United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone: Encyclopedia - United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

Charles Taylor - Foday Sankoh
Hinga Norman - Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
Johnny Paul Koroma
Valentine Strasser - Solomon Musa

RUF - SLA - West Side Boys
Kamajors - Executive Outcomes
ECOMOG - Sandline International

Lomé Peace Accord - Abidjan Peace Accord
UNAMSIL - SCSL

SLPP - AFRC - APC

Mende - Temne

Freetown - Mano River
Conflict diamond - Liberian Civil War

The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) 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 civil war in Sierra Leone. UNAMSIL expanded in size several times in 2000 and 2001. It withdrew from the country at the end of 2005, the Security Council having declared that its mission was complete.

UNSCR 1289 (2000) was notable for authorizing UNAMSIL to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence (albeit "within its capabilities and areas of deployment") - a return to a more proactive style of UN peacekeeping.

UNAMSIL replaced a previous mission, the United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL).

According to Security Council resolution 1270 (1999) of 22 October 1999, UNAMSIL has the following mandate:

• To cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the Agreement
• To assist the Government of Sierra Leone in the implementation of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration plan
• To that end, to establish a presence at key locations throughout the territory of Sierra Leone, including at disarmament/reception centres and demobilization centres
• To ensure the security and freedom of movement of United Nations personnel
• To monitor adherence to the ceasefire in accordance with the ceasefire agreement of 18 May 1999 (S/1999/585, annex) through the structures provided for therein
• To encourage the parties to create confidence-building mechanisms and support their functioning
• To facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance
• To support the operations of United Nations civilian officials, including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and his staff, human rights officers and civil affairs officers
• To provide support, as requested, to the elections, which are to be held in accordance with the present constitution of Sierra Leone

According to Security Council resolution 1289 (2000) of 7 February 2000, the mandate has been revised to include the following tasks (acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations):

• To provide security at key locations and Government buildings, in particular in Freetown, important intersections and major airports, including Lungi airport
• To facilitate the free flow of people, goods and humanitarian assistance along specified thoroughfares
• To provide security in and at all sites of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme
• To coordinate with and assist, the Sierra Leone law enforcement authorities in the discharge of their responsibilities
• To guard weapons, ammunition and other military equipment collected from ex-combatants and to assists in their subsequent disposal or destruction

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki