United Nations Security Council Resolution 1132
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1132, adopted unanimously on October 8, 1997, after expressing concern at the situation in Sierra Leone
, the Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
, imposed an oil
and arms embargo
on the country.
s held power in Sierra Leone and there was violence in the country and at the border with Liberia
. The Revolutionary United Front
(RUF) established a military government, however due to international pressure and popular demands held elections in 1996, agreeing to hand over power to a civilian government. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
won the election, and the Abidjan Peace Accord
was signed with the RUF and Sierra Leone People's Party
. The agreement later broke down, and the civilian government was toppled and was replaced with a military junta
. It was later removed by the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group
forces and civilian government was restored. After further violence, the civil war ended in 2002.
had earlier condemned the coup d'état
in Sierra Leone and the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) had imposed sanctions
on the junta. The Abidjan Agreement was reaffirmed as providing a basis for peace, security and reconciliation. It deplored the junta's refusal to take steps to restore the democratically
-elected government, and was concerned about the level of violence in the country.
Acting under Chapter VII, the Security Council demanded that the junta relinquish power and to cease all attacks and violence in the country, so that humanitarian aid
could be delivered to the civilian population. Sanctions were then placed on Sierra Leone military government, which included a travel ban on members of the junta and their immediate families and an oil and arms embargo. A Committee was established to manage those sanctions, suggest ways to improve their effectiveness and report periodically to the Council on the implementation of the sanctions. Any oil for humanitarian purposes had to be approved by the Committee. It also authorised, under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter
, ECOWAS and the legitimate government of Sierra Leone to co-operate with the implementation of the current resolution.
It was then decided that, if the measures had not been terminated within 180 days, a thorough review would be undertaken, including on whether the junta had complied with the current resolution. The Secretary-General Kofi Annan
was requested to submit a report witihin 15 days of the adoption of the current resolution detailing the humanitarian situation in Sierra Leone and compliance from the junta, and thereafter every 60 days.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1132, adopted unanimously on October 8, 1997, after expressing concern at the situation in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, the Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter sets out the UN Security Council's powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to "determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" and to take military and nonmilitary action to "restore international peace...
, imposed an oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
and arms embargo
Arms embargo
An arms embargo is an embargo that applies to weaponry. It may also include "dual use" items. An arms embargo may serve one or more purposes:# to signal disapproval of behavior by a certain actor,# to maintain neutral standing in an ongoing conflict, or...
on the country.
Background
A series of military governmentMilitary government
Military government can refer to conditions under either Military occupation, or Military dictatorship.-Military Government:Military government is the form of administration by which an occupying power exercises governmental authority over occupied territory.The Hague Conventions of 1907 specify...
s held power in Sierra Leone and there was violence in the country and at the border with Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. The Revolutionary United Front
Revolutionary United Front
The Revolutionary United Front was a rebel army that fought a failed eleven-year war in Sierra Leone, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002. It later developed into a political party, which existed until 2007...
(RUF) established a military government, however due to international pressure and popular demands held elections in 1996, agreeing to hand over power to a civilian government. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah served as President of Sierra Leone from 1996 to 1997 and again from 1998 to 2007.He worked for the United Nations Development Programme and returned to Sierra Leone in 1992...
won the election, and the Abidjan Peace Accord
Abidjan Peace Accord
The Abidjan Peace Accord was a treaty signed between the Sierra Leone People's Party government of Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, and the Revolutionary United Front rebel group led by Foday Sankoh to find a resolution to the Sierra Leone Civil War...
was signed with the RUF and Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, along with the All People's Congress .-Formation:...
. The agreement later broke down, and the civilian government was toppled and was replaced with a military junta
Military junta
A junta or military junta is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term derives from the Spanish language junta meaning committee, specifically a board of directors...
. It was later removed by the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group
Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group
The Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group, or ECOMOG, was a West African multilateral armed force established by the Economic Community of West African States . ECOMOG was a formal arrangement for separate armies to work together...
forces and civilian government was restored. After further violence, the civil war ended in 2002.
Resolution
The President of the Security CouncilPresident of the United Nations Security Council
The President of the United Nations Security Council is the presiding officer of that body. The president is the head of the delegation from the Security Council member state that holds the rotating presidency.-Selection:...
had earlier condemned the coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
in Sierra Leone and the Economic Community of West African States
Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region....
(ECOWAS) had imposed sanctions
International sanctions
International sanctions are actions taken by countries against others for political reasons, either unilaterally or multilaterally.There are several types of sanctions....
on the junta. The Abidjan Agreement was reaffirmed as providing a basis for peace, security and reconciliation. It deplored the junta's refusal to take steps to restore the democratically
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
-elected government, and was concerned about the level of violence in the country.
Acting under Chapter VII, the Security Council demanded that the junta relinquish power and to cease all attacks and violence in the country, so that humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
could be delivered to the civilian population. Sanctions were then placed on Sierra Leone military government, which included a travel ban on members of the junta and their immediate families and an oil and arms embargo. A Committee was established to manage those sanctions, suggest ways to improve their effectiveness and report periodically to the Council on the implementation of the sanctions. Any oil for humanitarian purposes had to be approved by the Committee. It also authorised, under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter deals with regional arrangements. It authorizes regional organizations and even requires attempts to resolve disputes through such agencies prior to intervention by the UN Security Council...
, ECOWAS and the legitimate government of Sierra Leone to co-operate with the implementation of the current resolution.
It was then decided that, if the measures had not been terminated within 180 days, a thorough review would be undertaken, including on whether the junta had complied with the current resolution. The Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
was requested to submit a report witihin 15 days of the adoption of the current resolution detailing the humanitarian situation in Sierra Leone and compliance from the junta, and thereafter every 60 days.
See also
- History of Sierra LeoneHistory of Sierra LeoneThe history of Sierra Leone began when the lands became inhabited at least 2,500 years ago. Sierra Leone played a significant part in modern African political liberty and nationalism, and became an independent nation in 1961...
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1101 to 1200 (1997 – 1998)