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MISSION OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
SECRETARY-GENERAL IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
DOMREP
(May 1965 -- October 1966)
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DOMREP
was established in May 1965 to observe the situation and
to report on breaches of the ceasefire between the two
de facto authorities in the Dominican Republic.
Following the agreement on a new Government, DOMREP was
withdrawn
DOMREP was
established in accordance with Security Council
resolution 203 (1965) of 14 May 1965. Its functions
were to observe the situation in the Dominican Republic
and to report to the Secretary-General, and through him
to the Security Council, on breaches of the ceasefire
called by the Council or any events which might effect
the maintenance of peace and order in the country.
On
28 April 1965, following the collapse of the Government
and the outbreak of civil war in the Dominican Republic,
the United States dispatched troops to the country in
order, as the United Nations Security Council was
informed, to protect Americans there and escort them to
safety. At the request of the United States, the Council
of the Organization of American States (OAS) met to
consider the situation. On 29 April, it adopted a
resolution calling for a ceasefire. On 23 May, OAS
established an Inter-American Peace Force in the
Dominican Republic (IAPF). [As of 26 June 1965, IAPF was
composed of 1,700 troops from six Latin American
countries and 12,400 from the United States.]
The
United Nations Security Council considered the situation
in the Dominican Republic during several meetings in the
first half of May and adopted a resolution in which it
called for a strict ceasefire in that country. It also
invited the Secretary-General to send a representative
there for the purpose of reporting to the Council on the
situation.
UN Mission established
The
Secretary-General appointed Mr. Jose Antonio Mayobre,
Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin
America, as his Representative. Together with his
Military Adviser and a small team of military observers,
the Representative observed and reported on the
developments in the Dominican Republic. His functions
were to observe the situation there and to report to the
Secretary-General on breaches of the ceasefire called by
the Security Council or any events which might effect
the maintenance of peace and order in the country. In
this connection, he reported on the signing of an Act of
Reconciliation by the contending factions, the
establishment of a provisional Government and
preparations for the national elections. The Council
also received detailed communications during that period
from OAS.
On 1
June 1996, general elections were held in the Dominican
Republic, as a result of which a new President was
elected and a Government led by him was installed. On
the basis of information from his Representative, the
Secretary-General reported on the subsequent withdrawal
of IAPF, completed on 21 September 1966. In a letter to
the Secretary-General dated 13 October 1966, the
Dominican Foreign Minister expressed his country’s
appreciation to the United Nations for its interest in
the restoration of peace and harmony in the Dominican
Republic and stated that, in the view of his Government,
the objectives of the Security Council having been
achieved, it would be advisable to withdraw the United
Nations Mission. On the next day, in his last report on
this question, the Secretary-General informed the
Council that he had initiated arrangements for the
withdrawal of the United Nations Mission. The withdrawal
was completed on 22 October 1996.
Secretary-General’s observations
The
Secretary-General, in the introduction to his annual
report on the work of the Organization covering the
period from 16 June 1964 to 15 June 1965, discussed the
problems and character of the United Nations role in the
Dominican Republic situation. He described the task of
his Representative there as a Anew United Nations
mission in the peacekeeping category.
The
situation, the Secretary-General wrote, was of unusual
complexity and had considerable international
repercussions, particularly with regard to the
unilateral military involvement of the United States in
the initial stage and to the later role of the
Inter-American Peace Force. While his Representative's
mandate had been a limited one, the effect of his role
had been significant, since he had played a major part
in bringing about a cessation of hostilities on 21 May
1965, and had supplied information as to the situation
both in Santo Domingo and in the interior of the
country.
His
presence had undoubtedly been a moderating factor in a
difficult and dangerous situation, the Secretary-General
said, adding that this had been the first time a United
Nations peace mission had operated in the same area and
dealt with the same matters as an operation of a
regional organization, in this instance OAS.
Further, the Secretary-General maintained the view that
these developments should stimulate thought by everyone
concerning the character of the regional organizations
and the nature of their functions and obligations in
relation to the responsibilities of the United Nations
under the Charter.
Source -
United Nations |
