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UNITED NATIONS OBSERVER GROUP IN CENTRAL AMERICA
ONUCA
(November 1989 -- January 1992) |
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ONUCA was established in November 1989
to verify compliance by the Central American Governments
with their undertakings to cease aid to irregular forces
and insurrectionist movements in the region and not to
allow their territory to be used for attacks on other
States. In addition, ONUCA played a part in the
voluntary demobilization of the Nicaraguan Resistance
and monitored a ceasefire and the separation of forces
agreed by the Nicaraguan parties as part of the
demobilization process.
ONUCA was established by Security
Council
resolution 644 (1989) of 7 November 1989. The
Group's mandate was to conduct on-site verification of
compliance by the Governments of Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua with their
security undertakings contained in the Esquipulas II
Agreement, namely (a) the cessation of aid to irregular
forces and insurrectionist movements, and (b) the
non-use of the territory of one State for attacks on
other States. The latter undertaking was to include
preventing the establishment or use of facilities for
radio or television transmissions for the specific
purpose of directing or assisting the military
operations of irregular forces or insurrectionist
movements in any of the five countries.
On 27 March 1990, the Council, by its
resolution 650 (1990), authorized, on a contingency
basis, an enlargement of the mandate of ONUCA and the
addition of armed personnel to its strength in order to
enable it to play a part in the voluntary demobilization
of the Nicaraguan Resistance.
On 20 April 1990, following the signing by the
Nicaraguan parties of a complex of agreements relating
to the voluntary demobilization of the members of the
Nicaraguan Resistance in Nicaragua, the Security
Council, by its
resolution 653 (1990), decided to expand ONUCA’s
mandate to include additional tasks of monitoring the
ceasefire and separation of forces, and the
demobilization process.
After the completion of the demobilization process in
June/July 1990, ONUCA continued to implement its
original tasks and contribute to the peace efforts in
the region. The mandate of the Mission was terminated in
January 1992.
In
one of its most complex and successful interventions,
the United Nations became directly involved in
peacekeeping and peacemaking efforts in Central America
in 1989, when the Governments of Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua requested
its assistance in the implementation of their collective
agreement – the AProcedure for the Establishment of a
Firm and Lasting Peace in Central America, known both as
the Esquipulas II Agreement and the Guatemala Procedure.
The Esquipulas II Agreement dealt with issues of
national reconciliation; an end to hostilities;
democratization; free elections; termination of aid to
irregular forces and insurrectionist movements; non-use
of the territory of one State to attack other States;
negotiations on security, verification and the control
and limitation of weapons; refugees and displaced
persons; cooperation, democracy and freedom for peace
and development; international verification and
follow-up; and a timetable for the fulfilment of
commitments.
A
complex and difficult process of negotiations, beginning
in 1983, has reversed the disrupting cycle of turmoil
which engulfed Central America for many years. At its
various stages, the process involved countries from
inside and outside the region, as well as the opposing
parties within several of the Central American
countries. These initiatives were actively supported and
facilitated by the United Nations. As a result of the
negotiations and the agreements reached, the United
Nations was requested to establish a number of
mechanisms for observing and verifying commitments.
These included the United Nations Observer Group in
Central America (ONUCA), the United Nations Observer
Mission to verify the electoral process in Nicaragua (ONUVEN),
the International Support and Verification Commission (CIAV),
the
United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL),
the United Nations Mission in El Salvador (MINUSAL) and
the
United Nations Mission for the Verification of Human
Rights in Guatemala (MINUGUA).
Establishment of ONUCA
ONUCA was established by the Security Council on 7
November 1989. The Group's mandate was set out by the
Secretary-General in his report to the Council of 11
October 1989. ONUCA would conduct on-site verification
of compliance by the Governments of Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua with their
security undertakings contained in the Esquipulas II
Agreement, namely (a) the cessation of aid to irregular
forces and insurrectionist movements, and (b) the
non-use of the territory of one State for attacks on
other States. The latter undertaking was to include
preventing the establishment or use of facilities for
radio or television transmissions for the specific
purpose of directing or assisting the military
operations of irregular forces or insurrectionist
movements in any of the five countries.
Because the nature of the terrain in the region would
have limited the efficacy of static observation posts,
it was judged that the best results would be achieved by
establishing mobile teams of at least seven military
observers, who would carry out regular patrols by road
vehicles with cross-country capability, by helicopter
and, in the Gulf of Fonseca and certain other coastal
areas and rivers, by patrol boats and light speedboats.
