Majlis Berbuka Puasa Di Al-Jawad Tyre

Syria: amid increase in violence, UN peacekeeping chief warns

of ‘main battle’ in Aleppo

UN peacekeeping chief Hervé Ladsous briefs reporters. UN Photo/Mark Garten

2 August 2012 –

The United Nations peacekeeping chief today highlighted the ongoing fighting in the city of Aleppo, noting that UN observers continue to try to carry out their work as the “spiral of violence” throughout Syria increases. “The focus two weeks ago was on Damascus. The focus is now on Aleppo, where there has been a considerable build-up of military means, and where we have reason to believe that the main battle is about to start,” the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Herve Ladsous, said. He added that the fighting continues in various locations, including the capital, Damascus. Mr. Ladsous was addressing reporters after having briefed the Security Council on the situation on the ground in the Middle Eastern country, as called for in resolution 2059, which the Council adopted in late July. The resolution extended the mandate of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) for another 30 days, and requested a report back to the 15-nation body on the text’s implementation within 15 days. The resolution also indicated that further renewals to UNSMIS’ mandate would be possible only if it can be confirmed that the use of heavy weapons has ceased and a reduction in violence by all sides was sufficient to allow the Mission it to implement its mandate. With the 30-day extension, UNSMIS’ mandate is set to expire on 19 August. “We have another 17 days to see whether something happens that will change the situation as was outlined by the resolution 2059,” Mr. Ladsous said. “Beyond that, of course it will be for the Security Council to decide, but clearly – and I said so to the Council – the Secretary-General’s view is that the United Nations will have to somehow remain in Syria,” he added. “And this is what he is consulting about, in order to make a proposal to the Security Council in due course.” Established in April, UNSMIS had suspended its regular patrols in mid-June due to the escalating violence, in which over 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have reportedly been killed and tens of thousands displaced since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began some 17 months ago. Over recent days, there have been reports of a build-up of forces and an escalation in violence in many towns and villages, as well as Aleppo and Damascus. Half of the 300 of observers serving with UNSMIS were temporarily sent home in late July, in view of the constraints they faced, particularly in terms of security. Despite the current limitations on their work, Mr. Ladsous said, the remaining observers continue to try to carry out their mandated tasks, within the framework of resolution 2059. Their tasks include monitoring the cessation of violence in Syria, as well as monitoring and supporting the full implementation of the six-point peace plan put forward by the Joint Special Envoy for the UN and the League of Arab States for the Syrian Crisis, Kofi Annan, who today announced his intention not to renew his mandate when it expires at the end of August. “They [the observers] continue to try their best to monitor, to observe, to report. They did more than 50 patrols over the last two weeks, including some long-range patrols where they stayed overnight in places,” Mr. Ladsous said. “So they report, they inform us. And they try – wherever it’s possible – to mediate, to arrange local ceasefires, humanitarian pauses to allow civilian populations to withdraw from shelling areas.” Earlier this week, UNSMIS observers reported an upsurge in the violence in the city of Aleppo, with helicopters, tanks and artillery being used. “We know for a fact that the opposition does have heavy weapons – that we have seen. We have not yet seen the opposition using… those heavy weapons against Government forces. But we know that they have tanks, that they have armoured personnel carriers, etcetera – that’s a fact,” Mr. Ladsous said. On Monday, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it had received reports of around 200,000 people fleeing the fighting in Aleppo, with many of those people displaced within other parts of Syria, which has made humanitarian access to them difficult.

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PRANITA MALAYSIA DI LEBANON

 Women peacekeepers in challenging jobs

Among UNIFIL’s 12,000 soldiers there are many women in uniform, performing jobs traditionally portrayed as man’s profession. There is the construction helper , the fire-fighter, the doctor and the member of the Close Protection Team, to name a few. The UN encourages women’s equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security as called for also by the Security Council

resolution 1325.

On 11 January 2012, the first women-only medal presentation ceremony was held in UNIFIL when 11 women peacekeepers of the Malaysian contingent were honoured. Colonel Badrul Hisham Bin Muhammed, Commander of the UNIFIL Malaysian contingent, praised the peacekeepers’ work. At the ceremony held in the southern Lebanese town of Kawkaba, he noted that the female peacekeepers had been well accepted by the Lebanese in the south and had made vital contribution to the Mission.

“I am proud of their contribution to the community and hope we will increase the participation of female peacekeepers in

future,” he said.

