The cream of UN peacekeepers

The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has said that the surge in demand for UN peacekeeping forces around the world has reached a 10 year high.

Speaking earlier this month in Ireland, he said that new operations had been authorised in Liberia, Ivory Coast, Haiti and Burundi.

The UN was also planning a substantial mission in Sudan, he said, and was looking to strengthen its force in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In total, he said that the UN would need an additional 30,000 uniformed personnel on top of 50,000 already deployed.

International exposure

So far, it has been poorer countries that have contributed most of those men.

Bangladesh and Pakistan have the largest contingents on UN Missions by far.

Between them they have deployed nearly 17,000 troops.

Bangladeshi peacekeepers are based in 12 countries

The United States in comparison has provided 430.

For Bangladeshis, the peacekeepers - who are on duty in 12 countries across three continents - are a source of pride.

"It is giving a good exposure to our country," said Flight Lieutenant Abu Saleh Mohammad Mannafi, a helicopter pilot with Bangladesh's air force. MI17 PILOT.

"We're earning a good name and fame for the army, air force and navy as well as contributing to our economy. So it is doing a world of good for our country."

Remote locations

Flt Lt Mannafi has just returned from a tour of duty with UNMISET, the United Nations Mission In East Timor.

His helicopter, normally in camouflage, is still painted white with UN emblazoned on the side.

He flew sorties carrying troops to remote locations and air lifting casualties to hospital.


UN peacekeeping is a source of pride for Bangladeshis

The UN says Bangladeshi soldiers are in demand because they have proved themselves to be highly disciplined.

There are far fewer complaints against them than soldiers from many other countries.

Bangladesh's minor role in world affairs is also an advantage in peacekeeping. The country has few enemies so its troops are readily accepted by local populations.

In return Bangladesh's army is well paid by the United Nations. Peacekeeping earns the country $200m a year.

Analysts in Bangladesh say there is another benefit. A role abroad has discouraged the army from meddling in politics at home.

Bangladesh has a history of coups and military dictatorships but has been a democracy since 1990.

Price to pay

"They have gained international prestige, they have gained international legitimacy," said Professor CR Abrar, of the department of international relations at Dhaka University.

"So I think they would think twice or thrice before engaging in such adventurism. So in that respect I think it would have a deterring effect."

But there has been a price to pay, in lives.

We're earning a good name and fame for the army, air force and navy as well as definitely contributing to our economy

Flight Lieutenant Abu Saleh Mohammad Mannaf

More than 50 Bangladeshi soldiers have been killed while on active UN duty, leaving children without fathers, wives as widows.

Major Imtiaz was killed in a plane crash in Benin last year alongside 14 of his colleagues.

He was supposed to have been travelling home on leave three days earlier but was delayed.

Shortly before he got on board the flight he e-mailed his wife to say he would be home soon.

"Nothing can repair this loss," says his widow, Shaila Nigar Siddique, pausing to recover her composure.

"It took a long time to come to terms with what happened. But I console myself that he died in a good cause, for peacekeeping."

50 + 9 more = 59 in total

Secretary-General's Visit to Bangladesh
(13-15 March 2001)
:specool:

On 13 March, Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Mrs. Nane Annan arrive at Dhaka, where they are received by Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad (left). With the Secretary-General is a boy who has just presented him with flowers.

http://www.un.org/av/photo/sgtrips/banglad...ages/edd350.jpg

On 14 March, the Secretary-General travelled by helicopter to Savar, north-west of Dhaka, to pay his respects at the National Martyr's Memorial, which honors the memory of the three million Bangladeshis who died in the struggle for independence. Here, he is seen laying a wreathe at the memorial.

http://www.un.org/av/photo/sgtrips/banglad...ages/edd351.jpg

Secretary-General Kofi Annan then visited Rajendrapu, site of the Peacekeeping Operations Training Centre, where Bangladeshi military personnel are trained for service in United Nations peacekeeping missions. Here, the Secretary-General (fourth from left) is seen touring a replica of a typical United Nations checkpoint.

http://www.un.org/av/photo/sgtrips/banglad...ages/edd352.jpg


i will post more latter

so this peacekeeping business is good business after all

Hey, 200mil USD/annum is no paltry money - let's give the the Bangladeshis some competition..waddaya think ?

