(a) whether the rebel forces in Sierra Leone took about 255 U.N. peace keepers, including 245 Indian soldiers, captive and there was little sympathy from the world community and the Indian Government too was down playing the seriousness of the situation;
(b) whether the western press has charged that the Indians, Bangladeshis and Nepalese troops were there to make some extra money and implicitly, walked in this adventure; and
(c) if so, the reaction of the Government thereon?
MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI
GEORGE FERNANDES)
(a) to (c): A statement is attached.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF
LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3894 FOR 17.8.2000
Twenty one personnel including two officers of the
Indian battalion who were taken hostage by the
Revolutionary United Force (RUF) viz. the rebel
forces in Sierra Leone in the first week of May, 2000
were released on 29th June 2000 in Liberia. These
personnel have since returned to Freetown (Sierra
Leone) and are in good health. The release of the
hostages came about in a peaceful manner
following diplomatic initiatives by India and the
U.N. with the neighbouring African countries.
An Indian Infantry Battalion Group was deployed in
the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone as part of the
UNAMSIL Mission. Two companies of this battalion
composed of 221 personnel and 11 Military Observers
of different nationalities (including one Indian)
were located at Kailahun, approximately 70 kms. away
from the Battalion Headquarters at Daru. A situation
of stand off between the RUF and the Indian troops
had been continuing since 03 May 2000, and from that
date the movement of the Indian troops were not being
permitted. When all diplomatic efforts made at the
highest level, both at the UN and national level to
end the impasse at Kailahun failed, the UN Secretary
General authorised the exercise of Military option to
extricate the besieged UN peacekeepers. As a result
of an operation which was successfully launched by
UNAMSIL, supported by UK forces, all the UN
peacekeepers and Military Observers were extricated
from Kailahun on 16th July 2000 and have reached Daru
and Freetown.
All throughout the hostage crisis and the stand
off at Kailahun, Government had been putting
extensive diplomatic pressure on the UN, the USA and
key African countries to bear upon the RUF for an
early and peaceful settlement of the situation, and
there was all round sympathy and cooperation for
India on the issue from the world community.
Government had also deputed a high level composite
team from the Ministries of Defence and External
Affairs and the Service Hqrs to Sierra Leone, UK and
the USA to negotiate an early settlement of the
hostage crisis.
Government is committed to the peace keeping
activities of the UN, particularly in Africa, and
cannot pay heed to malignant reports in the western
press about peace keepers from the Indian sub
continent.