Freedom restrictions “serious problem”

Members of the UN Security Council have expressed concern that the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) does not have full freedom of movement in and around the disputed border. Council President James Cunningham of the United States said Council members were “seriously concerned” that UN peacekeepers were being prevented from moving freely about the buffer zone and in areas adjacent to the zone, news agencies said.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General Legwaila told journalists: “To deny UNMEE freedom of movement [in the TSZ] is simply to say ‘Go home’, because there is no way we can do our job unless we are able to move around freely.” UNMEE declared the 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) established last month.

Council members called on both parties to demonstrate their commitment to the peace process by taking steps to “build upon previous success rather than undermine it”, Cunningham said. Council members had asked Cunningham to meet the permanent representatives of Ethiopia and Eritrea to express the Council’s concerns. Council members also expressed concern that Eritrea had been stationing a large number of militiamen in the zone. UNMEE sources said that while complaints had been made to both parties about freedom of movement, since 26 February 51 separate protests had been made to Eritrea.

Cunningham’s comments followed a briefing to the Council by UN Special Representative Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, who said that freedom of movement for UN peacekeepers within the TSZ was currently “the most serious problem” in the peace process. Legwaila said that, although peacekeepers were being allowed to move around within the buffer zone, UN troops had been prevented from monitoring the areas to the north and south of the zone, which they are also authorised to patrol.