THE PICS WHICH I AM SHOWING ARE OLD ALREADY, SO SOME INFO ARE ALREADY OLD

http://www.un.org/av/photo/sgtrips/banglad...ages/edd353.jpg

Secretary-General Kofi Annan (fourth from left) in front of a watch tower at the Peacekeeping Operations Training Centre in Rajendrapu. Bangladesh is currently the second largest contributor of troops to United Nations peacekeeping operations, with some 4,500 soldiers in various missions worldwide

http://www.un.org/av/photo/sgtrips/banglad...ages/edd354.jpg

Peacekeeping troops in training at the Peacekeeping Operations Training Centre in Rajendrapu conduct a field exercise showing how a rapid reaction unit would be used to rescue kidnapped military observers. (UN Photo # EDD354)

http://www.un.org/av/photo/sgtrips/banglad...gbangladesh.htm

MORE PHOTO HERE IN THIS LINK

HRD Project
Bangladesh Contingent trains 200 Liberians

Bangladesh Contingent deployed in United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) provided training to 200 Liberian youths under Human Resources Development Project (HRD Project), says a ISPR press release.

They offered training opportunities to participants in th

UN, AU agree on Darfur force handover timeline

by Herve CouturierWed Jun 7, 2:37 PM ET

The United Nations and African Union agreed on a timeline to transform the struggling AU peacekeeping mission in Sudan's troubled western Darfur region into a UN force by January if Khartoum drops its resistance, officials said.

In talks at the pan-African body's headquarters here, AU officials and members of a visiting UN Security Council delegation said that in the meantime the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) should be beefed up.

"What we both think is that a transition should take place (and) by the beginning of next year there should be a UN operation," said Emyr Jones-Parry, Britain's UN ambassador and the leader of the Security Council team.

"We agreed on how we would like to schedule that, of course we both understand this can only be done with the consent of the government in Khartoum," he told reporters after the talks.

Jones-Parry's delegation was in Addis Ababa on Wednesday to discuss the transformation of the African force into a blue-helmeted UN mission despite having failed Tuesday in Khartoum to win Sudanese approval for the move.

Sudan said Tuesday it was willing to discuss the transfer but only on a "step-by-step" basis that would include meetings next week with a joint UN-AU preparatory team led by UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Marie Guehenno.

Guehenno was also in the Ethiopian capital to set up that mission, which is expected in Khartoum on Friday.

Despite repeated AU calls for the UN to take over its cash-strapped 7,000-strong Darfur force, Sudan has thus far refused to agree, apparently fearing that the mandate of the UN mission would impinge on its sovereignty.

Diplomats say Khartoum is loathe to accept any force empowered by Chapter VII of the UN charter, which allows the world body to impose sanctions and use force when there is a threat to international peace and security.

"The Chapter VII aspect is extremely important," said Konstantin Dolgov, the Russian members of the Security Council team.

"So far we've heard from all government officials that they would be against putting a future Security Council resolution under Chapter VII," he said. "We have to respect that position."

The Security Council delegation visit comes at a crucial time for Darfur, following the May 5 signing of a peace deal in Abuja that only one of three rebel factions has yet signed.

Only the main faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) has signed the agreement, with a dissident SLM group and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rejecting the pact that they say does not meet their requirements.

But AU officials said Wednesday that two splinter wings of the SLM and JEM would sign onto the agreement on Thursday.

"The dissident JEM and SLM rebels are going to sign a declaration on Thursday saying that they support the Darfur Peace Agreement," said Assane Ba, an AU spokesman.

"The declaration will then be annexed to the original accord and will bring these rebels into line with the other signatories," he said.

Decades of sporadic conflict in Darfur erupted into all-out war in 2003, when ethnic minority rebels took up arms, accusing the Arab government in Khartoum of neglect and calling for autonomy.

In response, the regime unleashed its Janjaweed proxies on Darfur's largely black population. The combined effect of war and famine has resulted in the deaths of up to 300,000 people and the displacement of some 2.4 million others.