The 11 peacekeepers, including two officers, are the first group of  female soldiers from Malaysia to serve in UNIFIL for six months. Their tour of duty ended 26 January. Corporal Nadia Leboy expressed her deep gratitude for the honour. As a member of the medical team that had been organising medical camps, she said her work gave her an opportunity to interact with the Lebanese people and learn about their traditions and way of life. “I feel so proud to have received the [United Nations] medal,” she said. “I am honoured to be among the chosen few female peacekeepers to serve in this Mission."

In many contingents of UNIFIL there are women peacekeepers. At UNIFIL’s aviation unit at Headquarters in Naqoura, Italian Army Corporal Maila Squillace has her own story to tell. Her job is not only about fire-extinguishing, but first and foremost about rescuing people.

“It is difficult for a woman to carry a man who weighs 80 or 90 kilos to rescue him from a dangerous area. I don’t complain: in all lines of work there are pleasant and unpleasant aspects, not only in the army. The important thing is to be passionate about what you are doing.” UNIFIL is Maila’s first mission abroad.

She says she likes its multinational nature. “Italians, Indonesians, Danish, French, Spanish… One thing I will miss is exchanging words and smiles with people from different countries, cultures, religions… We are all far away from home. And we are all here for the same purpose – to maintain peace on the Lebanese soil. This is something common between us.

“ Another woman peacekeeper is Dr. Ipsita, from the Indian battalion in the eastern sector of UNIFIL. “As a doctor the most important thing for me is to save a life and that is what gives me maximum satisfaction,” she said. One case she remembers particularly

well. “At the middle of the night a young (local) man was brought… bitten by a snake… I’m glad that we were able to identify the poison and gave anti-venom required. Hence a life of a 20-year old man was saved.”

Other women peacekeepers perform even more challenging duties. Sabina Guimaraes, a soldier from the Portuguese Engineer Unit based at Shama in UNIFIL Sector West headquarters, works as a truck driver and at construction sites. Some solace and reward for her tough job comes from the fact that the work she and other peacekeepers of the Portuguese Engineer Unit are doing contributes to stability in south Lebanon and brings benefit to the local people.

“It is a pleasure that we are helping this country through renovation of public schools or improving playgrounds for children. We are happy to build… to let the Lebanese forget the war, and remember us.”

MAJALAH AL JAUNOUB

UNIFIL Commemorates International day of UN Peacekeepers, 29 May 2012

UNIFIL peacekeepers at the ceremony to commemorate the UN International Day of Peacekeepers, 29 May 2012

UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Serra speech

UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Paolo Serra, and Brigadier-General Toufic Sultani, representing the Lebanese Armed Forces Commander, laid wreaths at the UNIFIL Cenotaph in honour of the peacekeepers who lost their lives in the service of peace. A minute of silence was observed. There have been 294 fatalities of peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL since its establishment in 1978.

“Peacekeeping is a Global Partnership” is the theme of this year’s commemoration. The United Nations is marking the day by highlighting the global partnerships that help sustain UN Peacekeeping. United Nations Peacekeeping draws together the legal and political authority of the Security Council, the personnel and financial contributions of Member States, the support of host countries and the accumulated experience of the Secretariat in managing operations in the field. It is this partnership that gives UN Peacekeeping its legitimacy, sustainability and global reach.

UNIFIL Force Commander stressed the importance of the strategic partnership with the Lebanese Army:” On this occasion I wish to convey a special word of appreciation to the Lebanese Armed Forces who continue to be an excellent partner in the performance of our duties” and he added “my sincere thanks go to the Lebanese Government and the people of the south Lebanon for their strong support and untiring commitment to UNIFIL. Only with your collaboration and friendship, UNIFIL has been able to advance implementation of our mandated tasks”

The International Day of UN Peacekeepers was established by the General Assembly in 2002 to pay tribute to those serving in UN peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives. The Day was set on 29 May, the date in 1948 of the first UN peacekeeping mission: UNTSO (UN Truce Supervision Organization). Today, there are about 120,000 peacekeepers worldwide from 116 countries serving in 17 missions. They include UNIFIL’s around 12,000 soldiers and about 1,000 civilians.

Naqoura, Lebanon - The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) today held a ceremony to commemorate the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers that is observed every year on 29 May. At UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura peacekeepers representing 39 different national contingents were joined by local authorities, officers of the Lebanese armed and security forces and diplomatic representatives.

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