United Nations Security Council Resolution 1400
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1400, adopted unanimously on March 28, 2002, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Sierra Leone
, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
(UNAMSIL) for a further six months until September 30, 2002 in the run up to the May 2002 general elections
.
. Meanwhile, the situation in the Mano River
region remained fragile and there was a significant increase in the number of refugee
s. It emphasised the importance of free and fair elections, the extension of state authority throughout the country, reintegration of ex-combatants, respect for human rights
, the unhindered return of refugees and internally displaced person
s and taking action to end impunity
. An agreement between the Sierra Leonean government and United Nations to establish a Special Court
was welcomed.
(RUF) were encouraged to strengthen efforts towards the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement signed in Abuja
and further dialogue and national reconciliation. The Council welcomed the completion of the disarmament
process and expressed concern at a financial shortfall in the multi-donor trust fund. It urged the restoration of civil authority and public services, particularly in the diamond
mining areas, and welcomed the deployment of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces
on border security operations.
The resolution welcomed the establishment of an electoral component in UNAMSIL, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the recruitment of a further 30 police advisers. There was concern at violence, particularly sexual violence
, against women and children during the conflict, including by personnel from the United Nations. Furthermore, UNAMSIL had reported evidence of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law
. The Secretary-General Kofi Annan
was to investigate the allegations of abuse by UNAMSIl personnel, and was to report by June 30, 2002 on the post-electoral, human rights and humanitarian situation in Sierra Leone.
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"....
1400, adopted unanimously on March 28, 2002, after recalling all previous resolutions on 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 extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone was a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone from 1999 to 2005. It was created by the United Nations Security Council in October 1999 to help with the implementation of the Lomé Peace Accord, an agreement intended to end the Sierra Leonean...
(UNAMSIL) for a further six months until September 30, 2002 in the run up to the May 2002 general elections
Sierra Leonean general election, 2002
General elections were held in Sierra Leone on 14 May 2002 to elect a president and parliament. Both votes were won by the Sierra Leone People's Party, whose leader, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, was re-elected as President...
.
Observations
The Security Council welcomed progress in the Sierra Leonean peace process, including the lifting of a state of emergencyState of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
. Meanwhile, the situation in the Mano River
Mano River
The Mano River is a river in west Africa, it originates in the Guinea Highlands in Liberia and forms part of the Liberia – Sierra Leone border....
region remained fragile and there was a significant increase in the number of refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s. It emphasised the importance of free and fair elections, the extension of state authority throughout the country, reintegration of ex-combatants, respect for human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, the unhindered return of refugees and internally displaced person
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...
s and taking action to end impunity
Impunity
Impunity means "exemption from punishment or loss or escape from fines". In the international law of human rights, it refers to the failure to bring perpetrators of human rights violations to justice and, as such, itself constitutes a denial of the victims' right to justice and redress...
. An agreement between the Sierra Leonean government and United Nations to establish a Special Court
Special Court for Sierra Leone
The Special Court for Sierra Leone is an independent judicial body set up to "try those who bear greatest responsibility" for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sierra Leone after 30 November 1996 during the Sierra Leone Civil War...
was welcomed.
Acts
The Sierra Leone government and Revolutionary United FrontRevolutionary 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) were encouraged to strengthen efforts towards the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement signed in Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
and further dialogue and national reconciliation. The Council welcomed the completion of the disarmament
Disarmament
Disarmament is the act of reducing, limiting, or abolishing weapons. Disarmament generally refers to a country's military or specific type of weaponry. Disarmament is often taken to mean total elimination of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear arms...
process and expressed concern at a financial shortfall in the multi-donor trust fund. It urged the restoration of civil authority and public services, particularly in the diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
mining areas, and welcomed the deployment of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces
Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces
The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces is the armed forces of Sierra Leone, responsible for the territorial security of Sierra Leone's border and defending the national interests of Sierra Leone, within the framework of its international obligations...
on border security operations.
The resolution welcomed the establishment of an electoral component in UNAMSIL, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the recruitment of a further 30 police advisers. There was concern at violence, particularly sexual violence
Sexual violence
Sexual violence occurs throughout the world, although in most countries there has been little research conducted on the problem. Due to the private nature of sexual violence, estimating the extent of the problem is difficult...
, against women and children during the conflict, including by personnel from the United Nations. Furthermore, UNAMSIL had reported evidence of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law
International humanitarian law
International humanitarian law , often referred to as the laws of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus that comprises "the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law." It...
. 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 to investigate the allegations of abuse by UNAMSIl personnel, and was to report by June 30, 2002 on the post-electoral, human rights and humanitarian situation in Sierra Leone.
See also
- Elections in Sierra LeoneElections in Sierra LeoneElections in Sierra Leone gives information on election and election results in Sierra Leone.Sierra Leone elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The president is elected for a five year term by the people...
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1301 to 1400 (2000 – 2002)
- Sierra Leone Civil WarSierra Leone Civil WarThe Sierra Leone Civil War began on 23 March 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front , with support from the special forces of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia , intervened in Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government...
External links
- Text of Resolution at UNdemocracy.com