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UNAMSIL needs more peacekeepers: Jetley

Indian force commander of the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone Major General Vijay Kumar Jetley told the United Nations Security Council that the mission needs "many more troops" quickly but did not give any specific number.

However, he said, the mandate was adequate to carry out current objectives.

"I did make a statement that there is a requirement of many more troops over there, many more troops to be given to use as quickly as possible," he told the media after briefing a closed door meeting of the Security Council Thursday.

But, "I didn't make any number guessing," he said.

Jetley said the situation in the country was "calm but tense."

On the adequacy of mandate, he said, "As far as I am concerned, the mandate is very adequate. The two operations we fought where we used force, including deadly force, proved that the mandate is quite adequate," referring to the well-coordinated operation carried out by mostly Indian soldiers of the mission to rescue 233 peacekeepers surrounded by Revolutionary United Front rebels for ten weeks.

He rejected the Liberian foreign minister's suggestion that peacekeepers guard the border between his country and Sierra Leone to prevent the smuggling of illicit diamonds by rebels as guarding international borders was the responsibility of sovereign nations.

Besides, guarding a heavily forested terrain would be a very difficult task, he said.

British Ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock praised the briefing by the Indian general as "unusually important" and said the council had praised his "courageous" work.

Diplomats said the council members understood and supported Jetley's demand for more troops and expect that Secretary General Kofi Annan would recommend strengthening of the mission by addition of several battalions.

The council is expected to adopt shortly a British sponsored resolution that would make the mandate more robust to deal with the emerging situation.

The current authorised strength of the mission is 13,000 troops and Annan's recommendation to increase it to 16,500 is pending in the council.

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