22 May 2000
Security Council Increases Size of Sierra Leone Peacekeeping Mission
(Deteriorating security necessitates increase) (580) By Judy Aita Washington File United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- Saying it was concerned about the deteriorating security conditions in Sierra Leone, the Security Council May 19 authorized the expansion of the U.N. Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) to 13,000 troops and military observers. The expansion was approved when West African nations, especially Nigeria, offered additional troops to the beleaguered UNAMSIL after about 500 peacekeepers were detained by Revolutionary United Front (RUF) fighters who refused to be disarmed and the RUF began attacking UNAMSIL positions. In addition, over the past several months the rebels have disarmed some of the peacekeepers, in one instance taking a reported 500 rifles. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is also expected to request another increase for UNAMSIL to 16,500 in the coming weeks because he feels that even with the reinforcements the mission will not have the necessary resources to do the job under the current hostile environment. In its resolution, the council said that the deterioration of security conditions "necessitates the rapid reinforcement of the military component" of UNAMSIL and the force should be expanded to a maximum of 13,000 military personnel, including the 260 military observers already deployed. The council thanked India, Jordan, and Bangladesh for accelerating the deployment of their troops that had already been pledged to UNAMSIL and to other nations for offering additional personnel as well as logistical, technical, and other forms of military assistance. The resolution also lifted the arms embargo imposed in June 1998 on the sale or supply of arms and related material for the Government of Sierra Leone and other states cooperating with UNAMSIL or the government. As the council passed the resolution more than 200 peacekeepers were still being held by the RUF and U.N. officials said they were concerned the some may be injured and require urgent medical assistance. On May 17, one Nigerian peacekeeper was killed and six others wounded when the RUF attacked a UNAMSIL position at Port Loko, about 40 kilometers northeast of Freetown. In February the council voted in enlarge UNAMSIL from 6,000 to 11,100 troops, making it the largest U.N. peacekeeping operation. At that time, the U.N. peacekeepers were taking on the duties of the departing 5,500-troop peacekeeping force of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), made up of units from Ghana, Guinea, Mali, and Nigeria. UNAMSIL was created in October 1999 to help implement a peace accord signed in July 1999 in Lome, Togo, between Sierra Leonean President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah and RUF leader Foday Sankoh ending a brutal nine-year-old conflict. It was set up under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter to allow the peacekeepers to "take all necessary action" to ensure their security and freedom. According to their mandate, UNAMSIL peacekeepers are to provide security at key locations and government buildings, important intersections, and major airports; facilitate the free flow of people, goods, and humanitarian aid along specific routes; provide security at disarmament sites and guard weapons, ammunition, and other military equipment collected from ex-combatants; and help Sierra Leonean law enforcement authorities. The U.N. troops also may take necessary action within their capabilities and areas of deployment "to afford protection to civilians under imminent threat of physical violence." (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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