Charges of sexual violence. (Peacewatch: Sierra Leone).

The Security Council voiced its serious concern at the violence, particularly sexual violence, suffered by women and children during the conflict in Sierra Leone, as well as evidence of human rights abuses and breaches of humanitarian law. It requested the Secretary-General, in his next report in September, to provide a further assessment of the situation of women and children who had suffered during the conflict. It called on the countries concerned to take the measures necessary to bring to justice their own nationals responsible for such crimes.

In the wake of the allegations that peacekeepers were involved in sexual exploitation of children in refugee camps, the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) Acting Force Commander Maj. Gen. Martin L. Agwai on 15 March visited United Nations peacekeepers and battalions, and discussed ways of preventing any possible misconduct among peacekeepers and of ensuring strict adherence to the UN code of conduct. He also emphasized that the Force headquarters would deal decisively with any case of wrongdoing by soldiers (see box on page 69).

The Security Council on 28 March unanimously extended the mandate of UNAMSIL for six months, until 30 September. Stressing the importance of the Mission's continued support to the Sierra Leone Government in the consolidation of peace and security after the country's elections in May, the Council urged the Government, with UNAMSIL assistance, to accelerate the restoration of civil authority and public services throughout the country, in particular in the diamond mining areas, including the deployment of key government personnel and police and of the Sierra Leone Army on border security tasks.

The Council also welcomed the establishment of the electoral component of UNAMSIL and the recruitment of 30 additional civilian police advisers to support the Government and the police in preparing for the presidential and parliamentary elections slated for 14 May. It further welcomed the military concept of operations for UNAMSIL for 2002, the main objective of which is to ensure effective security for the elections.

RELATED ARTICLE: Green Light for Sierra Leone War Crimes Court

Following a briefing by the United Nations Legal Counsel, Hans Corell, the Security Council requested Secretary-General Kofi Annan to proceed with the establishment of a Special Court in Sierra Leone to try persons suspected of committing war crimes during the country's decade-long civil war. Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Ralph Zacklin said the next steps would be the appointment of key personnel, including judges, prosecutors and a registrar, with a core group assembling in Freetown by the end of April. If all went according to plan, the Court would soon begin functioning, and the first indictments could possibly be handed down by the end of 2002.

Unlike those set up for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the Special Court will be a "mixed" tribunal composed of national and international personnel appointed by the Secretary-General and the Government of Sierra Leone. The Court's budget is projected at some $60 million for three years, dramatically less than for the Yugoslav and Rwanda tribunals, and funded entirely by voluntary contributions by 15 to 20 donor countries. "This Special Court for Sierra Leone has an extremely lean budget", Mr. Zacklin said, but it will have a highly experienced staff. "I think that a lot of States are looking to see whether this kind of a court can work efficiently and in a lean manner."