Diamond Companies was the work that he did with the African correspondents of the UK press and the excellent contacts he established in UK and foreign diplomatic circles. This helped to create a more favourable environment for the London Diamond Companies. |
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| − | ===Bernt Carlsson's secret meeting===
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| − | [[File:Bernt_Carlsson_2.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Bernt Carlsson in the 1987 documentary "[[The Case of the Disappearing Diamonds]]"]]
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| − | In December 1988, former Labour MEP [[Michael McGowan]], as President of the Development Committee of the European Parliament, had invited [[Bernt Carlsson]], the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and [[UN Commissioner for Namibia]], to call in at Brussels. [[Bernt Carlsson]] was on his way back to the United States from [[Namibia]] and agreed to address members of the Development Committee. On 20 December 1988, at the European Parliament, [[Bernt Carlsson|Carlsson]] spoke about his hopes for an independent [[Namibia]] and the end of apartheid in [[South Africa]] to a packed meeting of MEPs.<ref>[http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/opinion/Michael-McGowan-The-best-tribute.5612963.jp "The best tribute to the 270 victims of Lockerbie is to find out the truth"]</ref>
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| − | Instead of returning directly to New York after the speech, [[Bernt Carlsson]] flew to London on 21 December 1988.
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| − | ===Never published in the English language===
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| − | [[Jan-Olof Bengtsson]], the political editor of ''Kvällsposten'' newspaper in Malmö, Sweden, explained [[Bernt Carlsson]]'s change of itinerary in a series of three articles in Sweden's ''iDAG'' newspaper on 12, 13 and 14 March 1990. Never published in the English language, these ''iDAG'' articles revealed that [[Commissioner Carlsson]]'s arm had been twisted by the diamond mining giant [[De Beers]] into making a stopover in London for a secret meeting and into joining the doomed [[Pan Am Flight 103]] at Heathrow, rather than taking as he had intended a Sabena flight direct from Brussels to New York.<ref>[http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4689149700934&l=0b52de0fed "Lockerbie: Bernt Carlsson's secret meeting in London"]</ref>
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| − | ===Stressed and nervous before death crash===
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| − | [[File:iDAG_1.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Jan-Olof Bengtsson's ''iDAG'' newspaper article of 12 March 1990]]
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| − | [[File:iDAG_2.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Jan-Olof Bengtsson's ''iDAG'' newspaper article of 12 March 1990]]
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| − | :"Pressad och nervös före dödskraschen"
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| − | :Bernt Carlsson, [[UN Commissioner for Namibia]], had less than seven hours to live when at 11.06am on 21 December 1988 he arrived in London on flight BA 391.
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| − | :Strictly speaking he was meant to fly directly from Brussels to New York in time for the historic signing of the Namibia Independence Agreement the day after. But [[Bernt Carlsson]] could not make it. He had a meeting. An important meeting with a "pressuriser" from the South African diamond cartel, which was so secret that evidently not even [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javier_P%C3%A9rez_de_Cu%C3%A9llar Javier Pérez de Cuéllar], UN Secretary-General, knew anything about it. Here ''iDAG'' maps out the last 24 hours in the life of Bernt Carlsson.
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| − | ===Meeting the diamond cartel===
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| − | :The memorial service in the Folkets Hus in Stockholm on 11 January 1989 for [[Bernt Carlsson]] gathered most of our Heads of Government, representatives of the [[Namibia]] independence movement [[SWAPO]] and Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, the UN Secretary-General.
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| − | :When he died in the [[Pan Am Flight 103|Pan Am bombing]], [[Bernt Carlsson]] was less than 24 hours away from the fulfilment of his dreams - the signing of the [[Namibia]] agreement in New York which would finally pave the way to a free and independent [[Namibia]]. This was supposed to be the climax of his career with the UN, a career that began in December 1986 when he was appointed Commissioner for Namibia. [[Bernt Carlsson]] had great support from [[SWAPO]] but much less so from [[South Africa]] because of that country's substantial economic interests in [[Namibia]]: an interest in gold, uranium but above all in diamonds.