A small fixed-wing aircraft would be required to
transport the Chief Military Observer (CMO) and his
senior staff between the capitals of the five countries
and to rotate military observers from one duty station
to another. Command of ONUCA in the field would be
exercised by the CMO, who would be under the command of
the United Nations, vested in the Secretary-General,
under the authority of the Security Council. 260 unarmed
military observers would be provided by Member States.
In
resolution 644 (1989) of 7 November 1989, the Security
Council approved the Secretary-General's report and
decided to set up ONUCA immediately for a period of six
months.
Operations
On 3
December 1989, an advance party led by the CMO and
consisting of approximately 30 military officers and
United Nations civilian officials established the
Group's headquarters in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The team
made visits to the five countries of the region to set
up liaison offices in each capital and make the
necessary preparations for the subsequent establishment
of verification centres there and elsewhere. In the
light of the prevailing security conditions, the El
Salvador liaison office could not be established in San
Salvador until 17 January 1990. ONUCA reached its full
strength on 5 June 1990, at which time, in addition to
the liaison offices in the five capitals, it was manning
14 verification centres, five of them in the capitals,
and 3 operational posts. In June 1990, four fast patrol
boats joined the mission and began operating from a
naval verification centre at San Lorenzo, Honduras.
ONUCA operations involved mobile teams of military
observers patrolling from verification centres, each
manned by up to 10 observers, and smaller operational
posts in forward areas. Patrols were carried out daily
by land, by air and occasionally by river, covering
terrain that was mostly rugged and densely forested,
with limited access by road. Under such conditions,
helicopters proved indispensable for observation
purposes and for transporting observers and supplies.
ONUCA monitoring concentrated in those areas where
activities contrary to the security undertakings in the
Esquipulas II Agreement were alleged to occur, mostly in
the areas adjacent to the borders between Costa Rica and
Nicaragua, between Honduras and Nicaragua, between
Honduras and El Salvador and between Guatemala and El
Salvador, together with the north-eastern part of
Nicaragua and the south-western part of Honduras. When a
complaint was registered with ONUCA, the practice was to
communicate it to the Government complained against,
which was asked to extend to ONUCA full cooperation in
an investigation. The results of the investigation were
then transmitted to both Governments concerned. ONUCA
received relatively few complaints in that process.
First expansion of the mandate
On
12 December 1989, the five Central American Presidents
issued the ADeclaration of San Isidro de Coronado in
which, inter alia, they requested that ONUCA's mandate
be expanded to include verification of any cessation of
hostilities and demobilization of irregular forces that
might be agreed upon in the region.
On
15 March, soon after the elections in Nicaragua, the
Secretary-General reported to the Security Council that,
in consultations between the Nicaraguan Government, the
Government-elect and the United Nations, agreement had
been reached in principle on modalities for the
demobilization of the members of the Nicaraguan
Resistance. Those in Honduras would be demobilized at
their existing camps and then repatriated without delay.
For those in Nicaragua at the time of demobilization,
ONUCA would establish temporary assembly points where
they would be demobilized and where ONUCA would ensure
their security pending their resettlement, which was to
be arranged by the International Support and
Verification Commission without delay. ONUCA would be
responsible for taking delivery of their weapons,
matériel and military equipment, including military
uniforms. Armed personnel would be required for these
tasks. The Secretary-General accordingly asked the
Security Council, on a contingency basis, to enlarge
ONUCA's mandate for this purpose and to authorize the
addition of armed personnel to its strength. No
additional troops would be deployed until agreement
existed among all concerned on the voluntary
demobilization of the Nicaraguan Resistance.
In
resolution 650 (1990) of 27 March 1990, the Security
Council approved the Secretary-General's report and
decided to authorize, on a contingency basis in
accordance with the report, an enlargement of the
mandate of ONUCA and the addition of armed personnel to
its strength in order to enable it to play a part in the
voluntary demobilization of the Nicaraguan Resistance.
The Council requested the Secretary-General to keep it
fully informed of further developments regarding the
implementation of the resolution.
On
2B3 April 1990, the five Central American Presidents
agreed to the Secretary-General's proposal that the
weapons and other equipment received from the members of
the Nicaraguan Resistance should be destroyed in situ by
ONUCA.