The Security Council team is currently on a nine-day tour of African hotspots and after Ethiopia will go to southern Sudan, Darfur, Chad and then the Democratic Republic of Congo.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/sudandarfur;_y...HNlYwNzc3JlbA--

Mongolia aims to quell suspicions over US-backed exercise

Robert Karniol JDW Asia-Pacific Editor
Bangkok

Mongolia is seeking to reassure neighbouring China and Russia over a US-backed multilateral military exercise planned for mid-2006 on its territory and involving a wide range of countries.

Khaan Quest 2006 will take place over the period 17-27 August at the Five Hills Training Centre, situated some 65 km west of Ulaanbaatar at Tavan Tolgoi. This series was launched in 2002 as a bilateral training event, with the US aiming to assist in the development of Mongolian military units designated for UN peacekeeping operations.

Participation in 2006 has been broadly expanded.

The command post exercise under Khaan Quest 2006 should draw about 30 countries, or all those involved in the US Pacific Command-sponsored Multinational Planning Augmentation Team programme. The field training exercise will include troops from Bangladesh, Fiji, Thailand and Tonga together with Mongolia and the US. Participation by Canada, Japan, South Korea and Singapore is pending. The overall number of military personnel involved is unclear, but the exercise will be the most widely attended in Asia. The training will centre on international peacekeeping and disaster relief operations, with particular focus on making it easier for different countries to work together.

However, Moscow and Beijing remain suspicious of Washington's agenda in the region and Russia has reportedly refused to allow overflight rights to aircraft transporting participants to and from landlocked Mongolia. Such flights are channelled through Chinese air space.

China and Russia have been invited to send observers to Khaan Quest 2006 in an effort to quell their concerns, but as yet neither have indicated they will attend. Mongolia also plans to detail the exercise and its objectives in formal letters to both governments.

Separately, Ulaanbaatar has proposed developing a trilateral military exercise at Five Hills involving China and Russia together with Mongolia. "This is still under discussion," a Mongolian source told Jane's. "It is too early to expect any progress."

Mongolia aims to establish Five Hills as a regional peacekeeping training centre and is supported in this effort through funding from Washington. In 2004 it hosted its first multinational exercise, which was aimed at bringing together troops from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

The 'Perm Five' exercise was organised by the UK Operational Training and Advisory Group and was supposed to take place every two years, but it now looks unlikely to be repeated.

Int'l workshop on peacekeeping training ends in BANGLADESH

Thursday April 13 2006 09:16:42 AM BDT

GAZIPUR, Apr. 12:—A seven-day long International Workshop on Peacekeeping Training concluded at the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT) at Rajendrapur Cantonment on Monday. The Workshop, named as "Standardized Training Modules-2" was organised jointly by the Intergated Training Service (ITS), United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (UNDPKO) in co-operation with Government of Bangladesh.

Chief of the Naval Staff of Bangladesh Navy, Rear Admiral M Hasan Ali Khan was present in the closing ceremony as the chief guest and awarded the certificates among the participants of the workshop.

The purpose of the workshop was to inform member states' delegates about the Standardized Training Materials to improve the performance of their troops, police and mission leaders deployed on peacekeeping operations.

In his brief address on the occasion, Admiral Hasan Ali Khan thanked all participants including foreign delegates for making the workshop a success. He also specially mentioned the contribution of the officials of ITS of UNDPKO. BIPSOT Commandant Brigadier General Saiful Ali and representative of ITS and Director of this Workshop Lieutenant colonel Pablo Pintos also spoke on the occasion.

20 Bangladeshi officers from the Armed Forces, BDR, Police, Ansar and VDP and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence and 22 foriegn delegates from UN members States (Australia, China, Croatia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan. Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan,

Phillipines,
Sri Lanka,

Thailand, USA, Uruguay, Vanuatu etc.) had been participating in the workshop. Mentionable that 7 international resource staff had been conducting the workshop.