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| − | :Javier Pérez de Cuéllar in his speech at the memorial ceremony on a cold day in January last year [1989] described the last 24 hours in the life of [[Bernt Carlsson]]:
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| − | ::"[[Bernt Carlsson]] was returning to New York following an official visit to Brussels where he had spoken to a Committee within the European Parliament about the Namibia agreement," Pérez de Cuéllar began. "He stopped briefly in London to honour a long-standing invitation by a non-governmental organisation with interests in Namibia."
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| − | :Pérez de Cuéllar was wrong. True, [[Bernt Carlsson]]'s trip to Brussels had been planned almost six months earlier. But his decision to return to New York via London was only made on 16 December 1988. The meeting in London was definitely not a long-standing invitation by [[Namibia]] sympathisers.
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| − | ===A diamond giant===
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| − | :This was about a secret meeting with a "pressuriser" from [[De Beers]], the giant diamond company. This company in turn owns [[Consolidated Diamond Mines]] ([[CDM]]), the world's largest producer of diamonds which have been produced for more than 60 years in [[Namibia]]. It goes without saying that [[Bernt Carlsson]] in his capacity of Commissioner for Namibia had contacts with representatives of a great number of countries and political organisations as part of his job.
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| − | ===Forced to travel===
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| − | :But why a secret meeting with the diamond cartel in London? A meeting which to all intents and purposes he did not want to have but was forced to. On around 8 or 9 December, [[Bernt Carlsson|Carlsson]] receives a telephone call from the "pressuriser" at his United Nations office in New York. The telephone call is from London. We do not know what the telephone call was about. However, [[Bernt Carlsson]] is unsure. He does not know whether to act or not. As if going might put him in a compromising position. On the morning of 16 December, the day on which the travel arrangements are changed, [[Bernt Carlsson]] meets up with an old friend who has come to see him. He is Weine Karlsson, head of department at Stockholm University:
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| − | ::"In the early morning we sat talking in [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]]'s office," he explains. "But after only a few minutes he became uneasy and asked me to go and wait in another room of the office. He had something urgent to deal with. It is possible that it had something to do with the trip. He said that 'important business needs to be done'. He was away for about half an hour."
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| − | ==='[[De Beers|Polished gangsters]]'===
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| − | :Weine Karlsson continues his story:
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| − | ::"We all know that [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] was very unobtrusive. Shy almost. Only, now and again he exploded. As when suddenly he said to me, 'You've got no idea what '[[De Beers|polished gangsters]]' we are dealing with here'."
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| − |
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| − | :On 19 December, [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] leaves New York for Brussels to make his speech in the European Parliament the next day. The visit was arranged by David Lowe, now with the [[Socialist International]]. Right up to this interview, he has felt 'guilt-ridden' and convinced that it was he who 'enticed' [[Bernt Carlsson|Carlsson]] to go to Europe and therefore is 'indirectly responsible for his death on the plane'. But when Lowe learns about the secret meeting in London, he is calm again.
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| − | ::"He made his speech on 20 December, before the Development Committee in Brussels," Lowe says. "After the meeting we went to a restaurant for lunch and discussions with some other friends. Our discussions continued until about 3pm." David Lowe continues: "It was at this point that [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] suddenly said that he had to check out as he had to meet 'some friends' in London. I thought to myself, Good Lord, he has all this going on in New York. He will be even more tired than he is already. I remember thinking he was mad and why not go directly to New York for the signing of the agreement? I gathered he would catch a flight from Brussels to London at about 5pm that evening."
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| − | :However, Bernt Carlsson had 'lied' to his friend David Lowe. He stayed in Brussels that afternoon and only arrived in London the day after - on 21 December.
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| − | ===Mysterious 'pressuriser'===
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| − | :When we telephoned his old colleagues at the [[Namibia]] office, not one of them wished to talk about the meeting with the mysterious 'pressuriser' from the diamond cartel:
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| − | ::"All I know is that [[Bernt Carlsson]] was travelling to London to meet representatives of an NGO (in this case organisations friendly towards [[Namibia]])," says Malthi Ranin who was his secretary at the time.
