UNAMSIL begins deploying to diamond-rich area

A 788-man Pakistani UN battalion moved into Kono District on Saturday, marking the start of full deployment of peacekeepers to the diamond-rich Eastern Province hitherto controlled by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), UNAMSIL military spokesman Major Mohammed Yerima told IRIN on Monday.

“The remaining body is expected in the country between 22 and 24 August,” he said.

Full deployment to Kono, which so far has been the most problematical of districts for the peacekeepers, is the latest of UNAMSIL’s efforts to re-establish its presence nationwide and end the state of war in the country.

The Pakistani Battalion 1, which moved into UNAMSIL’s newly established sector headquarters at Yengema, replaces Bangladeshi peacekeepers who were there to oversee the disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defence Forces (CDF) in the district.

On Friday, 1,088 ex fighters from both groups disarmed in the district, the single largest group to do so since the process started on 2 July. Till now, disarmament has been slow in the sector due to sporadic fighting between RUF and CDF forces. As a result, UNAMSIL has twice extended the deadline for the end of the effort. However, the process picked up after RUF leader Issa Sesay reissued orders for his men to hand in their weapons immediately.

“Issa told his people that those among them who did not disarm would be on their own,” Yerima said.

As at Sunday, 4,499 fighters [1,633 CDF and RUF 2,866] had disarmed in Kono District.

Another 1,068 CDF forces have handed in weapons to UNAMSIL in Bonthe District and Matru, in the south of the country. There are no RUF forces in these areas. This brings to 14,048, the CDF and RUF fighters who have turned in their weapons since January.