Kudos to Bangladeshi peace-keepers
WHEN none other than US President Barack Obama says that Bangladeshi peace-keepers, under the blue helmets, not only enhanced the prestige of our country but also the honour of the United Nations, one feels elated and proud. Indeed, our peace-keepers' hard work and efforts during the past twenty-one years in Bosnia, Rwanda, and Somalia and other hot spots have not gone unnoticed. I had the privilege of being involved with the coordination of our peacekeeping missions, first as director general (International Organisations) and then as the foreign secretary, and recall the moments of tension and crises that our peacekeepers had to go through in some missions.
Bangladesh's UN peacekeeping operation started in 1988 on the Iran-Iraq border. Our active and constructive role as a member of the OIC Summit-level peace committee on the Iran Iraq war, as well as at the UN Security Council and the general assembly, was recognised by both warring parties.
It was indeed most befitting that, after the cessation of hostilities, Bangladesh was one of the first countries to be considered for the blue helmet operation. Since then, about 83,000 of our troops have served in 63 UN peacekeeping operations. It is a triumph of our diplomacy and the professional competence of our armed forces, police and other contingents.
It will be relevant to have a broader look at the overall picture. Currently, 90,000 UN peacekeeping troops are stationed in different conflict zones in the world -- more than at any other time in history. For each mission, detailed proposals relating to its mandate, composition, and financial and logistic aspects are approved by the UN Security Council on the basis of adoption of a Council resolution.
Since composition of these missions and deployment take quite a bit of time after the adoption of Council resolution, some analysts believe that the UN, like Nato, should create a standing army to improve the response time as well as sharpen their professionalism and coordination. United States, the main contributor to the UN budget, however, opposes the move. It is significant that last week President Obama once again pledged additional support for UN peacekeeping missions.
As per the UN scale of assessment, the funding for the peacekeeping forces comes mostly from the US and other developed countries. However, most of the troops come from developing countries. Last year, the top troop-contributing countries were Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Nepal, Ghana, Jordan and Rwanda.
Why do troops come mainly from developing countries? Well, most of the hot spots are in the Third World and hence, these troops are less likely to produce resentment among the local population. The tragic shooting of American peacekeepers in Somalia is an instance.
The UN also needs the concurrence of receiving countries, and they sometimes specifically ask the UN not to send troops from western countries, as Eritrea did not too long ago. The receiving countries have also been most reluctant to accept troops from countries whom they consider "unfriendly or partisan."
The permanent members of the Security Council also have a big say in the matter. During the cold war era it was very difficult to send UN peacekeeping missions due to ideological rivalry between the two superpowers. Only after the demise of the former Soviet Union did the peacekeeping operation get a major boost, and a record number of such missions were approved and dispatched.
As regards their composition, the permanent members are still most reluctant to send troops from their rivals in the Council. Here lies the test of our diplomacy, as Bangladesh has to emerge as "acceptable" to both, the receiving countries and the Council members.
Another factor that has encouraged the developing countries is the financial incentive. The UN pays the respective governments, on an average, about $1,500 per month as salary and different types of allowances for each soldier, and the governments, in turn, pay their soldiers.
This helps some governments to maintain much larger standing armies then they could otherwise afford. The soldiers also get an opportunity to get professional training from the UN and are also exposed to the use of the latest war machinery.
Currently, about 8,000 Bangladeshi troops and 1,400 policemen are stationed in 12 missions. They are recognised for their professional competence and devotion to their duties. In life threatening situations, when peacekeepers from other countries were withdrawn from Rwanda, Somalia or Bosnia, our troops discharged their mandated tasks under grave risks.
In addition, they have earned respect of the local people through their various nation-building efforts like building of bridges and roads, or setting up of hospitals or schools in those countries, as has been manifested by Sierra Leone's recognition of Bangla as their second language or other countries' naming of their roads after our country.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's effective participation at the just-concluded summit level meeting of the troop-contributing countries at UN, and President Obama's generous praise and pledge of additional support to these missions should give an extra boost to our peacekeeping efforts.
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