§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assistance he is providing the Sierra Leone Government for the pursuit of perpetrators of war crimes; and if he will make a statement; [89606]
(2) what support his Department is providing for human rights in Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [89607]
§ Mr. Tony LloydBritain continues to make clear to all parties in Sierra Leone the crucial importance of respect for human rights; and has consistently condemned human rights violations in Sierra Leone. We unreservedly condemn the appalling human rights abuses committed during the conflict in Sierra Leone. We look to the rebels to demonstrate remorse for the enormous suffering they have inflicted on the people of Sierra Leone.
Britain is leading the way in providing support for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Sierra Leone. For example, the emergency food, medicine, and disinfectant which Britain provided and distributed in the immediate aftermath of the rebel incursion into Freetown in January helped save lives and alleviate suffering.
Our latest £10 million package of assistance to Sierra Leone is helping the West African Peacekeeping Force, ECOMOG, to protect the people of Sierra Leone from rebel atrocities. We have made it clear that our support is conditional on ECOMOG and the Government of Sierra Leone respecting human rights.
We support the efforts being made to confront these issues in the current peace negotiations between the Government of Sierra Leone and the rebels. A long-term reconciliation process will be essential if lasting peace is to be achieved in Sierra Leone. We are ready to consider how we can best contribute to this process following a peace agreement, in support of the United Nations and others.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present operational status of the United Kingdom High Commission in Sierra Leone. [89605]
316W
§ Mr. Tony LloydThe British High Commission in Freetown is fully operational, with the exception of the Consular/Visa section. This section remains closed except for genuine emergencies, and will re-open as soon as a permanent Vice-Consul can arrive. We regret the inconvenience caused by the absence of a Vice-Consul, and are taking urgent steps to fill this staffing gap.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards encouraging the continued deployment of ECOMOG forces in Sierra Leone; what has been the total financial cost to ECOMOG of deployment to date; what has been the total(a) cost and (b) nature of United Kingdom support to ECOMOG; and if he will make a statement. [89657]
§ Mr. Tony LloydWe are providing considerable practical support for ECOMOG's efforts to consolidate the security situation in Sierra Leone. We believe that ECOMOG should continue to play an important role in providing security in Sierra Leone for the time being. We are encouraged by President Obasanjo's recent public commitment that Nigerian troops will remain in Sierra Leone until peace is guaranteed.
Since September 1998, Britain has provided over £4 million worth of practical logistic support to ECOMOG and the Government of Sierra Leone. As part of our new £10 million package of assistance, we have made available a further £5 million to provide further equipment for ECOMOG. We are providing logistic support in the form of vehicles and spares, boots, rations, tents, helicopter hours, and transportation of a new contingent, as well as light weapons and ammunition.
The question of the total financial cost to ECOMOG to date of its deployment in Sierra Leone is a matter for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).