Among others, Chief of general Staff of Bangladesh Army Major General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, Defence Attaches, high military and civil officials were present on the occasion.

http://www.bangladesh-web.com/news/view.ph...000000000100683

Bangladeshi peacekeepers foil possible attack in Congo
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . Dhaka

Bangladesh battalion working in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission under United Nations Observer Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo foiled a possible attack of the rebel militias in the Ituri region of Congo on Wednesday.
Acting on a trip-off, members of the Bangladesh Peacekeeping Mission attacked the militias when they were making preparation to attack the official forces of Congo at about 5:00am (local time) on Wednesday, an ISPR press release said here Thursday.
The militias were forced to flee into the hilly jungles. Later, members of the peacekeeping mission recovered some bodies of the militias.

http://www.newagebd.com/2006/mar/31/front.html#11

DR Congo rebel faces Hague trial
The leader of a Democratic Republic of Congo militia has been handed over to the International Criminal Court to face trial on war crimes charges.

Thomas Lubanga becomes the first person arrested on an ICC warrant.

The court, based in the Dutch city of The Hague, said he would face three charges related to the use of children in armed groups.

Mr Lubanga was arrested a year ago after nine Bangladeshi UN peacekeepers were killed in the volatile Ituri area.

The ICC was set up to deal with war crimes and genocide around the world.

QUICK GUIDE

The war in DR Congo

Congolese Justice Minister Kisimba Ngoy said Mr Lubanga had been handed over to ICC officials in the capital, Kinshasa, and put on a plane on Friday morning.

Christian Palme, of the ICC Prosecutor's Office, confirmed to the BBC News website that Mr Lubanga was on his way to The Hague.

French peacekeepers are in Ituri as part of the first European Union peacekeeping force.

Mr Lubanga is accused of having ordered the killing of the peacekeepers in February 2005 and of being behind continuous insecurity in the area.

Several teams of ICC investigators have been sent to Ituri in recent months where more than 50,000 people have died since the inter-ethnic war began in 1999.

Thomas Lubanga's ethnic Hema Union of Congolese Patriots has been battling their Lendu rivals, partly for control of Ituri's large deposits of gold.

Some 17,000 UN peacekeepers are in DR Congo, tasked with ensuring that elections planned for June go smoothly.

They have been backing up the Congolese army as it conducts raids against the numerous rebel groups based in the east.

The ICC issued its first arrest warrants for the leaders of Uganda's rebel Lord's Resistance Army but they remain at large.

It is also investigating alleged war crimes in Sudan's Darfur region.

The court is strongly opposed by the United States, which fears its troops could face political prosecutions.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4815966.stm

Bangladeshi peacekeepers
symbol of chastity in Liberia
Khadimul Islam . Gbarnga in Liberia

Hawa, a single mother of a 2-year-old boy fathered by a Filipino, runs a bar overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Buchanan city of Liberia. She is attracted to Bangladeshi soldiers, but her waiting for a mate has so far been fruitless.
‘The Bangladeshi troops are the symbol of peace, and I had a desire to marry a peacekeeper. But no one proposed to me. Possibly we are not good-looking in their eyes or something,’ Hawa, 27, a resident of Grand Bassa county, told New Age on February 14. Pre-marital childbearing is quite common in the rural areas of Liberia.
The young Liberian lady’s wish to have a child sired by a Bangladeshi trooper proves the Liberians’ appreciation of the higher social values and moral character of our soldiers in comparison to peacekeepers of other countries.
Soldiers of other countries have been accused of abusing their power during peacekeeping missions in African countries, including Liberia.
According to reports published in different news services, the relief workers routinely demand sex in return for food. The peacekeepers of other nations are reportedly very contemptuous and racist in their attitude to Liberians.
While visiting some camps in Liberia this correspondent found that the Bangladeshi troops distribute excess food supplied by the UN and their own country to the local people and orphanages, and they have earned the reputation of being gentlemen because they never ask for sexual favours in return for food or other relief materials.
It became obvious, while talking to a number solders and officers of Bangladesh deployed in the United Nations Mission in Liberia, that the discipline of our armed forces, high social values, religious devoutness and the wish to earn the respect of the locals for Bangladesh stopped our troopers from abusing women.
For example, Dr Aba Kanga, the most senior citizen of Grand Bassa county, said, ‘The Bangladeshi soldiers never even touched the hands of our women. But some soldiers of other countries forcibly undressed our women on the plea of body-search. We are very grateful to the Bangladeshi soldiers.’ A Bangladeshi told New Age that they did not allow any soldiers to go out of the camp after evening for security reasons.
Captain Feroz, who was working in Buchanan city, told New Age that human qualities, discipline and respect for local people have made the Bangladeshi troops different from those of other countries.
‘Due to dire poverty some girls were seen standing for hours in front of the camps and trying to sexually tempt our soldiers with the hope of getting some money. But one didn’t see any Bangladeshi soldier respond to them,’ said an officer, declining to make comments on the soldiers of other countries.
When this correspondent went to a transit camp on February 9, a girl was seen waiting for about four hours at the main entrance of the camp for the money that she was supposed to get from the soldier of another county in return for sex.
When some Bangladeshi soldiers were asked whether they had seen

