Indonesian Police Unit Arrives To Boost Efforts Of UN-African Union Darfur Force
New York, Oct 13 2008 11:10AM
A group of 130 officers from the Indonesian Formed Police Unit (FPU) has arrived in Darfur to strengthen the efforts of
the joint United Nations-African Union (AU) peacekeeping force working to quell the violence in the strife-torn Sudanese
region. The Indonesian contingent will be based in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur and headquarters of the joint
force, known as UNAMID, which has been lacking troops and police, as well as key assets, since it was deployed at the
start of this year.
FPUs are comprised of police officers who have received specialized training in high-risk operations. The Indonesian
unit is only the second FPU, along with the Bangladeshi unit deployed earlier this year – in the region out of the 19
such contingents recommended for UNAMID. The new unit has arrived at a crucial time, UNAMID Deputy Police Commissioner
for Operations, Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, said yesterday, noting that its services are especially needed to support the work
of the UNAMID Police, particularly in providing security to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the region.
“The success of this mission will largely depend on your specialized training. I have no doubt that you have the ability
to cope with the challenging environment in Darfur and will deliver your services to the people of Darfur,” he told the
unit upon their arrival.
Security for Darfur’s IDPs was among the issues raised during Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain
Le Roy’s visit to the region last week.
During a stop in El Fasher, representatives from three IDP camps requested Mr. Le Roy to boost the presence of UNAMID in
and around the camps to ensure the security and protection of civilians.
Some 2.7 million people have been displaced and 300,000 killed across Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government
forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen since 2003.
Mr. Le Roy reassured them that UNAMID is taking measures to address their concerns, including plans to deploy at least
another 4,500 troops by the end of this year. This would bring the total deployment level to about 65 per cent of the
envisioned 26,000 troops and police.
The UN peacekeeping chief is still in Sudan, where yesterday he met with government officials in the capital, Khartoum,
and reviewed the deployment of UNAMID. “Both the Government of Sudan and the United Nations are committed to accelerate
the deployment of UNAMID,” Mr. Le Roy told reporters afterwards.
He welcomed last week’s tripartite meeting in Khartoum between the Government, the UN and the AU, which he said would
speed up deployment of the force in the coming weeks and months.
Mr. Le Roy noted that the security situation in Darfur had improved recently but that there were still serious concerns
about banditry and potential clashes.
The political process offered the only means to achieve peace, he stressed, adding that the Joint AU/UN Chief Mediator
Djibril Bassole is working hard to engage the main actors in order to reach a framework agreement. He also welcomed the
Qatari initiative in support of the Chief Mediator’s work.
Mr. Le Roy and Sudanese officials also discussed the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) – the
2005 peace deal which ended the 21-year north-south civil war.
ENDS