NEW DELHI, July 26, 2014
Suhasini Haidar
Despite India’s objections to the UN observer mission at the Line of Control – UNMOGIP, visiting UN peacekeeping chief Hervé Ladsous made it clear that the mission would remain in India until the UN Security Council removes its mandate, established in 1948 after the first war over Kashmir. “Only the Security Council can undo that decision, look at the mandate again and decide what to do,” Mr. Ladsous said.
Speaking to The Hindu , UN Undersecretary-General, Mr. Ladsous said
the Indian government’s directive asking the group to vacate its official bungalow in New Delhi came up during his day-long discussions with officials of the Ministries of Defence, Home and External Affairs, but they had not given any “drastic” ultimatum. He confirmed that the UNMOGIP had already found alternate offices in Delhi and would be moving shortly.
Peacekeeping operations
Mr. Ladsous said he also discussed India’s concerns over the peacekeeping operations its troops are fighting in. After Bangladesh, India is the largest contributor of soldiers and police personnel to the UN peacekeeping forces. According to officials, those troops are being increasingly pushed into conflicts of active or “robust” fighting, rather than monitoring peace.
In December 2013, five Indian soldiers were killed fighting rebels in South Sudan. The UN Undersecretary-General said he found such situations “unacceptable”, and also criticised the “global north” (US and Europe) for not contributing enough to the forces. “Ninety-five per cent of the peacekeepers are from the (global) South,” Mr. Ladsous explained, “And the North (Europe, U.S. among others) only contributes five per cent to the UNPKF. That is not sustainable and I have been telling NATO, EU countries, when you pull out of Afghanistan this year, you must come back in a more significant way to the UNPKF.”
‘UN mission on LoC vital’ ‘UN mission on LoC inspires confidence’
Suhasini Haidar
Despite India’s objections to the UN observer mission at the Line of Control – UNMOGIP — visiting UN peacekeeping chief Hervé Ladsous believes it must stay.
Speaking to The Hindu , UN Undersecretary-General Mr. Ladsous said the troops of UNMOGIP, who have been stationed in Jammu and Kashmir for the past 65 years, are carrying out an important role.
“I think their very presence on that Line, to a certain degree, contributes to confidence. So one should never lose that from your sight,” he said. India has insisted that the UNMOGIP has “outlived its utility” and has virtually ignored its mission. In May this year, the government went one step further, sending a notice to the UNMOGIP asking the group to vacate its officially-allotted bungalow in Delhi.
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