July 25, 2006: The poor quality of personnel that some countries have supplied for peace operations has led to a number of cases in which peacekeepers have committed crimes against the people they're supposed to be protecting, including robbery and rape. This problem has become acute since the war on terror has reduced the availability of troops from the advanced countries (Britain, Canada, Australia, France, the Scandinavians, etc.) that were formerly major suppliers of peacekeepers. As a result, the U.N. is adopting a number measures to improve the quality of the personnel that Third World nations provide for peacekeeping.

Money will be a major incentive. Some countries make a good deal of money out of peacekeeping, since the UN pays for the troops. Hitherto, the money has been provided to the government, which in turn is supposed to cover expenses, including paying the troops, keeping any surplus, which can be substantial, since UN funding is based on the Western standards of military costs. Alas, several countries have not always followed-through on the "paying the troops" part. So the UN will begin to give a small daily allowance or "pocket money" directly to the troops. In addition, countries are being put on notice that officers assigned to peacekeeping duty must be able to speak English, that the troops will be required to meet certain physical and training standards, and that peacekeeping contingents are to be provided with recreational equipment. Failure to meet these standards will result in rejection of the offered troops, on the theory that no peacekeepers are better than bad ones. Such a rejection will have serious financial repercussions for some countries. In 2005, for example, Ethiopia earned over $50 million as a result of its participation in peace operations.

Reportedly at least one country has be specifically told it must comply or its troops will not be accepted for peace operations. Tightening standards may initially make the shortage of peacekeepers worse, in most crises no peacekeepers are better than inept—or evening criminal—peacekeepers. But in the long run, as the new standards are adopted more widely, the problem will ease.


http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htun/articles/20060724.aspx

I think US, Canada, Germany, Britain, Portugal, Australia, and other countries involve should concentrate in Iraq and Afghanistan area. they have to finish yet their development and peace keeping efforts.

Then other Areas were conflict is rising should be passed to some 2nd rated Peace Keepers. Why? This will decrease the UN's budget in Peace keeping Tours.

Japan already available for new tour.

India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, and Bangladesh are some second rated forces that can speak english and purely rated outstanding in their peacekeeping duty's in Haiti, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Somalia.

ON THE DEFENSIVE
Under the United Nations resolution 1701, Hizbollah must stop all attacks, while Israel must halt "offensive military operations", implying that the Israelis may conduct "defensive" operations. Iisrael says it will react if its troops are attacked. It has defined the war as self-defence. Israel has vowed to keep blockading Lebanon by sea and air until a mechanism to stop Hizbollah rearming is in place. HIzbollah maintains it has the right to attack any Israeli forces in Lebanese soil. It also protrays this as self-defense.

BUILDING MILITARY JIGSAW
The Lebanese Army and an expanded UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, are to deploy in the south as Israeli troops leave. It says no other armed group may remain in the south. Hizbollah has not promised to withdraw. This complicated sequence will require high levels of co-ordination and co-operation from all parties - a tough task given the intense
distrust between Israel and Hizbollah. Israel says it may invade Lebanon again if it considers UNIFIL ineffective in curbing the militants.

CAGEY COMBATANTS
The Beirut Government is committed to sending 15,000 troops to the south, but is divided over whether they should go unless Hizbollah pulls its combatants north of the Litani River.. Hizbollah says its fighters are from the south and will stay there. However, it has promised to co-operate with the UN deployment. Hizbollah fighters wear no uniforms. They may stash their arms and melt into the civilian population - without compromising their mililtary potential.

