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afrol.com, 8 March - The UN Security Council yesterday in New York approved new and stronger sanctions against Liberia. The arms embargo was widened with immediate effect. Liberia was further given two months to comply with UN demands, or face a diamond and timber trade embargo and a flight ban. In a unanimous vote, the Council concluded that Liberia's fomenting of war in West Africa had to be met with stronger sanctions. It demanded that Liberia "immediately" stop supporting the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) of Sierra Leone and other armed groups in the region by expelling RUF members from Liberia and ending financial and military aid to the rebel army. The Security Council replaced the previous arms embargo against Liberia with a new one prohibiting the sale or supply to Liberia of arms and related materiel of all types, as well as of any military training or technical assistance. The resolution stated that, unless Liberia has complied with the Security Council's demands within two months, additional sanctions would go into effect, including a ban on the direct or indirect import of all rough diamonds from Liberia, and measures to prevent travel by senior members of the Government of Liberia or their spouses. By giving Liberia a two-month reprieve, the UN met demands from the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) to provide "an opportunity for the Liberian government to discharge its commitment to ECOWAS on the implementation of certain measures that will help restore peace to the area." These commitments to ECOWAS include a flight ban and registration of all aircraft in its territory, stricter application of the embargo on arms import into its territory, severance of links with the RUF, the establishment of a strict diamond certificate regime and implementation of a genuine programme of national reconciliation. Liberia reportedly already has acted to meet these commitments by on its own declaring a four months ban on diamond exports during which a certification scheme is supposed to be introduced to ensure that only legal gemstones are traded. The Security Council demanded that Liberia cease all direct or indirect import of Sierra Leone rough diamonds not controlled through that Government's Certificate of Origin regime and decided that all States should prevent the import of all rough diamonds from Liberia, whether or not they originated in that country. If Liberia's own ban on the export of diamonds is not being honoured, the UN embargo will be imposed in two months. In terms of security, the Council demanded that all States in the region take action to prevent armed individuals and groups from using their territory to attack neighbouring countries, and refrain from actions that might further destabilize the situation on the borders between Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Although no threats were made directly against Guinea, the resolution opened for critics against that country if further attacks on Liberia originating in Guinea were documented. The Security Council further decided that all States should prevent the entry into or transit through their territories by senior members of the Government of Liberia and its armed forces, their spouses and any other individuals providing financial and military support to armed rebel groups in countries neighbouring Liberia, in particular the RUF. A recently published UN report by a panel of experts had given a very detailed account of diamond smuggling and gunrunning involving Liberian officials and a cast of international arms dealers. The Liberian government rejected this report, but has taken steps towards a flight ban and registration of all aircraft in its territory, stricter application of the embargo on arms import into its territory. Stressing that its demands were intended to further advance the Sierra Leone peace process, the Security Council called on Liberia's President Taylor to help ensure that the RUF allowed the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) free access throughout the country; released all abductees; entered its fighters in the disarmament process; and returned all weapons and other equipment seized from the UN mission. Following the vote on Liberia, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the Council that the resolution needed to be followed by vigorous action. He said, "The resolutions of this Council are not self-implementing. In themselves, they hardly do more than express a wish or an aspiration." As such, he added, delegates at Council meetings must maintain a constant dialogue with their capitals on how to implement resolutions. Source: Based on UN sources, ECOWAS and afrol archives
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