Peacewatch.

KOSOVO

Coalition talks continue

The 17 November provincial-wide elections in Kosovo failed to give any single party a majority, and negotiations in forming a coalition government and electing a President remained inconclusive. Despite two rounds of voting on 10 January, the sole candidate, Ibrahim Rugova, failed to attain a majority. The first round required two thirds of the 120-member Assembly for victory. In the second, which required a simple majority of 61, Mr. Rugova received 51 votes. After that round--the third since December 2001--Assembly President Nexhet Daci adjourned the session. A new date has not yet been set.

On 23 January, Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Michael Steiner, a former Foreign and Security Policy Adviser to the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, as his Special Representative for Kosovo and head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission (UNMIK). He is the third Special Representative since the Mission was established in 1999, succeeding Hans Haekkerup of Denmark, who left for personal reasons at the end of 2001, and Bernard Kouchner of France.

On 21 January, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno briefed the Security Council on developments in Kosovo since the November elections. UNMIK continued to work to create an environment in which minorities would feel secure to participate in public life, Mr. Guehenno said, adding that, overall, the last three months had been calm. He also underscored that a more robust and active approach by UNMIK and the international security force in Kosovo (KFOR) had also helped to decrease the level of violence in Mitrovica. However, Mr. Guehenno also pointed out the murder in the Pec region of Assembly member lsmael Hardaraj of the Democratic League of Kosovo. The motivation for the killing still remains unclear.

On 17 January, the Secretary-General said that the elections represented an important step forward in the implementation of the 1999 Security Council resolution, aimed at ensuring a gradual transfer of power to the provisional institutions of self-government. Noting that the elections compelled the political forces to work together to overcome the legacy of the past and contribute to the building of a common future, Mr. Annan said: "The time it is taking to elect a President and form a government is an indication of the difficulties that will have to be overcome."

On 30 January, UN police arrested three men for smuggling weapons and explosives from Albania. Two days earlier, KFOR arrested two men suspected of committing war crimes against the Kosovo Albanian population from September 1998 through June 1999.

Single Trial for Milosevic

On 1 February, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia decided that one trial would be held for alleged crimes committed by Slobodan Milosevic in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. The decision follows an appeal by the Tribunal's Prosecutor to hold a single trial for all three indictments against Mr. Milosevic, who faces charges of genocide and other war crimes. The Appeals Chamber also decided to set 12 February as the start date for the trial, beginning with evidence relevant only to the charges relating to Kosovo.

EAST TIMOR 

UN mission extended until independence

On 24 January, Secretary-General Kofi Annan invited the leaders of all 189 UN Member States, as well as the Holy See and Switzerland, to attend the 20 May ceremony marking the independence of East Timor.

The Security Council on 31 January extended the mandate of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) until the territory's independence. The day before, the Council held an open meeting to review preparations in the territory for nationhood, including work on a constitution and plans for a successor mission to the current one. During the day-long meeting chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritius, Anil Kumarsingh Gayan, over twenty Member States expressed their support for East Timor.

UNTAET head Sergio Vieira de Mello told the Council that East Timor's Constituent Assembly had reviewed and approved most of the draft constitution, with the full text slated for adoption on 9 March. The transfer of power from the UN to the East Timorese people would be completed with the election of the President on 14 April, he said.

The successor mission, Mr. Vieira de Mello said, would aim to ensure that operational responsibility was fully devolved to the East Timorese authorities as soon as possible without jeopardizing stability and progress. The UNTAET head said that he was committed to ensuring a "wind-down" of the Mission to minimize trauma, but the downsizing process had been particularly difficult as the Government bodies were in dire need of international staff everywhere. The Government would also require international support for social and economic development and poverty reduction, he said.

Also addressing the Council, Jose Ramos-Horta, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation for East Timor, said the process of designing a blueprint for economic development in the territory had been a unique experiment. It was one of the few exercises in planning and development where civil society provided an input to a governmental process before the plan was approved and put into effect. East Timor, he added, expected to accede to several human right treaties at independence, and the Constitution was being drafted accordingly. The territory would also like to loin the United Nations, either on the day of independence or soon after.

On 31 January, the East Timorese Constituent Assembly in Dili voted overwhelmingly to transform itself into the country's first legislature upon final approval of the Constitution. The idea of transforming the 88-member Constituent Assembly, elected on 30 August 2001 to create the Constitution, was first proposed in late 2000 by the National Council of Timorese Resistance--an interim legislative body, which is an umbrella organization of political parties and civic organizations formed in 1998. The proposal, supported by UNTAET and adopted by the National Council was included in the draft constitution, of which 25,000 copies had been distributed on 21 February for a territory-wide public consultation before the final vote and signing ceremony on 16 March.