Demobilization in Honduras
The
first company of an armed infantry battalion,
contributed by Venezuela, was accordingly deployed to
Honduras on 10 April 1990, after agreement had been
reached on the demobilization of the two principal
groups of the Nicaraguan Resistance remaining in that
country. On 16 April 1990, it demobilized 260 members of
the Atlantic Front (Yatama) of the Nicaraguan Resistance
at La Kiatara in eastern Honduras and destroyed their
weapons and military equipment. On 18 April, at the main
Nicaraguan Resistance camp at Yamales in Honduras, large
quantities of weapons, most of them obsolete and
unserviceable, were handed over to ONUCA for
destruction. But no personnel were demobilized on this
occasion as all active combatants previously located at
Yamales had apparently returned to Nicaragua.
Second expansion of the mandate
Before the transfer of political power in Nicaragua on
25 April 1990, intensive negotiations took place between
the Nicaraguan Government, representatives of the
President-elect and representatives of the Northern,
Central and Atlantic Fronts of the Nicaraguan
Resistance, with the participation of the Archbishop of
Managua, Cardinal Obando y Bravo. The CMO of ONUCA and
Mr. Iqbal Riza, the Secretary-General's Alternate
Personal Representative for the Central American peace
process, also took part.
On
the night of 18B19 April, the Nicaraguan parties signed
a complex of agreements relating to the voluntary
demobilization of the members of the Nicaraguan
Resistance in Nicaragua during the period from 25 April
to 10 June 1990. A ceasefire would come into effect at
12 noon local time on 19 April and a separation of
forces would take place as a result of the withdrawal of
the Nicaraguan Government's forces from certain
Asecurity zones which were to be established in
Nicaragua and in which the members of the Nicaraguan
Resistance would concentrate for the purposes of
demobilization. ONUCA was asked to monitor both the
ceasefire and the separation of forces.
On
the basis of these agreements, the Secretary-General
sought the Security Council's approval of a further
expansion of ONUCA's mandate to cover these functions.
That approval was granted by resolution 653 (1990) of 20
April 1990.
By
resolution 654 (1990) of 4 May 1990 the Security Council
decided to extend the mandate of ONUCA, as defined in
resolutions 644 (1989), 650 (1990) and 653 (1990), for a
further period of six months, on the understanding that
the additional tasks of monitoring the ceasefire and
separation of forces and demobilizing the members of the
Nicaraguan Resistance would lapse not later than 10 June
1990.
Progress of demobilization
Five
Asecurity zones were established on 22 April following
the withdrawal of the Nicaraguan Government's forces
from the areas in question during the preceding three
days. Within each zone, ONUCA personnel C both unarmed
observers and armed members of the Venezuelan battalion
C were deployed in a Ademobilization and logistics
support area where the hand-over of weapons and other
activities connected with the demobilization of the
members of the Nicaraguan Resistance took place. Each
zone was 500B600 square kilometres in area and was
surrounded by a demilitarized zone of some 20 kilometres
in width. Two additional zones were subsequently
established on the Atlantic Coast for the demobilization
of the members of the AYatama front. These zones covered
a total of 2,550 square kilometres.
Although all the necessary arrangements had been made by
ONUCA, in coordination with leaders of the Nicaraguan
Resistance, for demobilization to begin on 25 April at
El Amparo in Zone 1, the members of the Resistance who
had assembled there declined to lay down their weapons
after their commander told them that the minimum
conditions for demobilization had not been met. In the
ensuing days, only a few members of the Resistance
demobilized.
On 4
May 1990, after further consultations, the Nicaraguan
Government and the leadership of the Nicaraguan
Resistance issued the AManagua Declaration, in which,
inter alia, the Nicaraguan Resistance declared that it
would continue its voluntary demobilization and that the
process would be completed in all the Asecurity zones by
10 June at the latest. Demobilization began on 8 May.
But during the next two weeks only small numbers came
forward for demobilization, and it soon became clear
that the pace was insufficient to ensure completion by
10 June. The leaders of the Nicaraguan Resistance
complained of breaches by the Nicaraguan Army of the
agreements relating to the ceasefire and separation of
forces.
On
22 and 23 May 1990, the Security Council met to discuss
this grave situation, and on 23 May the President of the
Security Council made a statement expressing the
Council's concern at the slow pace of demobilization.
ONUCA, meanwhile, investigated complaints from both
sides relating, on the one hand, to the presence of
armed civilians and militia personnel in the Asecurity
zones and demilitarized zones, and, on the other, to the
presence outside the Asecurity zones of armed members of
the Nicaraguan Resistance, some of whom had allegedly
committed various criminal acts. However, it remained
the Secretary-General's assessment that there had been
no serious violations of the ceasefire.
This
serious situation was resolved on 30 May when a meeting
between President Violeta Chamorro of Nicaragua, the
leaders of the Nicaraguan Resistance and the Archbishop
of Managua resulted in an agreement entitled the
AManagua Protocol. Under its terms, the Nicaraguan
Government responded to a number of the Resistance's
publicly stated concerns, notably through the
establishment of Adevelopment areas in which demobilized
members of the Resistance would be resettled. The
Resistance reaffirmed its commitment to demobilize by 10
June 1990 at the latest and, to this end, undertook that
at least 100 combatants would be demobilized each day in
each of the Asecurity zones.
Completion of demobilization
After 30 May, demobilization generally proceeded
rapidly. On 8 June the Secretary-General reported to the
Security Council that there had been a marked increase
in the rate at which the members of the ANorthern Front
and ACentral Front were being demobilized. However,
demobilization of the AAtlantic Front, which had begun
on 21 May, was proceeding at a less satisfactory pace
than that of the main group, largely because of logistic
difficulties in concentrating the members at
demobilization areas in the large security zones
concerned.
In
light of the progress of the demobilization, the
Secretary-General recommended that the Security Council
extend the relevant part of ONUCA's mandate for a brief
and clearly defined period. By resolution 656 (1990) of
8 June 1990, the Council accordingly decided that
ONUCA's tasks of monitoring the ceasefire and separation
of forces in Nicaragua and demobilizing the Resistance
should be extended, on the understanding, as recommended
by the Secretary-General, that these tasks would lapse
with the completion of the demobilization process not
later than 29 June 1990.
During the following three weeks, demobilization
proceeded in all zones. The process reached a peak on 10
June, when 1,886 members of the Nicaraguan Resistance
were demobilized. On 18 June, an eighth Asecurity zone
became operational to facilitate the demobilization of
members of the ASouthern Front.
On
29 June 1990, the Secretary-General informed the
Security Council that at 1900 hours local time on 28
June 1990, demobilization of all armed and unarmed
members of the Nicaraguan Resistance had been completed
at all locations, except for one in Nicaragua where a
handful of members remained to be demobilized. This was
soon accomplished, and the final zone was closed on 5
July 1990.
By
the time the process was completed, a total of 19,614
armed and unarmed members of the Nicaraguan Resistance
had been demobilized in Nicaragua and 2,759 in Honduras.
Weapons handed over to ONUCA by members of the
Nicaraguan Resistance included 15,144 small arms
(including AK 47s, other assault rifles, rifles and
light machine-guns), as well as heavy machine-guns,
mortars, grenade launchers, grenades, mines and
missiles.
Completing the original mandate
The
early part of the mandate period, dominated by ONUCA's
role in the demobilization of the members of the
Nicaraguan Resistance, was thus ending. The
Secretary-General reported that ONUCA observers in the
five countries had then reverted to their original
mandate, which required patrolling of areas where
violations of the Esquipulas II security undertakings
seemed most likely to occur. ONUCA maintained a regular
and visible presence in those areas. ONUCA's role was
thus one of verification; it did not have the authority
or the capacity to prevent by physical means either the
movement of armed persons or warlike material across
borders or other violations of the undertakings. Nor was
it staffed or equipped for the detection of clandestine
activities.
Responding to a request from the five Central American
Governments, the Secretary-General recommended to the
Security Council on 26 October 1990 that ONUCA should
continue its operations for a further period of six
months, until 7 May 1991. He also recommended a
reduction of ONUCA's strength, which as of October was
254 military observers. Liaison offices and verification
centres in each of the five capitals would be merged to
form in each case an Observer Group headquarters, and
the number of verification centres would also be
reduced. The Security Council approved the
Secretary-General's report in its resolution 675 (1990)
of 5 November 1990.
