PRESS BRIEFING
WEDNESDAY, 24 JANUARY, 2001
MARGARET NOVICKI - CHIEF, PUBLIC INFORMATION SECTION
AND MAJOR M. M. YERIMA - MILITARY SPOKESMAN

UNHCR Says Humanitarian Situation Deteriorates In Guinea

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says that the security situation in Gueckedou, Guinea is deteriorating on a daily basis. The UNHCR describes the situation as the most dramatic faced by the agency anywhere in the world and continues to be concerned about the fate of 250,000 refugees trapped in the area where the army and rebels are battling for control. No food aid has reached the area for four months, and the last aid workers were forced to withdraw over a week ago as the fighting intensified.

UNAMSIL Evacuates IDPs For Medical Treatment

Eight hundred new Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Yeliboya Island have arrived in Barlo Wharf since 22 January, which is reported to have been attacked by Guinean gun ships on 20 January. Eleven civilians who arrived wounded were evacuated to the Governmental hospital in Lungi, and four others who were seriously injured were airlifted to Freetown for medical treatment by UNAMSIL. Some of the victims had both shrapnel wounds and burns.

UNHCR Staffer Freed In Liberia

Joseph Loua, a radio operator for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, who had been abducted in the southern Guinean town of Gueckedou on 6 December, was freed on Monday, 22 January in Liberia. Gunmen had abducted Mr. Loua from Gueckedou as he tried to send a radio message about an attack there. UNHCR reports that Mr. Loua is in good shape and the agency is arranging his speedy transfer to Conakry.

African Preparatory Meeting Begins For Racism Conference

A three-day African regional preparatory meeting for the World Conference against Racism began deliberating in Dakar, Senegal, on 22 January with a call for more democracy in Africa by Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade. In his keynote address, President Wade said Africans should courageously look to the future where human rights and genuine democracy would be the challenge. Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Secretary-General of the Conference, called for a discussion of gender discrimination and underlined the multiple forms of discrimination suffered by women. Mrs. Robinson also commended the role of Africa's women's organizations in mobilizing support for the world conference. The Dakar meeting is the third of a series of regional meetings in preparation for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance to be held in Durban, South Africa, later this year.

UNAMSIL Civil Affairs Meets With National Resettlement Assessment Committee (NRAC)

UNAMSIL Civil Affairs Officers participated in a meeting of the National Resettlement Assessment Committee (NRAC) held at the National Commission for Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement (NCRRR) headquarters. The meeting considered the reports of the District Resettlement Assessment Committees for the four districts in the Southern Province and endorsed their recommendation to the NRAC to declare all the chiefdoms in these districts safe for resettlement and repatriation of IDPs and refugees. It is expected that based on the Committee's recommendation, the Government of Sierra Leone will begin to repatriate some IDPs who are currently in camps nation-wide to the province.

Meanwhile, the Civil Affairs Section held two separate meetings with the Coordinator of the NCRRR for the Northern Province and the Acting Regional Coordinator of the UN OCHA to discuss the need for effective planning and coordination of on-going humanitarian activities in the province. Among the issues discussed were: (a) continuation of humanitarian projects initiated by the out-going (INDIAN BATTALION 2) INDBATT 2 in Mile 91; (b) the possibility of facilitating transportation of educational materials to the RUF-controlled towns in the north; and (c) participation of OCHA and UN agencies in the planned peace-building symposium/workshop in Bumbuna being organized by the Catholic Mission in collaboration with the Civil Affairs Section.

RUF Meets With UNAMSIL Sector Commander

It was reported by UNAMSIL Sector 1 that RUF Commanders from Lunsar (Col Kallon, Col Kojo, Col Kamara and Maj Daiki) visited the Sector Headquarters at Port Loko on 22 January 2001. The highlights of the meeting were:

1. UNAMSIL intention to carry out a patrol to Lunsar on 31 Jan 01;
2. Repairs of Kumrabai Bridge;
3. Guarantee of security for NGO activities in the area;
4. Proposed establishment of a joint monitoring group with a view to watching activities of the various factions in the Sierra Leone conflict. This group could comprise representatives from RUF, Sierra Leone Army and UNAMSIL.

CDF Disarms To UNAMSIL

Ten members of the Civil Defence Forces (CDF) and two child combatants were disarmed and demobilized at Wilberforce barracks yesterday. The children were handed over to CARITAS in Freetown.

Questions and answers

Q: You mentioned earlier that UNAMSIL intends to carry out patrol to Lunsar. Is this just an intention or have you already made the visit?

A: I reported earlier that the Force Commander visited Lunsar last week. He went by road from Rogberi to Lunsar. Based on that, the three commanders came with him to Port Loko to see for themselves the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) camp and had a brief meeting with the Sector I Commander. They arranged another meeting, which is the one I have just reported on. UNAMSIL intends to carry out a patrol up to Lunsar.

