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UNAMSIL PRESS BRIEFING
1 JUNE 2001
(Near Verbatim)
MARGARET NOVICKI- SPOKESMAN
SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS SITUATION NOT YET CONDUCIVE TO RETURN OF REFUGEES
The fragile situation in Sierra Leone is not conducive to the repatriation of the country's thousands of refugees, according to a report by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who warns that large parts of the territory remain under rebel control and beyond the reach of humanitarian aid and government services. The report was released on Tuesday, 29 May.
"For the time being, I believe that the conditions for the immediate return of all refugees to Sierra Leone do not exist," Mr. Annan wrote in a report to the Security Council on refugees and internally displaced persons. "The Governments in the region, UNHCR [the UN refugee agency] and other United Nations agencies must therefore continue their efforts to ensure the protection, safety and well-being of refugees and internally displaced persons on their territory."
Mr. Annan also pointed out that armed conflict in neighbouring Liberia could result in more disturbances in the sub-region. "While recent events in Sierra Leone may give rise to cautious optimism, the fighting in northern Liberia is intensifying and could lead to a serious political and humanitarian crisis which has already led to new and increased flows of refugees and displaced persons," he wrote.
Noting that so far the contributions received for the UN consolidated appeal for West Africa amount to only 8 per cent, the Secretary-General urged the international community to make money available to UNHCR, other UN agencies and programmes, and non-governmental organizations, to assist in the protection, relocation and return of refugees and displaced persons.
REFUGEES RELOCATED FROM PARROT's BEAK
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has completed the relocation of tens of thousands of refugees from an insecure area near Guinea's volatile border with Sierra Leone to better protected camps further inland, a spokesman for the agency announced on 29 May.
"A total of 54,000 have been transferred to safety since February," spokesman Kris Janowski told reporters in Geneva. Now that the relocation is complete, UNHCR has terminated its assistance in the insecure Parrot's Beak region, a stretch of Guinean territory extending into Sierra Leone that has been cut off from humanitarian aid since last September because of fighting.
According to Mr. Janowski, UNHCR's material assistance to refugees will now only be provided to new sites farther inland, where the Guinean Government can ensure physical safety of the refugees.
The spokesman noted that during the voluntary evacuation from the Parrot's Beak region, some refugees had opted to stay in the volatile zone. "The refugees who have decided to remain in the area expressed the wish to stay put until they are able to go back to Sierra Leone, rather than start afresh in new camps further inland," he said.
SRSG MEETS EU MINISTERIAL DELEGATION
An eight-member European Union Ministerial Delegation to the Mano River countries led by Mr. Hans Dahlgren, the Swedish State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, called on the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji, on Wednesday, 30 May. The SRSG explained the role, history and activities of UNAMSIL, stressing the efforts undertaken to facilitate the opening of dialogue between the Government and the RUF. The SRSG appealed to the delegation to sensitize their headquarters and respective countries about the donors' conference scheduled for 11 June in support of the DDR programme in Sierra Leone.
The delegation also called on the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Behrooz Sadry. Their discussion focused on prospects for political normalization in Sierra Leone and the upcoming elections. DSRSG Sadry underscored the importance of assistance being given to Sierra Leone in the areas of governance and institutional rehabilitation.
TASK FORCE ON RESTORATION OF STATE AUTHORITY MEETS
The meeting of the Task Force on Restoration of State Authority on 30 May discussed the return of Government officials to Kambia. UNAMSIL and SLA representatives gave a report on the present situation in Kambia. The SLA reported that, besides its troops, some 30 armed police (SSD) have also been deployed into Kambia town to conduct a security assessment. The Chairman of the Task Force, Vice President Demby, instructed all nine (9) key ministries to undertake an assessment visit to Kambia on 1 June 2001. A number of NGOS will also conduct an assessment visit to the district on 1 June.
On 31 May, Civil Affairs officers coordinated a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Participants discussed the need for a joint action plan aimed at resuscitating the local judicial system in the northern region and the country as a whole.
To this end, it was agreed that the Ministry make arrangements to speed up the appointment of court chairmen.