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| − | :''iDAG'' has a copy of a private memorandum which says something completely different. This is a memorandum to [[Bernt Carlsson]] from his own office:
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| − | ::"Mr Timothy says he will be waiting for you as soon as you get through the tunnel. Your meeting will finish in time for your next arrangement at 2pm. He will also provide a car to take you round."
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| − | :'Mr Timothy'? His full name is Bankole Timothy. Not much known about him. Just another name working for the diamond cartel. But one who does know something about him is Randolph Vigne, secretary of the [[Namibia]] support committee:
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| − | ::"Bankole Timothy worked for the PR department at [[De Beers]] for 15 to 20 years. I understand they pensioned him off but called him back when the independence of [[Namibia]] suddenly started accelerating. They probably felt they needed someone like him with contacts." Vigne continues: "I don't think he works for them any more. I believe he had a temporary assignment which is now completed."
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| − | :Was [[Bernt Carlsson]] that temporary assignment?
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| − | ===Aggressive discussions===
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| − | :''[[iDAG]]'' managed to track down Bankole Timothy. But the telephone conversation was brief. And aggressive: "Could you tell me what you and [[Bernt Carlsson]] talked about when you met in London on 21 December 1988?" He replied:
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| − | ::"I am sorry. I am very, very sorry but I have nothing to say about it." You do not want.....(we are interrupted). "Do not disturb me any more. I am going out. I don't know how you got my number. I'm going out and you start asking questions about....."
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| − | :You met [[Bernt Carlsson]] on the morning of 21 December and.....(we are interrupted)
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| − | ::"Don't disturb me anymore. What are you on about? (screams) I don't know who you are. And you want to interview me on the phone. I have no comments to make!"
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| − | :At about 5.30pm on 21 December 1988 the telephone rings in the home of [[Pentti Väänänen]], then Secretary-General of the [[Socialist International]], and an old friend of [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]]:
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| − | ::"It was [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] calling from the airport just before he boarded [[Pan Am 103]]," he says. "We exchanged Christmas greetings and talked a little about the [[Namibia]] agreement."
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| − | :Did he tell you who he had seen in London?
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| − | ::"No".
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| − | :How would you describe his frame of mind?
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| − | ::"If you want me to tell you in just a few words, he sounded nervous," he replied.
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| − | ===Climax of his life===
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| − | :Nervous? Why? [[Bernt Carlsson]] was close to the climax of his life with the Namibia agreement the next day. He should have been happy and optimistic. But why nervous?
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| − | :PICTURE CAPTIONS (page one of article): Not even Javier Perez de Cuellar, UN Secretary-General, knew about [[Bernt Carlsson]]'s new travel arrangements. Today, not one of [[Bernt Carlsson|Carlsson]]'s old colleagues wants to say anything about the mysterious meeting with the diamond cartel in London. (page two of the article-large picture): [[Bernt Carlsson]] should have travelled directly from Brussels to New York for the historic signing of the [[New York Accords|Namibia agreement]]. Instead, he altered his travel arrangements and became one of the passengers who died on the [[Pan Am 103]]. (Picture left-hand side): His friend, [[Pentti Väänänen]], thought that [[Bernt Carlsson]] seemed nervous before his trip to New York, despite approaching the climax of his life. (Right-hand picture): [[Bernt Carlsson]] had a secret meeting in London with the world's largest producer of diamonds. It would seem that he was coerced into it.
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| − | :TOMORROW: When, in the days following the crash, [[Bernt Carlsson|Carlsson]]'s belongings are checked in his sealed UN office in New York, people find to their amazement that his safe is empty. In the days before his death he warns a friend in New York not to open a parcel by sender unknown. The day after [[Bernt Carlsson]]'s death, CDM, the diamond producer, publishes the discovery of a new diamond mine in [[Namibia]].
