Security Council worried over ceasefire violations

The UN Security Council on Monday expressed concern over recent fighting in Sierra Leone and other violations of the Lome Peace Accord signed in July.

Ambassador Danilo Turk of Slovenia said Council members were dismayed at recent violations of the peace treaty which had resulted in a worsening of the security situation, UN news reported.

Fighting was reported in late October in the northern towns of Makeni and Lunsar between Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) rebels, as well as other violations including abductions, rape and looting.

Turk also said Council members had noted reports of the failure of the RUF (RUF) and Civil Defence Forces (CDF) to report to demobilisation camps last week.

A UN source in Freetown told IRIN on Monday that some 600 ex-fighters, including AFRC, CDF, RUF and child combatants, had handed in their weapons in the last five days. The RUF and AFRC were allies in Sierra Leone’s civil war, while the CDF was made up largely of pro-government militias.

Turk said all parties needed to meet their Lome Agreement obligations in full and called on Sankoh to ensure the participation of the RUF in the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programmes.

In addition, Council members expressed concern at the fate of refugees and internally displaced persons and underlined the importance of the speedy and effective deployment of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) for the successful implementation of the Lome Agreement.