A
further extension of ONUCA's mandate, until 7 November
1991, was approved by the Council in its resolution 691
(1991) of 6 May 1991. In recommending that extension to
the Council, the Secretary-General had also recommended
a further reduction in ONUCA's strength, which in April
1991 stood at 158 military observers. Based on a study
into the cost-effectiveness of the Group's methods of
operations, it had been determined that, while ONUCA
should continue to maintain its regular and visible
presence, emphasis of that presence in the border areas
should be more directly focused on liaison and the
exchange of information with the security authorities of
the States concerned. In the ensuing months, ONUCA
intensified those activities.
On
28 October 1991, the Secretary-General informed the
Security Council that the situation in the region had
continued to improve. The five Governments were making
efforts to arrive at new collective security
arrangements for the region. Furthermore, A[t]hose
Powers that were earlier actively supporting opposing
sides in Central America appear to be disengaging
themselves and have publicly announced their intention
to revise their policies vis-à-vis Central America,
emphasizing their support for negotiated political
solutions to conflicts and assistance for economic and
social development rather than military purposes. The
five countries also continued their efforts to honour
their commitments under the Esquipulas II Agreement.
Although violations continued to occur, they were
increasingly linked to criminal activity for pecuniary
rather than political motives. At the same time, there
was no evidence to indicate that the irregular armed
groups that had re-emerged in Nicaragua were being
helped from abroad. In relation to the conflict in El
Salvador, ONUCA had confirmed that neighbouring
countries had adopted measures, with varying degrees of
vigour, to prevent activities from their territories
that would violate the Agreement. However, considering
the large quantities of weapons in private hands or
hidden away, considerable potential for breaches of the
Agreement continued in relation to the conflict in El
Salvador.
In
the prevailing Afluid and dynamic situation, the
Secretary-General did not think Ait would be right to
withdraw ONUCA or further reduce the scope of its
operations. At that time, the number of military
observers stood at 132. He therefore suggested an
extension of the mandate until 30 April 1992, during
which time the Security Council might reconsider ONUCA's
future if developments warranted. The Security Council
extended the mandate in resolution 719 (1991) of 6
November 1991, bearing in mind the Secretary-General's
report and the need to monitor expenditures carefully
during a period of increasing demands on peacekeeping
resources.
In
the meantime, there were major developments relating to
settlement of the armed conflict in El Salvador,
including additional verification tasks assigned to the
United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL).
The new Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali,
informed the Council of these tasks on 10 January 1992.
He then stated his intention to meet as much as possible
of the personnel requirements of ONUSAL's Military
Division by transferring to it officers then serving
with ONUCA. Aircraft, vehicles and other equipment would
be similarly transferred. He had informed the
Governments of the five countries where ONUCA was
deployed of his intention to recommend the termination
of ONUCA. Reporting on 14 January, he recalled that, in
a previous report to the Council, his predecessor, Mr.
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, had referred to the cost of
meeting the ever-growing demand for peacemaking and
peacekeeping activities by the United Nations and to the
widely held view that peacekeeping operations should be
set up to do a specific task for a specific period and
then be disbanded. With this in mind, the
Secretary-General proposed that the Security Council
decide to terminate ONUCA's operational mandate with
effect from 17 January 1992. The Security Council, by
its resolution 730 (1992) of 16 January, approved the
Secretary-General's report and decided to terminate
ONUCA's mandate.
On
24 January 1992, 131 military observers serving with
ONUCA were transferred to ONUSAL. To supervise the
closing of the Mission, a number of international and
local staff serving with ONUCA were retained and
subsequently phased out over a period of three and a
half months.
Conclusion
ONUCA vividly illustrated the complex demands made of
the Organization's peacemaking and peacekeeping skills
and the varied role it played in advancing the peace
process in Central America. Although initially
established with the limited mandate of verifying only
one aspect of that process, the tasks entrusted to it
evolved, and it was able to assist the parties concerned
to control and resolve the conflicts in the region. Its
role in the demobilization of the members of the
Nicaraguan Resistance marked an important step forward
in the process of national reconciliation in Nicaragua.
In his report recommending the termination of the
Mission, the Secretary-General paid tribute to the
military and civilian personnel who served in ONUCA for
their great success in establishing the first
large-scale peacekeeping operation of the United Nations
in the Americas and for the contribution which they made
to the restoration of peace and stability in Central
America.
Source -
United Nations |
