Sean Cleary
<p ><strong >Sean Cleary</strong> (born 26 October 1948) was a South African military intelligence operative in the 1960s and later became a south African diplomat based, among other places, in the US.<sup id="cite_ref-0" ><a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Sean_Cleary#cite_note-0" >[1]</a></sup> After leaving the diplomatic service Clearly set up a series of companies in London and elsewhere. Some of these were reported as being lobbying and propaganda fronts for the Apartheid regime. In addition Cleary acted as spokesperson for <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Jonas_Savimbi" title="Jonas Savimbi" >Jonas Savimbi</a> of <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/UNITA" title="UNITA" >UNITA</a> the US and Apartheid proxy engaged in subverting the Angolan government.<sup id="cite_ref-1" ><a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Sean_Cleary#cite_note-1" >[2]</a></sup> For example, Cleary's company <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Strategy_Network_International" title="Strategy Network International" >Strategy Network International</a> was described by <i>The Guardian</i> as being a key part of "an extensive network of right-wing organizations linked to the South African government". According to their investigation the company was "set up in the 1980s by Sean Cleary, a former South African diplomat who once served in Washington. Cleary's group spearheaded the 1989 election campaign in Namibia for pro-South African politicians running against the Namibian independence movement, Swapo".
His firm <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Strategy_Network_International" title="Strategy Network International" >Strategy Network International</a> was responsible for facilitating and financing the visit of Conservative MP's including <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/David_Cameron" title="David Cameron" >David Cameron</a> to foster sympathy for the regime in apartheid South Africa.<sup id="cite_ref-2" ><a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Sean_Cleary#cite_note-2" >[3]</a></sup> In 2003 Cleary was a non-executive chairman of security firm <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Erinys_International" title="Erinys International" >Erinys International</a>'s African subsidiary. Cleary is also Chairman of <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Transcontinental_Consultancy" title="Transcontinental Consultancy" >Transcontinental Consultancy</a> (Pty) Ltd, fellow of the <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/World_Economic_Forum" title="World Economic Forum" >World Economic Forum</a>, and a Trustee of the South African Foundation for Conciliation, and the Peace and Reconstruction Foundation.
Cleary was a member of the Facilitating Committee and the Preparatory Committee of the National Peace Accord, and Chairman of the Working Group on the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Organizations. He served on several national Advisory Committees in Namibia between 1985 and 1989<sup id="cite_ref-3" ><a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Sean_Cleary#cite_note-3" >[4]</a></sup>. In 2009 Cleary attended a conference entitled <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php?title=Enriching_the_Middle_East%27s_Economic_Future_Confidence&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Enriching the Middle East's Economic Future Confidence (page does not exist)" >Enriching the Middle East's Economic Future Confidence</a><sup id="cite_ref-4" ><a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Sean_Cleary#cite_note-4" >[5]</a></sup>. He is also on the board of directors at the <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/International_Foundation_for_Electoral_Systems" title="International Foundation for Electoral Systems" >International Foundation for Electoral Systems</a><sup id="cite_ref-5" ><a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Sean_Cleary#cite_note-5" >[6]</a></sup>and is listed as a volunteer on the <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php?title=Muslim_Leaders_of_Tomorrow&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow (page does not exist)" >Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow</a> website<sup id="cite_ref-6" ><a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Sean_Cleary#cite_note-6" >[7]</a></sup>. Cleary attended the 2009 <a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php?title=Milken_Institute&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Milken Institute (page does not exist)" >Milken Institute</a> Global Conference<sup id="cite_ref-7" ><a href="http://powerbase.info/index.php/Sean_Cleary#cite_note-7" >[8]</a></sup>.</p>