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| − | ===Beware Christmas parcel bombs===
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| − | [[File:iDAG_3.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Jan-Olof Bengtsson's ''iDAG'' newspaper article of 13 March 1990]]
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| − | [[File:iDAG_4.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Jan-Olof Bengtsson's ''iDAG'' newspaper article of 13 March 1990]]
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| − | The second ''iDAG'' article about Bernt Carlsson was published on 13 March 1990:
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| − | ===The safe was empty===
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| − | :"Kassaskåpet var tomt"
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| − | :When [[Bernt Carlsson]]'s safe was opened six days after the [[Pan Am 103|Pan Am explosion]], those present had a minor shock: the safe was empty! Despite the fact that the office had been sealed already on 21 December 1988, and his private apartment the day after, by the UN's own security staff. The opening was witnessed by, among others, [[Bernt Carlsson]]'s girl friend [[Sanya Popovic]], his sister Inger Carlsson-Musser and Embassy Counsellor Stefan Noréen of the Swedish Delegation at the UN. In the days immediately before [[Bernt Carlsson]] made the trip to his secret meeting in London, which we wrote about yesterday, he was very uneasy.
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| − | :According to [[Sanya Popovic]]
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| − | ::"December was like clouded in a nightmare. He became increasingly nervous. He said that if I received a parcel I was not to open it under any circumstances. This was on 17 December. He said that people usually start getting parcels at this time, it being Christmas. But unless I knew who sent it, I was not to open it."
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| − | :On 22 December - the day after the [[Pan Am Flight 103|Pan Am bombing]] - [[Bernt Carlsson]]'s apartment was sealed off. ::"The lock was changed," says [[Sanya Popovic]]. "I was given one key, and the UN security department had another. I was told that sealing off everything could take a long time pending the analysis. I therefore ensured that all windows were properly locked, all lights switched off, etc. A few days later, however, a friend and I passed by the apartment in a taxi. The apartment is easy to recognise from the outside: front view, third floor and five windows. My friend pointed out that the lights were on. So I got out and walked back. I found that some lights were switched on but there was no-one there." [[Sanya Popovic]] continues: "If there was anything of interest in the apartment, someone else got to it first."
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| − | :On the evening of the [[Lockerbie Bombing|disaster]], the Swedish foreign minister, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sten_Andersson Sten Andersson], telephoned [[Bernt Carlsson]]'s sister Inger Carlsson-Musser, who had lived in the US for almost 20 years, to give his commiserations. On 28 December 1988 Inger Carlsson-Musser travelled to New York to go through [[Bernt Carlsson]]'s belongings in his UN office. This was the office which had been sealed off since the day of the accident. She asked [[Sanya Popovic]] and the Embassy Counsellor Stefan Noréen to help. We understand that his safe was empty. What can you say about that?
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| − | ::"Yes, it was empty," says [[Sanya Popovic]]. "And this was very unlike [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] who was very security-conscious and kept all his documents under lock and key. But above all the office was sealed off. No-one should have been able to get in."
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| − | ===Refusal to comment===
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| − | :Embassy Counsellor Stefan Noréen:
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| − | ::"I was assisting Inger Carlsson-Musser in taking charge of her brother's personal belongings in the office. Nothing else happened there." Can you confirm that the safe was empty when it was opened? "I refuse to comment," Noréen replied. Is it true or not? "I refuse to comment. I was there. But I do not want to talk about what exactly happened. If anyone should comment surely they should be [[Bernt Carlsson]]'s family."
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| − | :''iDAG'' tried to contact Inger Carlsson-Musser, but without success. We would have asked her about the empty safe. Also, to explain information from foreign investigative journalists who claimed that foreign minister, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sten_Andersson Sten Andersson], had asked her to keep an eye out for a specific document which was supposed to be held in the safe.
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| − | ===The wanted document===
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| − | :We have not obtained any comments from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sten_Andersson Sten Andersson] either. We did, however, speak to his private secretary, Pierre Schori, who used to be a close friend of [[Bernt Carlsson]].
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| − | :During a secret meeting in London, [[Bernt Carlsson]] met a person called Bankole Timothy. Do you know him?
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| − | ::"No, I know of no-one of that name."
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| − | :He represents the diamond cartel.
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| − | ::"The diamond cartel," queries Pierre Schori, almost laughing. "I know nothing about that."
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| − | :We know that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sten_Andersson Sten Andersson] telephoned [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]]'s sister Inger Carlsson-Musser in the USA.
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| − | ::"Naturally."
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| − | :We are informed by foreign journalists that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sten_Andersson Sten Andersson] was looking for some documents which [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]]'s sister Inger was supposed to be able to help in finding, and which were kept in [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]]'s safe.
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| − | ::"This is nonsense, as far as I'm concerned. What's this all about?"
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| − | :We understand that the safe was empty when it was opened.
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| − | ::"I know nothing about that. I don't understand a word. All I can say is that it is nonsense to claim that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sten_Andersson Sten Andersson] should have done this or that."
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| − | :[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sten_Andersson Sten Andersson] is difficult to get hold of. Perhaps we should ask him?
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| − | ::"I know this is all nonsense. I think you're on the wrong track," Schori replied.
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| − | ===New diamond mine===
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| − | :On 22 December, the day after the [[Pan Am Flight 103|Pan Am bombing]], it was announced by [[Consolidated Diamond Mines]], wholly-owned by [[De Beers]], that $36m is being invested in new diamond production in [[Namibia]]. This will be done in Auchas, 45km from Oranjemund. It is estimated that the annual yield of diamonds over a ten-year period will amount to roughly the equivalent of 50 million Swedish Krona (SEK). The announcement is mentioned in a 'country report' about [[Namibia]] which was issued last year [1989] and published by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The report says, ''inter alia'':
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| − | ::"The company made their announcement on 22 December 1988, which was also the date that the [[New York Accords|Namibia agreement]] was signed." :This is brushed aside as pure coincidence by [[De Beers]] representatives in London.
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| − | ===Criticism by [[Bernt Carlsson|Carlsson]]===
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| − | :[[Bernt Carlsson]], as the intended [[UN Commissioner for Namibia]], rarely spoke about the enormous diamond assets in the country and the multi-national companies exploiting the finds. There is, however, one exception. He was interviewed for a British TV documentary entitled '[[Case of the Disappearing Diamonds]]' by Granada which was broadcast early in December 1988. In the programme, [[De Beers#Bernt Carlsson|Bernt Carlsson speaks about the ruthless exploitation taking place in the diamond business]]:
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| − | ::"The business has tried to pick the raisin from the cake. This means that they have been after the large diamonds instead of calm but constant development. The way they are doing it will endanger the survival of the mines."
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| − | ===Hungry for profit===
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| − | :[[Bernt Carlsson|Carlsson]] continues:
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| − | ::"One would expect from a worldwide organisation like [[De Beers]] to behave in a socially and financially responsible manner. However, as far as Namibia is concerned, they have only been interested in the maximum profit without regard to social, economic-political or even legal considerations."
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| − | :On 16 March 1989 [[De Beers]] announced yet another diamond find in [[Namibia]]. This time it is a mine in Elizabeth Bay from which over the next ten years SEK300m-worth of diamonds are expected to be dug up. This particular find appears to delight the mysterious Bankole Timothy and, unusually, he himself issues the press release to the surprised public.
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| − | :PICTURE CAPTIONS (page 1 of article - picture 1) [[Sanya Popovic]] was present when the safe was opened and discovered to be empty. [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] was very security-conscious and kept all his documents under lock and key. (picture 2) This is [[Bernt Carlsson|Carlsson]]'s home in New York. The apartment was sealed off after the death crash. [[Bernt Carlsson|Carlsson]]'s girlfriend later determined that someone had entered the apartment. (page 2 - picture 1) ''iDAG'' could reveal yesterday that [[Bernt Carlsson|Carlsson]] met representatives of a diamond cartel with interests in [[Namibia]] during a secret meeting in London. (picture 2) [[Bernt Carlsson]] felt very uneasy. He warned his girlfriend about opening parcels from senders unknown.
