Diamonds have been both a blessing and a curse on Sierra Leone. They generate hundreds of millions of dollars-worth of revenue, but very little of this benefits the ordinary people of Sierra Leone, as the gems are fought over and smuggled out to Europe.

The leader of the Kamajor rebels, who say they are fighting for the replacement of the Sierra Leone military regime by the civilian leader ousted in a coup d'etat last May, said Tongo was a "big catch" from a military and financial point of view. A spokesman for the military government, said Tongo could be retaken, but that the government did not want to mount a big offensive because this would lead to all-out war.