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Jetley's replacement forced India to pull out of Sierra Leone

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

The decision of the United Nations to replace Major General Vijay Kumar Jetley, commander of its peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone, and the possibility of a change in the mandate of the mission from 'peacekeeping' to 'peace enforcement' forced India to pull out of Sierra Leone. This was revealed by sources in the Indian Army and the external affairs ministry.

India had threatened to withdraw its troops from Sierra Leone if Gen Jetley was replaced. Gen Jetley claims to have irreconciliable differences with his deputies, especially those from the regional power Nigeria, which last week demanded his resignation.

The other factor, which is informally doing the rounds of Delhi's diplomatic and military circles, is the possibility of the UN changing the mandate of the mission in Sierra Leone from 'peacekeeping' to 'peace enforcement'. The UN Security Council voted on Thursday to extend the mandate of the UN mission in Sierra Leone for three months, up to December, and is considering a recommendation to increase its strength from 7,500 troops to 20,500.

In effect, from mere patrolling and confidence building among locals, the soldiers will be dragged into a full-fledged battle.

India cannot risk its troops fighting a bloody war in distant Sierra Leone as any casualties would have disastrous consequences within the country, the sources claimed. Only last year, the country lost 550 soldiers in the Kargil war. It continues to lose hundreds in counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir and the Northeast.

These two factors forced India to take the step of pulling out.

Gen Jetley, who arrived in New Delhi two weeks ago, was asked to stay back "for consultations" by Army Headquarters and the external affairs ministry before they went public with their decision. Jetley was supposed to return almost a week ago to the west African nation.

According to sources, Indian peacekeepers, numbering 3059, will pull out in four phases with the first phase covering equipment such as helicopters and supply vehicles. This will happen in the next 20 days.

In the next three phases, the two infantry battalions -- 5/8 Gurkhas and 18 Grenadiers -- will be withdrawn. The entire process is expected to end by January 2001.

The sources said the withdrawal might be delayed because of a request from the UN, which is desperately looking for trained peacekeepers from other nations to replace the Indians.

The Indian decision to withdraw was taken after the UN told India's permanent representative that Gen Jetley would have to be replaced, in the face of protests against him from Nigeria and other countries.

The general had about a month back, in a memo to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, accused his deputies and officers of the Nigerian contingent of being hand-in-glove with rebels of the Revolutionary United Front, whom the peacekeepers were trying to neutralise.

This letter was leaked to the media, for which the UN held the Indian commander responsible. The Nigerian army chief immediately demanded Gen Jetley's removal.

According to sources in New Delhi, the UN told India that Gen Jetley could be replaced as part of the expansion of the mission to allow him an honourable exit. A three-star general (equivalent to India's lieutenant general) would then be required to command the mission. Jetley is a two-star general.

India wanted that the replacement be an officer of the Indian Army. But most members of the Security Council disagreed.

India therefore had no option but to pull out, officials argue. This also gave them a good excuse to withdraw the troops before the peacekeeping mandate turned into one of peace enforcement.

The decision was intimated to the UN when External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh was in New York.

Meanwhile, army sources said they were unaware of the decision to withdraw from Sierra Leone until Thursday. They have now asked the replacement battalions for 5/8 Gurkhas, which would have completed its tenure in December, to be on stand by.

India officially maintains that having completed over two years in Sierra Leone, it wants to give other countries a chance to serve in the mission. It has also informed the UN that it is ready to serve in other missions.

ALSO SEE
India to pull out of Sierra Leone force: AFP

EARLIER REPORT
Indian peacekeeping force commander in Sierra Leone to be replaced

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