RESOLUTION(1)

on Sierra Leone

The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,

- meeting in Nassau (Bahamas) from 11 to 14 October 1999,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Sierra Leone,

- having regard to the EU declaration of 15 July on Sierra Leone,

A. whereas a peace agreement was signed by the Government of Sierra Leone and the RUF representatives in Togo on 7 July 1999,

B. expressing concern at the fact that the peace agreement is not being implemented according to schedule and at the fragility of the reconciliation process,

C. whereas the peace agreement is intended to put an end to a conflict that has caused immense suffering to the people of Sierra Leone, claimed thousands of civilian victims and shocked the international community because of the widespread atrocities committed against women and children,

D. deeply concerned at the large number of refugees and displaced persons in Sierra Leone; whereas in spite of the country's significant natural resources, most of which are used to finance the conflict, the population of Sierra Leone continues to live in conditions of great misery,

E. whereas ensuring a fair and equitable justice system is an essential element for providing Sierra Leone with reconciliation and stability; whereas the perpetrators of human rights violations must be brought to justice,

F. whereas a United Nations peace-keeping force must be established to monitor the implementation of the agreements,

G. whereas a peaceful solution for Sierra Leone can be found only through genuine regional cooperation and action to combat diamond smuggling, which is mostly controlled by the RUF in the eastern provinces, with connections in neighbouring countries,

1. Welcomes the signature of the peace agreement and calls upon all parties to strictly implement the terms of the agreement in order to achieve a lasting peaceful resolution of a conflict which has caused immense suffering to the people of Sierra Leone;

2. Commends all those involved in bringing about this agreement on the role they have played, and in particular the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Ecowas;

3. Urges the Government of Sierra Leone, on the understanding that there can be no peace without justice, to establish a fair judicial system which will enable those responsible for human rights violations to be brought to justice; is of the opinion that sharing power and establishing truly democratic institutions and the rule of law are an essential precondition for national reconciliation;

4. Notes the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission as provided in the peace agreement but believes that peace can be reached only on the basis of accountability of individual perpetrators of grave human rights violations;

5. Calls on the European Union and the United Nations to provide ad hoc programmes for the physical, mental and psychological rehabilitation of children who have participated in armed combat;

6. Calls on the Commission to mobilise the necessary resources in order to provide humanitarian aid in the country and to launch a special programme for the rehabilitation of former child-soldiers and the provision of assistance to amputees;

7. Stresses that without a properly financed rehabilitation programme for ex-fighters and a reconstruction fund for civilians, it will prove difficult to keep the peace in the long term;

8. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone.

(1) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 14 October 1999 in Nassau (Bahamas).