Probe into allegations of arms supplies to continue: UN troops leave, new office to be set up.

• Position: Includes a related article on genocide - Rwanda

The International Commission of Inquiry investigating reports of violations of a UN embargo on arms supply to former Rwandan Government Forces should continue to probe into allegations of weapons being shipped to former soldiers now living in refugee camps in the region, according to the Security Council.

Under resolution 1053 (1996), adopted unanimously on 23 April, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali was asked l to consult with States neighbouring Rwanda, particularly Zaire, regarding the possible stationing of UN observers to monitor airfields and other transport points in and around border crossing areas.

The allegations of illegal arms sales to former Rwandan Government Forces (RGF), in contravention of the UN arms embargo imposed under resolutions 918(1994),997 (1995) and 1011 (1995), were cause for "grave concern", declared the Council. It asked the Secretary-General to maintain the Commission "to follow up its earlier investigations and to stand ready to pursue any further allegations" of arms shipments. The Council was "determined" that the embargo be fully implemented.

Under the resolution, States in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa were called on to ensure that their territories were not used as bases for armed groups "to launch incursions or attacks against any other State in violation of principles of international law" and the UN Charter.

States, in particular those whose nationals were implicated in a 13 March report of the Commission, were called on to investigate "the apparent complicity" of their officials or private citizens in a June 1994 incident, in which arms were purchased from Seychelles, as well as in other suspected violations of relevant resolutions, and to make the results available to the Commission.

The importance of stemming the arms flows into the region was emphasized at the Council meeting. Particular concern was voiced about former RGF members being trained in neighbouring States for an armed incursion into Rwanda.

Rwanda welcomed the text, saying the "continuation of the Commission's work is vital for ensuring peace and security in the Great Lakes region", although the terms of reference did not fully equip the body for its tasks.

Remarking that Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire were "so closely interrelated that a cataclysm in one inevitably has repercussions in the others", Burundi stressed that it was essential they all work together. Zaire, while believing it had been unfairly singled out both by the Council and the Commission, said it "eagerly awaits the return to the region of the Commission of Inquiry and hopes that it will leave its prejudices in the dustbin of history and get down to its investigation".

Commission's report

The Council's action came on the heels of similar recommendations contained in the Commission's report, which was transmitted to the Council on 26January by the Secretary-General (S/1996/195). In a covering letter, Mr. Boutros-Ghali suggested that, in light of the recommendations in the report, the Council might authorize the Commission to continue its investigations.

The Commission reported that it was satisfied" that Seychelles, acting on the basis of an end-user certificate apparently issued by Zaire, authorized a sale of some 80 tons of AK-47 rifles, mortar shells and ammunition that were flown aboard an Air Zaire cargo plane from Seychelles to Goma, Zaire on 17 and 19 June 1994. The Commission concluded it was "highly probable that a violation of the embargo had occurred and that the weapons had been transferred to the RGF fee Commission urged that Zaire again be asked to consider the stationing of UN observers on its territory to monitor the implementation of the embargo and deter the shipment of arms to the former RGF in violation of the embargo. Zaire and other Governments of the Great Lakes region should intensify efforts to make sure their territories were not used as platforms by armed groups to launch incursions, and to prevent military training and the sale or supply of weapons to militia groups.

In its interim report of 26 January (S/1996/67), the Commission had pointed to strong indications that certain Rwandan elements in Zaire were being trained to conduct incursions into Rwanda, and these were having a destabilizing effect. The UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) had briefed the Commission on "the increasing numbers of incursions into Rwanda from Zaire, the growing size and military skill of the groups involved and the extent of the loss caused to life and property as a result of their incursions, considerations which suggest that military training was being carried out". It was not able at that stage to confirm allegations regarding embargo violations by several countries, noting that a number of those countries had not yet replied to the Commission's inquiries.

In a 2 February letter (S/1996/84), Rwanda called for strengthening...