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| − | :TOMORROW: "I cannot say that I can explain why [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] changed his travel arrangements. [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] took the only explanation with him", says a very close friend for many years. This friend always walked close to [[Bernt Carlsson]], and yet stayed away from the public eye.
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| − | ===Change of travel plans===
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| − | [[File:iDAG_5.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Jan-Olof Bengtsson's ''iDAG'' newspaper article of 14 March 1990]]
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| − | :This is the third and final part of Sweden's ''iDAG'' newspaper reportage by [[Jan-Olof Bengtsson]] on 14 March 1990 "Han tog Svaren på Frågorna med Sig":
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| − | ::"I cannot say that I can explain why [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] changed his travel arrangements. [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] took the only explanation with him."
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| − | :Her name is Meta Johansson, and she is a close friend of [[Bernt Carlsson]] for many years. A close friend who was always there but far from the limelight and all the scrutiny. ''iDAG'' spoke to her.
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| − | :[[Bernt Carlsson]] in his many years as an international worker for solidarity experienced a great deal of misery, a lot of drama and many weird and wonderful cases. But he carried on regardless and worked for what he believed in. In a discreet, almost shy, manner. Always determinedly and in a very competent way.
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| − | ===Witness to murder===
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| − | :On 10 April 1983, [[Bernt Carlsson]] who was Secretary-General of the [[Socialist International]] ([[SI]]) at the time, was an eye witness to the fatal shooting of the moderate Palestinian [[Issam Sartawi]] in the lobby of Hotel Montochero in Albufeira, Portugal. The terrorist, [[Abu Nidal]], claimed responsibility for the killing. Because of his job as [[SI]] Secretary-General, his apartment in London at the time was subject to a number of break-ins while he was overseas.
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| − | :These are some examples of the security measures taken by [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]]: When they opened [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]]'s safe in his New York office, it was found to be empty.
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| − | ::"Yes, so I heard," replies Meta Johansson.
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| − | :Isn't that strange?
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| − | ::"Yes, clearly this is very strange. But I do not know the rules of the game in cases such as this."
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| − | ===No theory===
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| − | :She continues:
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| − | ::"I have helped his family go through all the papers and documents which we found in his apartment in the US. Neither the family nor I have found any papers linked to the accident."
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| − | :Do you have any theory as to why the safe was empty?
| |
| − | ::"I have no theory. Nor do I know who had access to the safe. [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]]'s sister Inger does not know either."
| |
| − | :Do you know anything about what [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sten_Andersson Sten Andersson] spoke to the sister, [[Inger Carlsson-Musser]], about?
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| − | ::"No, as I was not there, I cannot know what he asked her to do. And I was not present when the safe was opened. So I'm sure you will understand that I cannot comment on this."
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| − |
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| − | ===Speculations===
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| − | :Meta Johansson continues:
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| − | ::"If I may say so without being misunderstood, I have had so many speculations in my head that I doubt if there can be any more. Some more constructive than others."
| |
| − | :[[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] was very security-conscious, isn't that right?
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| − | ::"Yes, very much so. But being security-conscious also meant that he carried important documents with him in his hand luggage. There were documents that he would want to take personal care of."
| |
| − | :But the safe was completely empty. Also of 'unimportant documents'?
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| − | ::"That is true."
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| − |
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| − | ===Bankole Timothy===
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| − | :What do you know about Bankole Timothy, the person [[Bernt Carlsson]] met in secret in London?
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| − | ::"I am very sorry, but I cannot help you with any information about that meeting."
| |
| − | :Why is the subject so sensitive?
