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The rights organisation, Human Rights Watch (HRW), on Monday called for tightening the UN arms embargo on Sierra Leone rebels and highlighted reports of weapons shipments to the rebels over the past year.
In a briefing paper, HRW said there had been persistent reports that the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) had violated the arms embargo, allegedly with help from Liberia and Burkina Faso. “The crisis in Sierra Leone can’t be solved without addressing the question of weapons supply for the rebels,” said Lisa Misol of the organisation’s Arms Division. She warned that unless the UN took firm steps, the rebels “can be expected to activate their arms supply channels”.
HRW also urged the UN Security Council to order an official enquiry into the illegal flow of arms to RUF rebels, including the role of diamond trading.
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