Sierra Leone
UN pushing for progress in Sierra Leone's disarmament

afrol News, 21 November - Visiting towns in the southern and eastern parts of Sierra Leone, the commander of the UN peacekeeping forces in the country has pushed for progress in the disarmament effort, the UN Mission for Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) announced today. Discussions are underway with the rebel RUF to get disarmament in the Kailahun district back on track.

Force Commander Lt. Gen. Daniel Opande, who visited Zimmi, Pujehun, Tongo and Kenema on Tuesday, advised the leadership of the Civil Defence Force (CDF) to encourage their combatants to disarm, UN media today stated. 

Opande also urged those who could not meet the disarmament criteria to seek assistance from the National Commission for Reconstruction, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, which is responsible for addressing the general welfare of war-affected Sierra Leoneans.

Later in the day, senior commanders of the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in in Sierra Leone's eastern district of Kailahun assured the Force Commander that the RUF was ready to disarm, contrary to earlier reports that it was suspending disarmament.

On Saturday, the rebels had announced that they would not continue with the disarmament process in Kailahun in protest over the outcome of last week's national consultative conference. The conference which brought together 22 political parties, government and civil society, passed 25 resolutions including one on a new electoral system - the district voting system.

Kailahun is one of the last two of Sierra Leone's districts to disarm. The other one is Kenema. Disarmament was set to end by 30 November but because of logistical problems, particularly in the two districts, it might go on to the end of December, the official said. Kailahun, a former rebel stronghold in the diamond-rich district, was occupied by the RUF throughout the 10-year civil war. 

- Some of the roads have been washed away and we might have to resort to airlifting combatants from inaccessible areas, Francis Kai-Kai, head of the National Committee for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (NCDDR), told the UN agency IRIN on Tuesday.

Sources: Based on UN sources and afrol archives

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