Q: During a discussion programme on security on the local FM 98.1 radio station you established that RUF are disarming en masse in the Port Loko District. Can you give us the specific number of weapons collected so far from the RUF in the Port Loko District?

A: We do not have the records,but they will be made available to you soon.

Q: You said that some of the victims who suffered shrapnel wounds are being treated by UNAMSIL. Are these victims who suffered shrapnel wounds as a result of the attack by a helicopter gunship?

A: Yes.

Q: Why don't UNAMSIL prevent the Guinean helicopter gunship from attacking on the Sierra Leonean territory instead of just treating the victims?

A: I think you are aware of UNAMSIL's mandate in Sierra Leone. This is a border conflict that involves Guinea-Liberia-Sierra Leone. We are doing what we can to assist the Sierra Leoneans who are affected by this conflict. We are not here to engage in any cross- border military activities.

Q: Are you saying that in the next one month UNAMSIL will be able to summon some amount of troops or logistics needed to deploy in other parts of the country, for example, Kono?

A: Actually I cannot assure that in the next 1-2 months UNAMSIL will deploy in those areas. All I can say is for you to be patient and when the time comes you will be informed of future developments.

Q: You promised to give us the deployment statistics during the next briefing, which is today. Can you give us details?

A: I did not say that we would give you deployment statistics today. I said that we are in the process of drawing up our deployment plans and when they are completed you will be informed.

Q: You have just mentioned the establishment of another joint monitoring group comprising representatives from RUF, Sierra Leone Army and UNAMSIL. Is this the same as the one mentioned in the Lomé Peace Agreement?

A: This joint monitoring group is at the sector level. This group is for activities in the northern part of Sierra Leone, that is the area of responsibility of Sector I which covers NIBATT 7 and 8, including Lunsar. It is a proposed establishment of a joint monitoring group with a view of watching activities of the various factions in the area within the sector.

Q: Is this joint monitoring group different from the "contact group?"

A: Yes. This is at the sector level.

Q: What is causing the delay of deployment in Kambia and Kabala ?

A: The Sierra Leonean Army (SLA) is deployed in the Kabala area and the RUF is in the Kambia area.

Q: The Sierra Leone Police reported that an SSD and 2 SLA were abducted by the RUF. Can you confirm this report? And if it is true, what is UNAMSIL doing towards the release of these abductees?

A: This information has not reached us. We will investigate and get back to you.

Q: You are telling us that the information on the abduction of an SSD and 2 SLA has not reached you when you have military observers who I think should not be afraid to monitor activities throughout Sierra Leone even as far as Kambia on to the Sierra Leone border where attacks are made from the Guinean helicopter gunship. You also have the Joint Coordinating Committee with the Sierra Leone Police (JCC). Can you tell us how the UNAMSIL military observers get their information?

A: Let me furnish you with details on how military observers operate. Observers have their own contacts at various levels and they have direct contacts with the RUF. The contingents do not have direct contacts with the RUF. The observers pass on their information to their Senior Sector team leader in each of their formations. They are mostly co-located with Sector headquarters. They inform the Sector Commanders of any meeting or information, who then instruct the Unit to provide escort for them. The quantum of the escort will depend on the gravity of the meeting and the location. The information is finally passed on to the Force Headquarters. The military observers are doing a tremendous job and we also receive daily updates from the JCC every evening.

Q: We understand that Pakistan is intending to contribute troops to UNAMSIL and that they have recently sent a recce team. Do you have other countries that have expressed their interest in contributing troops to UNAMSIL?

A: Yes we do. But this is a subject of negotiation between Members States and the United Nations and unless an agreement is reached, I cannot disclose the names of those countries.

Q: It is barely six days to the end of January, which was the deadline for the deployment of an advance team of 1,676 armed ECOWAS troops along the Guinea-Liberia-Sierra Leone border. What is the present status of this deployment? Have the Force Commander and the Special Representative been identified?

A: Although we cannot speak on behalf of ECOWAS, from information received, it appears that the deployment will definitely go ahead though slightly delayed. We do not have information as to who has been identified as Force Commander and the Special Representative.

Q: How effective are UNAMSIL Military Observers in monitoring the activities throughout Sierra Leone?

A: They are very effective.

Q: I understand UNAMSIL has established contact points around Mange, which is near the Kambia area. As a military spokesman, I think you will be able to brief us regarding the recent air raid in the Kambia area. Can you give us an update of the security situation around the Kambia area?

A: At the moment, we do not have the information, even if we do, we must process and analyze any information before dissemination.

Q: Are you worried about your troops in Mange because of the recent air raid from the Guinean side?

A: We do not have troops in Mange, but our military observers had a contact group meeting in Mange, thereby showing the hazards faced by our military observers. The CDF and SLA are deployed in Kabatha and Melokore.

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For additional information, contact UNAMSIL Public Information Office: UNAMSIL Headquarters, Mammy Yoko, P. O. Box 5, Freetown, Sierra Leone Tel: 232-22-273-183/4/5 Fax: 232-22-273-189