Security Council extends UNAMSIL's mandate

The UN Security Council on Tuesday extended the mandate of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) by six months to 31 March 2002, a statement from the Council said.

The Council also expressed deep concern at reports of widespread human rights abuses and attacks against civilians, in particular women and children, by the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF), the pro-government Civil Defence Forces (CDF) and other armed groups and individuals. It demanded an immediate end to such acts and asked UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to ensure that all human rights monitoring positions within UNAMSIL were filled.

The Council also urged the RUF to step up efforts to fulfill its commitments under a ceasefire agreement concluded last year. These include ensuring full freedom for the United Nations to deploy its troops throughout the country, safe and unimpeded movement of humanitarian agencies, refugees and displaced persons, and the immediate return of all seized weapons, ammunition and other equipment. The Council asked UNAMSIL to keep supporting returning refugees and displaced persons and urged the RUF to cooperate to that end.

The Council said it was also concerned about the serious shortfall in a multi-donor trust fund for Sierra Leone's disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme and urged international organisations and donor countries to support it generously and urgently. It also emphasised the importance of free, fair and inclusive elections for the long-term stability of Sierra Leone and took note of UNAMSIL's readiness to help facilitate, within its capabilities, the smooth holding of the polls.