SIERRA LEONE

Disarmament complete

The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) on 4 February reported that the registration process for the presidential and parliamentary elections planned for 14 May 2002 was proceeding smoothly. Noting that the elections were an important milestone in the country's peace process, the Security Council on 16 January decided that UNAMSIL would help with logistical support, transport and security. Welcoming the Mission's plans to monitor the electoral process and assist international election observers, it authorized an increase in UN civilian police to support the Sierra Leone Police in carrying out election-related responsibilities.

On 9 January, the Secretary-General's Special Representative and UNAMSIL head, Oluyemi Adeniji, briefed the Council on the end of the disarmament process, noting that the Mission had collected weapons from 46,346 combatants. Welcoming the completion of the process, the Secretary-General noted that "the forthcoming parliamentary and presidential elections, the extension of the State authority throughout the country, the reintegration of ex-combatants, the restoration of the Government's control over natural resources and the resettlement of returning refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as advancing national reconciliation, remain crucial tasks for the peace process."

On 18 January, a symbolic weapons-burning ceremony in Lungi, attended by several West African heads of State and Government, marked the completion of the process which began in May 2001. Nearly 3,000 small arms and light weapons collected were torched in a bonfire lit by Sierra Leone's President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and Ghana's President John Kufuor. Mr. Adeniji remarked: "While this day symbolizes an end, it also symbolizes a beginning. With the completion of disarmament, the reintegration phase will now begin."

On 19 December 2001, welcoming reports that the Government's Certificate of Origin regime was helping to curb the illicit flow of conflict diamonds out of Sierra Leone, the Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, extended the import ban of uncertified Sierra Leonean rough diamonds for eleven months, beginning on 5 January 2002.

War Crimes Court for Sierra Leone

On 16 January, the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone signed a landmark agreement establishing a special court to prosecute persons bearing "the greatest responsibility" for war crimes during the country's decade-long civil war. At a ceremony in the capital Freetown, witnessed by Sierra Leone's President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, the agreement was signed by Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Solomon Berewa on behalf of the Government and by Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Hans Corell on behalf of the United Nations. The signing was the culmination of a process that began in 2000 with the adoption of Security Council resolution 1315 (2000), which asked Secretary-General Kofi Annan to negotiate the creation of an independent special court.

The Court will have temporal jurisdiction over war crimes committed since 30 November 1996, and the Secretary-General will appoint a prosecutor, as well as the majority of the trial and appeals judges, to assure the tribunal's independence. Calling the agreement "the first step on the path to combating impunity", Mr. Corell appealed to the people of Sierra Leone to support the work of the Special Court and the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Peace process progresses

The Security Council on 16 January welcomed the progress in the peace process and called on the parties to "redouble" and move their efforts forward. It reminded all parties of their obligation to ease the deployment of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), particularly in the eastern part of the country, and called on the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD)/Goma and Rwanda to cooperate with the Mission. Welcoming the recent improvement in relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi, the Council invited all parties to the conflict to intensify their bilateral contacts.

Expressing concern for the continued fighting in the eastern part of the country, the Council demanded an end to the hostilities and respect for humanitarian law. Reiterating its call for the total withdrawal of foreign forces and an end of support to armed groups, the Council urged all Congolese to engage in the Inter-Congolese dialogue.

On 19 December, the Council extended for six months the mandate of the Panel examining the illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Condemning the unabated exploitation of natural resources in the country, the Council said it was perpetuating the conflict, exacerbating the suffering of the people and impeding economic development. In its latest report, the six-member expert panel, chaired by Ambassador Mahmoud Kassem of Egypt, called for a moratorium on the purchase and importing of precious products, such as coltan, diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, timber and coffee, originating in areas where foreign troops are present, as well as in territories under the control of rebel groups.

Congo Volcano Erupts

Following the volcanic eruption on 17 January of Mount Nyiragongo near Goma, along the border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, United Nations relief agencies rushed to help families affected by lava flows.

It is estimated that about 250,000 people are homeless as a result of the devastation wrecked by the eruption, while 40 per cent of all health centres and 70 per cent of all schools in the area have been destroyed.

Staff from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and NGOs remained behind to plan assistance to the displaced and prepare evacuation, if necessary. MONUC provided over $700,000 to the coordinated relief effort.