TRC SEMINAR TO CLOSE TODAY
The Seminar on Operational and Management Aspects of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which has been going on since Tuesday, concludes today. Yesterday discussions continued on the practical aspects of establishing the Commission, including the internal organization and the preliminary budget. The seminar was addressed by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Solomon Berewa, who strongly supported the urgent establishment of the TRC. The Minister of Presidential Affairs, Hon. Momodu Koroma, UNAMSIL's Deputy SRSG, Mr. Behrooz Sadry, and the British High Commissioner, Mr. Alan Jones, are among the speakers expected to give closing remarks today, at 13.00 hours, at the Lagoonda complex.
RUF HANDS OVER UNAMSIL EQUIPMENT IN MAKENI
The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) on Wednesday, 30 May, returned weapons and military equipment, including vehicles, that were seized last year from United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) peacekeepers.
At a ceremony held in the northern town of Makeni, RUF military commanders handed over to UNAMSIL a quantity of AK-47 guns, general purpose machine guns, G3 rifles and other weapons, six vehicles, three trucks and an assortment of equipment, including military uniforms and kits. RUF Col. Ngulu Kpakai told the Deputy Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Martin L. Agwai, who led the UNAMSIL delegation, that logistical problems had prevented the RUF from releasing more equipment. He pledged, however, that more would be handed over in future.
Maj. Gen. Agwai commended the RUF for the release of the equipment, noting that it demonstrated the RUF's commitment to abide by the Abuja Ceasefire Agreements. He noted, however, that additional equipment taken from both UNAMSIL and ECOMOG peacekeepers was still in the RUF's possession.
The Deputy Force Commander urged combatants to turn in the seized weapons to their commanders, who would then turn them over the UNAMSIL, emphasizing that seized weapons could not be accepted in the disarmament process. He also requested the RUF to provide UNAMSIL with the locations and type of the remaining equipment so UNAMSIL could determine the kind of logistical assistance needed.
DISARMAMENT WINDS DOWN IN PORT LOKO, KAMBIA
The disarmament exercise in Port Loko and Kambia districts has slowed down to a trickle. Only four combatants (1 RUF and 3 CDF) turned up for disarmament yesterday. Since the exercise began on 18 May until the end of the day on 31 May, a total of 3,502 combatants, consisting of 1,096 RUF and 2,406 CDF, have disarmed in Kambia and Port Loko districts.
Although the current phase of the DDR exercise in that area is now formally closed, the DDR camp at Port Loko will continue to receive any individual who wishes to disarm.
GOSL-RUF-UNAMSIL MEETING ON DDR IN MAGBURAKA TOMORROW
The second meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration will be held tomorrow, 2 June, in Magburaka. The meeting will examine the timetable and locations for the next phase of the DDR programme, the sensitization process, the location of DDR sites, and release of child combatants.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: What is the situation like in Kono district? Is there a cessation of hostilities between the CDF and the RUF? What is the status of disarmament in the Kono district?
A: Fighting has stopped in the Kono district. The details have been worked out for joint disarmament of CDF and RUF and I expect that the finalised details will be discussed tomorrow at the meeting in Magburaka.
Q: What is the latest on the Pakistani troops for UNAMSIL? When does UNAMSIL intend to conduct "Cordon and search operations" in Kambia and Port Loko districts after this simultaneous disarmament?
A: We have received a small number of Pakistani staff officers who have arrived to begin preparations for the arrival of the full contingent of troops. I can't tell you exactly when that will be, but it's coming up very soon. Once it has been determined that virtually everybody has come into the process then we can look at whether there is a need for "Cordon and Search Operations."
Q: What is the latest on the conflict in Liberia?
A: I certainly can't speak on what is happening in Liberia as our mandate is confined to Sierra Leone. But the Special Representative to the Secretary-General, Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji did visit Liberia the day before yesterday and met with President Taylor and they had a discussion on the situation in the sub-region.
Q: Is it safe to declare Kambia and Port Loko districts arms-free?
A: As you are aware, initially the estimated number of CDF and RUF in the area was about a 1,000 each and we now have a total of over 3,500 that have turned themselves in. If additional RUF and CDF remain in the districts, they can turn themselves in. But by and large we consider the exercise to have been completed in those areas. The Sierra Leone Army (SLA) has deployed to Kambia, which means that the RUF combatants have withdrawn from that area.
*********** 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
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