United Nations Security Council Resolution 1289 – Sierra Leone

Resolution 1289 (2000)

The Security Council,

Recalling its resolutions 1171 (1998) of 5 June 1998, 1181 (1998) of 13 July 1998, 1231 (1999) of 11 March 1999, 1260 (1999) of 20 August 1999,1265 (1999) of 17 September 1999 and 1270 (1999) of 22 October 1999 and other relevant resolutions and the statement of its President of 15 May 1999(S/PRST/1999/13),

Affirming the commitment of all States to respect the sovereignty,political independence and territorial integrity of Sierra Leone,

Recalling the relevant principles contained in the Convention on the Safetyof United Nations and Associated Personnel adopted on 9 December 1994,

Welcoming and encouraging efforts by the United Nations to sensitize peacekeeping personnel in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases in all its peacekeeping operations,

Taking note of the letter to its President from the Minister of ForeignAffairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone of 17 January 2000(S/2000/31),

Having considered the reports of the Secretary-General of 23 September 1999(S/1999/1003), 6 December 1999 (S/1999/1223) and 11 January 2000 (S/2000/13) andthe letter of the Secretary-General to its President of 23 December 1999(S/1999/1285),

Determining that the situation in Sierra Leone continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region,

1. Notes that the deployment of the United Nations Mission in SierraLeone (UNAMSIL) as established by resolution 1270 (1999) is in the process ofcompletion;

2. Welcomes the efforts made by the Government of Sierra Leone, theleadership of the Revolutionary United Front Party of Sierra Leone, the MilitaryObserver Group (ECOMOG) of the Economic Community of West African States and UNAMSIL towards the implementation of the Peace Agreement signed in Lomé on7 July 1999 (S/1999/777);

3. Reiterates its call upon the parties to fulfil all their commitments under the Peace Agreement to facilitate the restoration of peace, stability,national reconciliation and development in Sierra Leone, and stresses that theresponsibility for the success of the peace process ultimately lies with thepeople and leaders of Sierra Leone;

4. Notes with concern that, despite the progress that has been made, thepeace process thus far has been marred by the limited and sporadic participationin the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme, by the lack ofprogress on the release of abductees and child soldiers, and by continuedhostage-taking and attacks on humanitarian personnel, and expresses itsconviction that the expansion of UNAMSIL as provided for in paragraphs 9 to 12below will create conditions under which all parties can work to ensure that theprovisions of the Peace Agreement are implemented in full;

5. Notes also with concern the continuing human rights violations againstthe civilian population of Sierra Leone, and emphasizes that the amnestyextended under the Peace Agreement does not extend to such violations committedafter the date of its signing;

6. Calls upon the parties and all others involved to take steps to ensurethat the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme is fullyimplemented throughout the country, and in particular urges the RevolutionaryUnited Front (RUF), the Civil Defence Forces, the former Sierra Leone ArmedForces/Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and all other armed groups toparticipate fully in the programme and cooperate with all those responsible forits implementation;

7. Takes note of the decision of the Governments of Nigeria, Guinea andGhana to withdraw their remaining ECOMOG contingents from Sierra Leone, asreported in the letter of the Secretary-General of 23 December 1999;

8. Expresses its appreciation to ECOMOG for its indispensablecontribution towards the restoration of democracy and the maintenance of peace,security and stability in Sierra Leone, commends highly the forces and theGovernments of its contributing States for their courage and sacrifice, andencourages all States to assist the contributing States further in meeting thecosts they have incurred in making possible the deployment of ECOMOG forces inSierra Leone;

9. Decides that the military component of UNAMSIL shall be expanded to amaximum of 11,100 military personnel, including the 260 military observersalready deployed, subject to periodic review in the light of conditions on theground and the progress made in the peace process, in particular in thedisarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme, and takes note ofparagraph 33 of the report of the Secretary-General of 11 January 2000;

10. Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, decidesfurther that the mandate of UNAMSIL shall be revised to include the followingadditional tasks, to be performed by UNAMSIL within its capabilities and areasof deployment and in the light of conditions on the ground:

(a) To provide security at key locations and Government buildings, inparticular in Freetown, important intersections and major airports, including Lungi airport;