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| − | ::"I don't think it's sensitive. I just feel the people involved with the matter should speak."
| |
| − | :We understand that [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] was not particularly interested in meeting this person. That he was afraid he might be discredited as a neutral UN official?
| |
| − | ::"Obviously, with the kind of work [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] was engaged in he would meet many people. And of course some people are more interesting to meet than others. But you are forced to. With [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]], whatever he considered important to his work, he would go and do. Even if not every time he would jump with joy and shout hooray and think this was the best thing in the world. He was extremely dutiful."
| |
| − | :Do you know anything about the position of Bankole Timothy?
| |
| − | ::"I know who he is and what he is doing."
| |
| − | :How would you describe it?
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| − | ::"No, I do not want to."
| |
| − | :How would you explain why [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] changed his travel arrangements at the 11th hour? His intermediate landing in London for this meeting before he returned to New York?
| |
| − | ::"I cannot say that I can explain the change in travel arrangements. [[Bernt Carlsson|Bernt]] took the only explanation with him. You can speak to a lot of people. But only a few are likely to know why Bernt changed his mind."
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| − |
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| − | ===Many questions===
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| − | :''iDAG'' does not wish to claim with these articles that [[Bernt Carlsson]] was the target of the bomb which blasted [[Pan Am 103]] from the air and in which he was one of the 259 victims. We have no basis to make such a claim. We have only wanted to point out what seems to be a number of curious circumstances and that maybe no-one will ever have the full answers to the questions. What forced [[Bernt Carlsson]] to fly to the secret meeting in London and which was against his will? Why does Bankole Timothy refuse to say what the meeting was about, but gets aggressive when he is asked?
| |
| − |
| |
| − | :Why was [[Bernt Carlsson]]'s safe in New York empty when it was opened on 28 December 1988? The questions are many, but the answers are few.
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| − |
| |
| − | :PICTURE CAPTIONS (top) ''iDAG'' has in a series of articles revealed a number of fascinating facts linked to [[Bernt Carlsson]] and the [[Pan Am Flight 103|Lockerbie disaster]]. (in main text) The Swedish diplomat and UN Commissioner for Namibia, [[Bernt Carlsson]], was killed on 21 December 1988 when a [[Pan Am Flight 103|Pan Am flight]] on its way to New York crashed at Lockerbie in Scotland.
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| | | | |
| | ==Author== | | ==Author== |
Emmanuel Bankole Timothy (3 July 1923 – 20 June 1994) was a Sierra Leonean journalist. He was also an author and wrote biographies of Albert Margai, prime minister of Sierra Leone (1964–67), and Kwame Nkrumah, president of Ghana (1960–66). Timothy was for many years editor of the Daily Graphic in Accra.[1] From 1965 until his retirement in 1993, Bankole Timothy was employed as a public relations specialist by the diamond mining and marketing cartel De Beers.
Biography
Bankole Timothy was born in Sierra Leone on 3 July 1923. He attended the Methodist Boys' High School in Freetown where, as senior prefect, he was already establishing himself as a journalist by writing for the Sierra Leone Weekly News. In 1941, he became a clerk in the confidential branch of the Colonial Secretary's Office where, among many other issues, the question of illicit diamond buying was one of the major concerns. Unbeknown to Timothy, the diamond industry would become very much a part of his life when he later joined the Diamond Corporation West Africa Limited (DICORWAF).
After school in 1943, he attended the University Tutorial College in London, England, hoping to prepare himself for a career in dentistry, a vocation his father was keen for him to follow. His guardian then was the famous Methodist minister, the Reverend William Sangster.
Journalist
During this time, Timothy began freelancing articles and also acted as London correspondent for the Sierra Leone Weekly News, Ashanti Pioneer and some Asian newspapers. In addition, he gave interviews on current affairs for the BBC and broadcast some of his poetry. In 1945, he joined the Daily Express, where he was given a trial assignment, before the proprietor at the time, Lord Beaverbrook, employed him as a general reporter. The Daily Express gave Timothy a great deal of international experience as his assignments involved travelling to North Africa and Jamaica.