On 22 January, United Nations aid agencies issued a $15-million joint appeal to provide relief to families affected. According to the World Food Programme, some 350,000 people have received assistance in the Goma area since the eruption.

UN Withdraws from Khmer Rouge Tribunal 

The Legal Counsel to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Hans Corell, on 7 February announced the United Nations was ending negotiations with Cambodia to set up a tribunal to try former Khmer Rouge leaders for genocide and crimes against humanity committed between 1975 and 1979, saying the Government had rejected a proposed agreement governing the court. "The United Nations has concluded that the proceedings of the Extraordinary Chambers would not guarantee the international standards of justice required for the United Nations to continue to work towards their establishment and have decided, with regret, to end its participation in this process", Mr. Corell said. He explained that after a review of the entire negotiating process, the United Nations concluded that as currently envisaged, the Cambodian tribunal "would not guarantee the independence, impartiality and objectivity that a court established with the support the United Nations must have". The United Nations had been in talks with the Cambodian Government for nearly five years to set up a special court to try the former Khmer Rouge leaders. In 1999, Phnom Penh rejected a proposal by Mr. Annan for an international court and instead decided to establish a national tribunal, with the participation of foreign judges and prosecutors.

MIDDLE EAST

Growing concern over escalating violence

Warning that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict risked sliding towards full-fledged war, Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 21 February urged the Security Council to work with both sides in resolving the conflict. "The lack of mutual confidence between the two sides makes a third-party role essential", he said, adding that it was also "essential for the Security Council and the wide international community to work in a concerted manner with the parties towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peaceful settlement of the conflict". The key interlinked problems, he said, remain "occupation; security--the need to end violence including terrorism; and the economic deprivation and suffering".

Calling for an immediate halt to the "destructive and dangerous cycle of violence", the Council on 31 January deplored the loss of life and suffering of the civilian populations on all sides. Stressing that there could be no military solution since violence only created more violence, it said "the only way forward was in the return to dialogue and negotiation".

The Council called on both parties to resume negotiations and to work for "a lust, lasting and comprehensive settlement" based on Council resolutions 242 and 338 and the Madrid Principles. It recalled that Israel and the Palestinian Authority had accepted the security plan presented by United States Central Intelligence Agency Director George Tenet and the report submitted in May 2001 by the Sharm el-Sheikh Fact-finding Committee, chaired by former Senator George Mitchell.

General Assembly Calls for Middle East Monitoring Mechanism

Resuming its emergency special session on illegal Israeli actions in East Jerusalem and other occupied Palestinian territories, the General Assembly on 20 December adopted a two-part resolution in support of establishing a monitoring mechanism for the region. By a vote of 124 to 6, with 25 abstentions, the Assembly encouraged all concerned to set up the mechanism to help the parties implement the recommendations in the Sharm el-Sheikh Committee's report, and to help "create a better situation" in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Demanding the immediate end of all acts of violence, provocation and destruction, the Assembly called on the two sides to start the "comprehensive and immediate" implementation of the recommendations. It condemned all acts of terror, particularly those targeting civilians, as well as all extrajudicial executions, excessive use of force, and widespread destruction of properties. It also stressed the essential role of the Palestinian Authority as the "indispensable and legitimate party for peace".

The Assembly's action followed a meeting of the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, in which the Council failed to adopt a draft resolution encouraging the establishment of a monitoring mechanism to help the parties. The draft was defeated by a vote of 12 in favour, with two abstentions (Norway and the United Kingdom), and the United States exercising its veto power.

IRAQ

Oil-for-food programme extended

Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 4 January approved the latest distribution plan for the United Nations "oil-for-food" programme, which allows Baghdad to use a portion of its petroleum revenues to purchase humanitarian relief aid through 29 May 2002.

With a $4.4 billion budget spread over 13 sectors countrywide, the plan allocates $600 million for oil industry spare parts and equipment and $310 million to meet the needs of especially vulnerable groups. More than $1.27 billion is earmarked for food supplies, while an additional $10 million is set aside for a supplemental nutrition support programme for pregnant and lactating mothers in Iraq, where approximately 50,000 babies are born each month. Other allocations include $178 million for medical services and supplies, $293.5 million for minimum requirements in the electricity sector, and $474 million to help meet Iraq's "urgent needs" in agriculture. Responding to severe damage to schools and the acute shortage of learning materials, the plan provides $188 million for the education sector.

The Executive Director of the United Nations Office of the Iraq Programme, Benon Sevan, on II February ended a month-long visit to the country for talks with government officials and UN senior officers on ways to improve the overall implementation of the oil-for-food programme and expedite delivery of humanitarian supplies and equipment.

