DATE=11/15/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SIERRA LEONE-U-N (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-256198
BYLINE=JOHN MARK
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A leading U-N humanitarian official said today
(Monday) that the peace process between the government
of Sierra Leone and rebel forces is at a critical
juncture. V-O-A's John Mark in New York prepared this
report.
TEXT: Carolyn McAskie, United Nations Acting
Emergency Relief Coordinator, says the parties to the
peace agreement designed to end fighting in Sierra
Leone have been slow to implement it, although she
believes they are starting to move forward. Ms.
McAskie, who has just returned to U-N headquarters
after spending about a week in Sierra Leone, told
reporters that violations of the ceasefire in northern
parts of the country seem to have died down.
/// FIRST MCASKIE ACT ///
We have had statements by the former rebel
leaders, Foday Sankoh and Johnny Paul Koroma,
who are now part of the official government of
Sierra Leone, to their field commanders that
they must stop the fighting and they must in
fact now present themselves for what is known as
the D-D-R, the Disarmament, Demobilization, and
Reintegration Process, which is the key now to
moving forward.
/// END ACT ///
Ms. McAskie says the major priority now in moving the
Sierra Leone peace process forward is insuring that
the rebels are brought into the demobilization camps
and are persuaded to give up their arms. The target,
the U-N official says, is about 45-thousand soldiers.
As of last Friday, she adds, there were about 15
hundred people, a sign, she says, that the message is
getting through.
But Ms. McAskie says the absence of food to feed
people in the demobilization camps and the funds to
reintegrate them into Sierra Leone would be a threat
to the peace process. A special appeal for funds for
Sierra Leone will be issued by U-N Secretary-General
Annan next week.
Ms. McAskie told reporters there is general agreement
that until the arms in Sierra Leone are removed,
humanitarian workers will not be able to reach the
people.
/// SECOND MCASKIE ACT ///
Despite the signing of the peace agreement in
June, we are now in the middle of November and
there are still very large tracks of the country
where we can't reach the victims and provide the
humanitarian assistance that has been denied
them for so long.
/// END ACT ///
Ms. McAskie says there are half a million or more
Sierra Leonean refugees in camps in neighboring
countries and they are waiting for peace before they
re-enter the country. But she predicts that once the
disarmament process is over, there could be a very
sudden movement of people back into Sierra Leone.
(Signed)
NEB/JHM/LSF/TVM
15-Nov-1999 17:10 PM EDT (15-Nov-1999 2210 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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