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Catalogue
Elections
S-1860 · Series · 1996 - 1997
Part of United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL)

Electoral Division
The Electoral Division was headquartered in Monrovia and headed by the Senior Electoral Officer (SEO), Carlos Valenzuela. UNOMIL’s electoral mandate for the 1997 Liberian elections was to observe and verify the election process. This was to be conducted in consultation with the Organization of African Unity and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The role of the Electoral Division grew to encompass logistic, operational, and civic education assistance to the Independent Elections Commission (IECOM), the independent organization mandated to organize and administer the elections. The elections were held in July 1997.

Chronological files are included in the records of the Electoral Division consist in part of periodic reports from: the SEO to the SRSG about the registration process; the IECOM to the SEO, titled “Elections Magistrates County Assessment Reports” about operations, personnel and accommodation for polling sites; and from the NGO Refugee Policy Group about the repatriation of refugees and the electoral process.

Chronological files also include notes to file and briefs about: disarmament and the electoral process; revisions to electoral law, the electoral budget, the elections timetable, and to the Code of Conduct for Political Parties; analyses of ECOWAS meetings about the assessment of preparations for the election; meetings with the European Union (EU) Electoral Mission; drafts of the Secretary-General’s briefs to the Security Council about the electoral process with hand-written notes by the SEO.

The records of the Electoral Division also consist of daily, weekly, and monthly field electoral observation reports sent from the SEO to the SRSG which cover such topics as: the roles of UNOMIL and IECOM in the preparation for the elections; and summaries of complaints made by political parties of political intimidation.

Highlights of the Division records include: an 18 January 1997 code cable from the SRSG to UNNY titled “Advanced Planning for UNOMIL’s Electoral Division”, about the status of the mission’s electoral mandate; a 17 June 1997 memorandum titled “Electoral Observation Requirements” to the SRSG from the Electoral Assistance Division (EAD), Department of Political Affairs, UNNY; and a briefing for the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Marrack Goulding’s 12-15 May 1997 visit to the mission to asses the electoral process.

Head of Mission
S-1857 · Series · 1993 - 1998
Part of United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL)

Special Representative for the Secretary-General (SRSG)
The Office of the Special Representative for the Secretary-General (SRSG) to Liberia was located at UNOMIL headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia. Records derive from the tenures of Mr. Anthony Nyakyi (December 1994 - April 1997) and Mr. Tuliameni Kalomoh, who succeeded Nyakyi in April 1997. The documents primarily consist of incoming and outgoing code cables and subject files which relate to the SRSG’s activities as Head of the Mission.

The code cables were sent from SRSG Nyakyi to United Nations Headquarters, New York and include: drafts and final progress reports to the Secretary-General; daily and weekly situation reports, sent to Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Kofi Annan, detailing political and military developments in the mission; and summaries of meetings between the SRSG and Heads of State, Foreign Affairs Ministers, and faction leaders. Memoranda are also included in the outgoing code cables, describing: the electoral process; analyses of ceasefire violations as relating to the 28 December 1994 Accra Agreement and the 19 August 1995 Abuja Agreement; and deployment of UNOMIL and Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) observers. The code cables also contain notes for file prepared by the Political Affairs Officer (PAO) and by the Human Rights Officer (HRO). The notes for file offer summaries and analyses of the meetings with high-level officials and human rights investigations, respectively.

Also present in the records are incoming code cables from Annan and the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Marrack Goulding to SRSG Nyakyi on topics such as the Brussels Conference held to support the peace process in Liberia (December 1996); the Mission of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Liberia (April 1996); and human rights violations (December 1995).

Other files relate to meetings held by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), including meetings of the Chiefs of Staff; the Council of Ministers; the Committee of Four on Sierra Leone; the Committee of Nine on Liberia; and sessions of Authority Heads of State and Government. Documents relating to these meetings include agenda; minutes from the meetings; draft and final reports; notes verbal; and final communiqués. There are also statements presented at meetings by ECOWAS member states’ Ministers of Foreign Affairs and SRSG Nyakyi.

Also included are files about the disarmament and demobilization process: correspondence between the SRSG and representatives of warring factions about the progress of disarmament; meeting summaries of, and attendance lists for, the inter-agency Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Task Force, chaired by the Humanitarian Coordinator of the United Nations Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Office in Liberia (UN-HACO); working papers about the disarmament and demobilization process; and correspondence between the UN-HACO Humanitarian Coordinator and the SRSG.

There are also subject files which relate to the ECOWAS Military Observer Group (ECOMOG), which include meeting reports of the ECOMOG Disarmament Committee. Records of the inter-agency Ceasefire Violation Committee (CFVC) are also present. These contain meeting minutes summarizing faction allegations of ceasefire violations, and letters of protest from factions and sent to the CFVC.

Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
Also included are documents from the UNOMIL Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), who reported to the SRSG. These include: UNOMIL organization charts; code cables sent from both the SRSG and the CAO to United Nations Headquarters, New York; daily, weekly, and monthly situation reports detailing political and military activities, in particular the activities of President Charles Taylor; and daily press briefings summarizing the daily briefing delivered by Spokesman of the Secretary-General, Fred Eckhard.

Humanitarian Affairs
S-1861 · Series · 1993 - 1997
Part of United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL)

Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Office (HACO), Demobilization and Reintegration Unit
The Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Office (HACO) was established by the United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) to support the Humanitarian Coordinator based in Monrovia. The Humanitarian Coordinator was appointed by the Secretary-General and reported to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Liberia (SRSG). The Office’s Demobilization and Reintegration Unit assisted in coordinating the efforts of United Nations agencies involved in relief and resettlement activities and the provision of assistance to demobilizing soldiers.