Expressing "deep concern" at the continuing plight of missing Kuwaitis and other nationals in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf war, the Council on 20 December urged Baghdad to resume cooperation. It also urgently called on the Iraqi Government to cooperate in returning stolen Kuwaiti properties, specifically the Kuwaiti national archives.

Palestinian Economy Shattered

On 20 December, UN Special Coordinator Terje Roed-Larsen said the region was experiencing "peace-building in reverse", citing the rising death toll--1,000--of the Intifada and new studies on the economic conditions facing Palestinians. The studies showed that 35 per cent of Palestinians were out of work, with 50 per cent unemployment in Gaza. Poverty rates were expected to climb by 40 per cent by the end of the year, more than double the rate prior to the onset of the current crisis. Almost half of the Palestinian population was living on less than $2 a day.

RELATED ARTICLE: Other Peacekeeping-related Matters

Angola: Rebel leader killed. Responding to the death of the UNITA rebel leader, Jonas Savimbi, killed by government troops on 22 February, Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged that "all concerned should do their utmost to use the new and changed circumstances to advance the cause of peace and reconciliation in Angola". He called on the parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire and restart peace talks based on the Lusaka Protocol. On 14 February, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Angola, Erick de Mul, said the country was facing a catastrophic situation, noting that life expectancy averaged 44 years, with 30 per cent of all children dying before the age of five.

Bosnia: Stability depends on "meaningful future" of returnees. Long-term stability in the Balkans was directly tied to the fate of an estimated 1 million people still uprooted by the region's wars, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers said on 30 January. He noted that about 2 million displaced people had already returned to their homes. Members of minority communities had begun to return to difficult areas, such as Srebrenica and Foca, an indication that many of the legal, administrative and security obstacles were disappearing.

Burundi: Ceasefire a "foremost priority". Expressing its full support for Burundi's transitional Government headed by President Pierre Buyoya, the Security Council on 7 February said that continued fighting was a threat to the peace process and called on rebel groups to lay down their arms and "finally to join the peace process High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers told the Council that hundreds of thousands of Burundians sought to return home. Some 600,000 are currently living as refugees in East, Central and Southern Africa, while another 600,000 remained displaced inside the country.

Central African Republic: Reconciliation efforts stalled. Deeply concerned over the continuing crisis in the country, the Security Council on 10 lanuary called on the authorities to continue to facilitate national dialogue and reconciliation. It asked Secretary-General Kofi Annan to coordinate the various initiatives to restore calm and stability through his Special Representative, Lamine Cisse, in cooperation with the Organization of African Unity.

Colombia: Peace talks break down. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 21 February urged the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to stop its campaign of hijackings, which "have undermined the peace talks". He called on FARC to release all those kidnapped, including former Governor Alan Jara, who was seized at gunpoint from a UN vehicle. Urging that special measures be taken to protect civilians in the former demilitarized zone that was being reoccupied by the Colombian military, Mr. Annan called on all armed actors to respect international humanitarian law. Reiterating his conviction that the forty-year conflict could only be resolved by a negotiated solution that addressed its deeply rooted social and political causes, the Secretary-General said his good offices remained at the disposal of the parties, "if so requested".

Cuprus: Greek and Turkish leaders begin talks. On 21 January, Greek Cypriot Leader Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash held their first regularly scheduled talks in the presence of the Secretary-General's Special Advisor for Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, in the UN protected area in Nicosia. Both leaders had agreed to meet regularly three times a week. Mr. de Soto on 31 January noted that there had been a "notable lack of hesitation on the part of both leaders to touch on all issues, including the most sensitive ones", but cautioned that much work lay ahead.

Georgia: UN mission mandate extended. The Security Council on 31 January extended the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) for six months through 31 July. The Council urged the parties to the conflict to engage in talks based on a new UN paper aimed to facilitate their negotiations on the status of Abkhazia within the State of Georgia. Expressing concern at the "disturbing tendency" to restrict the freedom of movement of the Mission, the Council called on the parties to bring to justice those responsible for the shooting down of a UNOMIG helicopter last year.

Guinea Bissau: Reconciliation efforts continue. The Security Council on 8 January encouraged President Kumba Yala to continue to pursue a policy of national reconciliation and dialogue. It also recognized the "tireless efforts" of the UN Peace-building Support Office in Guinea-Bissau to help the peacebuilding process in the country, including the demobilization of former combatants and their reintegration into civilian life.