(b) To facilitate the free flow of people, goods and humanitarians assistance along specified thoroughfares;

(c) To provide security in and at all sites of the disarmament,demobilization and reintegration programme;

(d) To coordinate with and assist, in common areas of deployment, theSierra Leone law enforcement authorities in the discharge of theirresponsibilities;

(e) To guard weapons, ammunition and other military equipment collected from ex-combatants and to assist in their subsequent disposal or destruction,authorizes UNAMSIL to take the necessary action to fulfil the additional tasks set out above, and affirms that, in the discharge of its mandate, UNAMSIL maytake the necessary action to ensure the security and freedom of movement of its personnel and, within its capabilities and areas of deployment, to afford protection to civilians under imminent threat of physical violence, taking into account the responsibilities of the Government of Sierra Leone;

11. Decides further that the mandate of UNAMSIL, as revised, shall beextended for a period of six months from the date of adoption of this resolution;

12. Authorizes the increases in the civil affairs, civilian police,administrative and technical personnel of UNAMSIL proposed by the Secretary-General in his report of 11 January 2000;

13. Welcomes the intention of the Secretary-General, as indicated in hisreport of 11 January 2000, to establish within UNAMSIL a landmine action office responsible for awareness training of UNAMSIL personnel and for the coordinationof mine action activities of non-governmental organizations and humanitarianagencies operating in Sierra Leone;

14. Stresses the importance of a smooth transition between ECOMOG andUNAMSIL for the successful implementation of the Peace Agreement and thestability of Sierra Leone, and in that regard urges all those concerned toconsult over the timing of troop movements and withdrawals;

15. Reiterates the importance of the safety, security and freedom ofmovement of United Nations and associated personnel, notes that the Governmentof Sierra Leone and the RUF have agreed in the Peace Agreement to provide guarantees in this regard, and calls upon all parties in Sierra Leone to respectfully the status of United Nations and associated personnel;

16. Reiterates its request to the Government of Sierra Leone to conclude astatus-of-forces agreement with the Secretary-General within 30 days of theadoption of this resolution, and recalls that pending the conclusion of such anagreement the model status-of-forces agreement dated 9 October 1990 (A/45/594)should apply provisionally;

17. Reiterates also the continued need to promote peace and national reconciliation and to foster accountability and respect for human rights inSierra Leone, and urges the Government of Sierra Leone, specialized agencies,other multilateral organizations, civil society and Member States to acceleratetheir efforts to establish the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Human Rights Commission and the Commission for the Consolidation of Peace as fully-functioning and effective institutions, as provided for under the PeaceAgreement;

18. Emphasizes the importance of the exercise by the Government of SierraLeone of full control over the exploitation of gold, diamonds and other resources for the benefit of the people of the country and in accordance with Article VII, paragraph 6, of the Peace Agreement, and to that end calls for theearly and effective operation of the Commission of the Management of StrategicResources, National Reconstruction and Development;

19. Welcomes the contributions that have been made to the multi-donor trust fund established by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to finance the disarmament, demobilization and reintegrationprocess, and urges all States and international and other organizations whichhave not yet done so to contribute generously to the fund so that the process isadequately financed and the provisions of the Peace Agreement can be fullyimplemented;

20. Underlines the ultimate responsibility of the Government of Sierra Leone for the provision of adequate security forces in the country, calls uponit, in that regard, to take urgent steps towards the establishment ofprofessional and accountable national police and armed forces, and stresses theimportance to this objective of generous support and assistance from theinternational community;

21. Reiterates the continued need for urgent and substantial assistance tothe people of Sierra Leone, as well as for sustained and generous assistance forthe longer terms tasks of peace-building, reconstruction, economic and socialrecovery and development in Sierra Leone, and urges all States and internationaland other organizations to provide such assistance as a priority;

22. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to report to the Council every 45 days to provide, inter alia, assessments of security conditions on theground so that troop levels and the tasks to be performed by UNAMSIL can be kept under review, as indicated in report of the Secretary-General of 11 January 2000;

23. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Adopted by the Security Council at its 4099th meeting on 7 February 2000.