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Indian peacekeeping force commander in Sierra Leone to be replaced

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

Major General Vijay Kumar Jetley, commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Sierra Leone, and his warring deputies are slated to be replaced, according to authoritative sources.

The changes would put an end, at least temporarily, to the fierce fighting reportedly going on between them. However, the replacement would not be immediate and in no way be annoying to India, which has threatened to withdraw its troops if Major General Jetley is replaced unceremoniously.

Technically, the UN will remove Major General Jetley and his deputies, as the strength of the peacekeeping mission will go up to 23,000 from the existing 13,500. The newly strengthened mission will need a three-star general (lieutenant general) to command it. Major General Jetley is only a two-star general.

The changes are expected to take place sometime early next year.

The replacement would give the UN a breather as Major General Jetley and his deputies have been indulging in a slanging match. Major General Jetley had accused his deputies of non-co-operation.

In a letter to the UN, Major General Jetley had claimed that, 'The Nigerian army is interested in staying in Sierra Leone due to the massive benefits they are getting from the illegal mining of diamonds.'

His memo, a copy of which is with rediff.com, goes on to claim that the West African troops, which was independently maintaining peace in Sierra Leone before the UN troops arrived, had reached a tacit understanding with the Revolutionary United Front rebels 'of non-interference in each other's activities.'

Major General Jetley also accuses his senior deputies of cultivating the RUF leadership, 'especially Foday Sankoh, behind my back'. He alleges his Nigerian deputy 'has been in constant touch with Foday Sankoh throughout this crisis. He has probably compromised a lot of my operational plans.'

The general has pointed out that his deputies openly spoke against him and had tried to embarrass him in front of his troops. After one particular successful deployment of the Indian battalion, Major General Jetley was questioned by his deputy, 'in the presence of my subordinate officers, about the rationale of my actions suggesting that I should have sent joint patrols of all three battalions to Koidu rather than the individual unit identities.'

'On numerous occasions, DFC has not executed tasks given by me, he has not even bothered to give a feedback weeks after the scheduled date of submission of reports of projects entrusted to him,' Major General Jetley's report to the UN says.

He also alleges that intercepts received by the Sierra Leone army clearly 'indicate a close relationship between RUF rebels and Nigerians.' He says, 'The complete Nigerian company at Kambia was permitted to move to Port Loko while the two Indian drivers with them were detained. They were later released after I intervened.'

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and senior UN officials have expressed concern over the differences. There are reports emerging from New York saying that Major General Jetley would be replaced for leaking the memo.

The differences in the top rung has almost derailed the smooth functioning of the peacekeeping mission, which is struggling to impose peace in a country torn apart by riots, chaos and child fighters.

According to sources in New Delhi, Major General Jetley would not be replaced "immediately." It would happen only some time next year, when the force level reaches 23,000. It will first go up to 16,000, and then to 23,000.

India has not committed to provide any more troops. There are about 3,500 Indian soldiers in Sierra Leone.

ALSO SEE:
'We are not a war-making force'

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