In 1950, the Daily Express appointed him a parliamentary reporter for the paper in London. It was during this period that he was able to secure an exclusive interview with Sir Seretse Khama, who at that time was in dispute with the British government. Timothy looked back upon this period working for Lord Beaverbrook as one of the many highlights of his life.
His second great journalistic experience was when he was appointed to Ghana's main newspaper, The Daily Graphic, in 1951. The then head of the Mirror Group, Cecil King, who was responsible for starting this Ghanaian paper, felt that Timothy was ideally suited for this particular post. His writing and features became well-known and he travelled extensively in Ghana. At this time, not long after Ghana's independence, the situation started to deteriorate for the government and, as a result of his writing, much of which was critical of the government, Timothy was deported since it was decided that his presence "was not conducive to the public good". This confirmed Bankole as a commentator who was not prepared to compromise his ideals. On 2 August 1951, Timothy left Ghana for Freetown. After a short stay there, he returned to London to further his journalistic career. He eventually became assistant editor of the Central Office of Information magazine, Commonwealth Today, and during this time he was invited to attend the Tashkent conference of African writers in the Soviet Union.
Return to Sierra Leone
In 1959, Bankole Timothy decided to return to Sierra Leone, where he joined the government's Information Services and was eventually appointed its head. He toured Sierra Leone widely and was in charge of training junior staff. He was responsible for the setting up of the publications department and he also had special responsibility for overseas publicity. His great triumph was the Queen's visit to Sierra Leone in 1961, when he coordinated the press arrangements; he was later awarded the MVO (Member of the Victorian Order) for his work during this important visit.
In 1965, Bankole was appointed to the Diamond Corporation West Africa Limited and, after a brief period in the public relations department in Freetown, he was transferred to London.
PR for De Beers
Senior management recognised Bankole Timothy's communication skills and his understanding of problems and issues relating to developing Africa. His appointment was designed to strengthen the Diamond Corporation West Africa's relationship, as part of the Central Selling Organisation (CSO), with the major producers in West Africa and he rapidly took to his role of helping to brief senior management on West African affairs until his retirement in July 1993.
Bankole was well liked by all his colleagues because of his jovial and easy manner which were very much his hallmarks. It was felt that his major contribution while working for the London Diamond Companies was the work that he did with the African correspondents of the UK press and the excellent contacts he established in UK and foreign diplomatic circles. This helped to create a more favourable environment for the London Diamond Companies.
Author
Bankole published several books during his lifetime, notably Letters to Youth published in 1949, The Gold Coast and the Constitution (co-authored with J. H. Price) and his major achievement, which was the biography of Kwame Nkrumah, first published by AlIen and Unwin in 1954 and later produced in a second edition. Timothy was very much an Africanist. He joined the Anglo Sierra Leone Society in 1962, chaired it from 1979 to 1985, and was appointed its chief patron in 1992. A tireless supporter of this society, he was responsible for ensuring that it received a great deal of support from the London Diamond Companies.
Preacher
Timothy's work in the Methodist Church was always central to his life and he was well known in UK church circles. He worked initially as a local preacher at Methodist Central Hall and then later became secretary of the circuit meeting. Timothy eventually transferred to the Hinde Street Methodist Church, where he was appointed circuit steward. He preached throughout the UK and was described as "a great and generous advocate".
Timothy died at the age of 70 on 20 June 1994, after a short illness,
Selected publications
- Albert Margai of Africa
- Kwame Nkrumah: His rise to power, Northwestern University Press (1963)
- Missionary Shepherds and African Sheep: how does Christianity as preached and practised by Europe and America appear to Africans?, Daystar Press (1971)
- Africa: Dawn or Darkness?, Davison Publishing Ltd (1976). ISBN 978-0-904130-08-9
- Kwame Nkrumah, from cradle to grave, Gavin Press (1981). ISBN 978-0-905868-06-6
- Yesterday's Africans, Delta of Nigeria (1982). ISBN 978-978-2335-95-1
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References
This page imported content from
Wikipedia on 20 March 2015.
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Bankole Timothy 