The files for the Demobilization and Reintegration Unit include concept papers and plans generated by the Unit, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization concerning disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, lessons learned, child soldiers, the impact of the Liberian conflict on women and children, and health care services for demobilized soldiers.

There are also records of the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Task Force, which was comprised of representatives of UNOMIL, United Nations agencies, NGOs, and the Liberian government, as well as donors to the Task Force. The records include terms of reference, working papers, and meeting minutes concerning: demobilization and reintegration of child soldiers; the demobilization process and policies; obtaining and distributing humanitarian aid; and providing education, medical assistance, and food for demobilized soldiers.

Also present are records of the Unit’s Technical Committee, which provided administrative and management assistance to the Unit. These records include memoranda about the time frame of the demobilization process and a glossary created by the Committee to supplement the Unit’s working papers.

In addition, the records contain statistics on demobilized soldiers and site reports concerning the demobilization process, sanitation, water needs, medical operations, and security. Other reports generated by HACO concern faction compliance with the implementation of the Abuja Agreement of 19 August 1995, UNICEF involvement in demobilization of child soldiers, the consequences of intimidation and re-armament of demobilized children, and demobilization activities of interest to foreign dignitaries. There are also memoranda on the demobilization process prepared by the Humanitarian Coordinator for the SRSG, the Senior Humanitarian Officer for the Humanitarian Coordinator, and by HACO staff for the Complex Emergency Division.

Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Office (HACO), Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit
The Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit supported humanitarian work carried out by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international organizations.

The records of the Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Office consist of reports, meeting summaries, working papers, and memoranda. Included are reports detailing humanitarian assistance projects in Liberia and their policies; quarterly reports concerning the political climate, security, humanitarian advocacy, humanitarian field work, working relationships with partners, and lessons learned; assessment reports about Liberian counties’ humanitarian needs; and a report on internally displaced persons authored by the Refugee Policy Group, dated March 1997. Summaries of meetings with the United Nations Country Team, NGOs, and donors concern humanitarian need assessments, humanitarian projects, the political climate, and security.

Working papers in the files focus on internally displaced persons and the relationship between agencies involved in humanitarian coordination. There are also memoranda concerning the role of HACO and the funding and logistics of humanitarian projects exchanged by the Humanitarian Coordinator; representatives of NGOs, United Nations agencies, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); and leaders of warring factions. Additionally, there are: minutes of meetings of the Programme Compliance and Violations Committee, which investigated violations of international standards of conduct, human rights, and principles and protocols for humanitarian operations; and investigation reports of security incidents concerning sporadic fighting, looting, and harassment, as well as restrictions of humanitarian aid workers’ freedom of movement and access to civilian populations.

Records relating to bridging projects, the initial reintegration projects for demobilized soldiers, include terms of reference and minutes of meetings of the Task Force on Bridging Operations. Meeting minutes of the Task Force concern the projects of the agencies and NGOs in attendance. Also present are project proposals and updates; working papers on the transition to the next phase of reintegration; and guidelines for the funding of projects.

Legal
S-1859 · Series · 1992 - 1998
Part of United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL)

Legal Section
The UNOMIL legal records detail the development of mission-related legal agreements.

Several legal agreements between UNOMIL and Liberia are present in the records, such as Status of Mission Agreements (SOMA); Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA); and Memoranda of Understanding (MOU). Also included are lease agreements pertaining to the UNOMIL Headquarters (Hotel Africa) in Monrovia, Liberia.

The records also contain memoranda exchanged between Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Kofi Annan and Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Anthony Nyakyi, describing the implementation of the 28 December 1994 Accra Agreement and the 19 August 1995 Abuja Agreement.

Also included is a legal chronological file, containing memoranda exchanged between the UNOMIL Legal Officer and other UNOMIL officials: SRSG; Chief Administrative Officer (CAO); Chief Financial Officer (CFO); and Chief Procurement Officer (CPO). Documents of note in the chronological file are communications between the Legal Officer and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and/or the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), regarding the development of mission-related legal affairs and agreements such as: drafts of lease agreements for UNOMIL Headquarters; draft MOU; and preliminary, interim, and final reports prepared by the UNOMIL Ad-Hoc Committee of Inquiry about the Sinje Massacre that took place on 28 September 1996 in Singe, Grand Cape Mount County.

Military
S-1858 · Series · 1994 - 1997
Part of United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL)

Chief Military Observer
The Chief Military Observer (CMO) was tasked with the command of the Military Division of UNOMIL. The CMO was posted at UNOMIL headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia, and reported directly to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on matters regarding military operations of the UNOMIL mandate. The post was held by Major General Daniel Ishmael Opande, succeeded in April 1997 by Major General Sikandar Shami.

The records contain incoming and outgoing code cables, exchanged between the CMO and United Nations Headquarters, New York (UN-NY) and between the SRSG and: Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Marrack Goulding; Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Bernard Miyet; and Margaret Carey, Africa Specialist with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Topics of the cables pertain to military operations and developments of the mission.

The records also contain operational reports such as reconnaissance reports ordered by the CMO and conducted by Military Observers (MILOBS) and/or Electoral Officers to ascertain viability of establishing a field station; or to obtain data on the population and infrastructure necessary for electoral staff. Daily and weekly situation reports and monthly assessments of main developments sent to the SRSG relay information about developments in military and electoral operations.

There are also summaries of meetings of the inter-agency Ceasefire Violations Committee (CFVC), which was chaired by the CMO. The meeting summaries detail the Committee’s discussion of alleged ceasefire violations. The records also include letters of complaint sent by the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) to the CMO, reporting factions’ allegations of ceasefire violations.