Page 5 “ECOMOG” means the ECOWAS Cease-fire Monitoring Group, which constitutes the Community’s intervention force as defined in Article 21 of the Protocol relating to the Mechanism etc; “Armed Forces” includes the army, Airforce, Navy, and Gendarmerie; “Security Forces” the Police, Gendarmerie, National Guards and other Forces assigned with security. CHAPTER 1 PRINCIPLES The provisions of this chapter complement and clarify the principles set out in Article 2 of the Protocol of 10 December 1999. SECTION I: CONSTITUTIONAL CONVERGENCE PRINCIPLES Article 1: The following shall be declared as constitutional principles shared by all Member States: a) - Separation of powers - the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary. - Empowerment and strengthening of parliaments and guarantee of parliamentary immunity. - Independence of the Judiciary: Judges shall be independent in the discharge of their duties. - The freedom of the members of the Bar shall be guaranteed; without prejudice to their penal or disciplinary responsibility in the event of contempt of court or breaches of the common law.