Reeks 11 - Peacekeeping Records in Central America

The United Nations Observer Mission to Verify the Electoral Process in Nicaragua (ONUVEN) was established in Nicaragua on 25 August 1989 and remained active until issuing its final report after the elections on 25 February 1990. During this time the UN Secretary-General provided the General Assembly with five separate reports on various stages of the process, covering, among other things, the functions of the national electoral authority, preparation of electoral rolls, organization of political parties, role and fairness of the mass media, acts of violence and intimidation, voting controls and procedures, observation of the voting, conduct of the vote, ballot count and results. ONUVEN ultimately gave a positive assessment of the conduct of the elections and identified no problems which might have cast doubts as to their fairness. Some doubts about the validity of the process were expressed by the opposition, but these were allayed by their own victory.

The United Nations Observer Group in Central America (ONUCA) was established by the Security Council on 7 November 1989. It'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.

The United Nation Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL) was established in July 1991 to verify implementation of all agreements between the Government of El Salvador and the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberacion Nacional, including a ceasefire and related measures, reform and reduction of the armed forces, creation of a new police force, reform of the judicial and electoral systems, human rights, land tenure and other economic and social issues.