Horn of Africa: Council mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea. On the eve of the official border delimitation, scheduled to be delivered by the end of March by the Boundary Commission established under the 2000 Algiers Peace Agreement, the Security Council decided to send a high-level mission led by Ambassador Ole Peter Kolby of Norway from 20 to 25 February to inspect the work of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) and to discuss the situation with the two Governments. The high-level mission will also visit the temporary security zone (TSZ), established in April 2001 as a buffer between the two countries. Currently, UNMEE has nearly 4,000 troops stationed in the security zone.

Lebanon: Interim Force mandate extended. Voicing "great concern" about the serious violations of the withdrawal line between Lebanon and Israel, the Security Council on 28 January extended the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for six months, until 31 July 2002. The Council asked Secretary-General Kofi Annan to implement the reconfiguration of UNIFIL, as outlined in his latest report, in consultation with the Lebanese Government and the troop-contributing countries. The Secretary-General had called for a phased reduction of the Force from over 5700 to 2000 troops by the end of the year.

Liberia: Thousands displaced by new fighting. UN officials on 29 January reported that a new outbreak of fighting north of the capital Monrovia had displaced tens of thousands of people, including refugees from Sierra Leone seeking shelter in Liberia. Since fighting between anti-Government rebels and regular army troops intensified in Liberia's northern counties in December 2001, more than 6,000 new arrivals have been registered in various camps around Monrovia. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 21 December 2001 called for an end to the violence, which he warned could negatively affect stability in the subregion. On 7 January, Mr. Kofi Annan appointed Ambassador Haile Menkerios of Eritrea as his new representative and head of the UN Peace-building Support Office in Liberia (UNOL), starting on 1 February.

Prevlaka: UN monitors remain. The Security Council on 15 January authorized UN military observers to continue monitoring through mid-July the demilitarization of the Prevlaka peninsula--a strategic area disputed by Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Welcoming continuing progress in the normalization of relations between Zagreb and Belgrade, and the establishment of an interstate Border Commission, the Council urged the parties to accelerate efforts towards a negotiated settlement. The Council also requested the UN Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP) and the multinational stabilization force operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina to cooperate fully with each other.

West Africa: New UN office established. The Security Council on 19 December welcomed the establishment of a new Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa, saying the envoy would help to better harmonize UN efforts in the region. The Council said the Dakar-based Office would also ensure the development of a fruitful partnership with the Economic Community of West African States and other subregional organizations. It welcomed the three-year extension of the Moratorium on the Importation, Exportation and Manufacture of Small Arms and Light Weapons in West Africa and appealed for international financial support for the effort.

Western Sahara: Bleak future for stalled peace process. The Security Council on 27 February extended the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) for two months, until 30 April 2002, expressing its intention to "consider actively" the four options proposed by the Secretary-General on 20 February in addressing the "rather bleak" future of the stalled peace process, including terminating the Mission due to lack of progress.

New Accords on Child Rights

Two new international legal instruments protecting children from armed combat and sexual exploitation have become law. On 12 February, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict entered into force, prohibiting States parties from sending children under the age of 18 into combat and from recruiting children under 16 into the armed forces. On 18 January, the Optional Protocol against the sale of children, child prostitution and pornography also entered into force, calling for Governments to ensure that adults involved in the exploitation and trafficking of children are punished.

The United Nations estimates that over 300,000 boys and girls are serving in government or rebel forces in over thirty armed conflicts in the world--as soldiers, runners, guards, sex slaves, cooks or spies. Frequently abducted from their homes, schools or refugee camps and forced into combat, these children are beaten or killed if they attempt to escape. Girls are especially vulnerable because they are often sexually exploited.

Conflict and Poverty in Africa 

After two days of debate with nearly fifty Member States, the Security Council on 31 January outlined a series of measures aimed at preventing conflict and creating conditions essential for peace and sustainable development in Africa. In a presidential statement, the Council underscored the importance of partnership between the United Nations, the Organization for African Unity (OAU) and subregional organizations to help build capacity in early warning, conflict prevention and peacekeeping. It strongly supported the OAU decision to deny recognition to Governments that came to power through unconstitutional means. Underscoring the importance of economic rehabilitation and reconstruction in the long-term development of post-conflict societies and the maintenance of lasting peace, the Council called for early resumption of international cooperation and development aid to countries where a peace process was being implemented. It reiterated the importance of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration in the pro cess of conflict resolution and post-conflict peace building, and expressed concern over the effects of conflicts on civilians, including violations of their human rights, underlining that the problem of refugees and internally displaced persons, in addition to humanitarian consequences, was a burden on the affected countries and a potential source of conflict.