TAKING ON HIZBOLLAH
UN forces are to keep the area between Litani and the border "free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons" other than those of UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army.. Butr France, likely leader of the UN force, has said its mission will not include disarming Hizbollah by force. The Lebanese Army, poorly equiped and short of combat experience, cannot take on Hizbollah either. It can police an agreed peace, but given Lebanon's fragile sectarian balance, it would probably split if ordered to confront Hizbollah. After surviving the war, Hizbollah will resist political pressure from other Lebanese factions to give up its arms.

wel PH armed have been going to BD a lot for UN PKM excercise

we have a training base for specially UNPKM

if PH need s help they can ask from us

BUT PH should be neutral like BD

SHOULD NOT OR MUST NOT comes to the influence of IDF or USA or any nations

or else it will effect PH


i wish one day we all see PH troops side by side BD troops



:patrioticpinoy: :agree:

The Philippines has diplomatic relations with both Israel and Lebanon unlike I think Malaysia with regards to israel. They will be sending Peacekeepers inside Lebanon only.

the 3 muslim nations who pledged UN PK to Lebanon are

BANGLADESH
MALAYSIA
INDONESIA


non of them have diplomatics ties NOT RECOGNIISE ISRAELI


But we would send upto 2 thousands troops

U.N. women peacekeepers in Liberia

Tue Jan 30, 6:34 PM ET

MONROVIA, Liberia - The United Nation's first women-only peacekeeping contingent — made up about 100 Indian policewomen — arrived in Liberia Tuesday, officials said.

Ben Malor, spokesman for the U.N.'s 15,000-strong peacekeeping force in the West African country, said the force will be stationed in the capital.

Women have served in many U.N. peacekeeping forces, but this is the first women-only group. Members of the group have said they hope their unit will be seen as more approachable by women and children in conflict zones.

Last year relief groups in Liberia accused U.N. peacekeepers and aid workers of trading food for sex with girls left homeless by war. The
United Nations has since instituted strong policies to prevent sexual exploitation in the country.

About 20 men were accompanying the group of 103 women to provide logistical support, according to a U.N. statement.

About 200,000 Liberians are believed to have been killed in the 1989-2003 civil war, which also displaced half the country's 3 million people. The country — created to settle freed American slaves in 1847 — is still struggling to recover.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission has been present in Liberia since a 2003 peace deal ended the fighting.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070130/ap_on_...en_peacekeepers

Filipina peacekeeper hurt in Timor crowd dispersal


By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 03:10pm (Mla time) 05/28/2007


MANILA, Philippines -- A female Filipino police officer serving with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Timor Leste has been injured in a crowd dispersal operation at the capital Dili on May 20, the Department of Foreign Affairs has disclosed.

In his report to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Hilario Davide Jr., identified the injured peacekeeper as Jimeli Valera Acuña, 32, of Taytay, Rizal, and a member of the Philippine police contingent serving with the UN Integrated Mission in Timor Leste (UNMIT).

Quoting the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) May 24 report, Davide said Acuña suffered bruises in the shoulder after she was hit by a rock from a crowd of displaced Timorese who attacked UN peacekeepers there that Sunday.

Davide said the incident took place shortly after UN peacekeepers responded to reports of fighting and stone-throwing between two local groups near the former Chinese embassy in Dili before 3 p.m.

Acuña and another Filipino peacekeeper, Joel Doria, the acting police district commander of Dili, were among the first to respond to the scene and had tried to control the crowd, said Davide.

One of the groups however turned against the UN police officers and began attacking them with rocks, said Davide.

Davide said four UN police officers, including Acuña were injured while four UN vehicles were damaged as a result of the incident. He said one civilian died from a head injury, another was hurt, and 50 were arrested.

In a Yahoo Messenger interview, Elmer Cato, of the Philippine Mission to the UN, told INQUIRER.net that Acuña’s family here in the Philippines has been informed of the incident.

He said this was the second violent incident that resulted in an injury to a Filipino peacekeeper serving in Timor Leste.

A year ago, Filipino police officer Edgar Layon was wounded when UN peacekeepers were caught in the middle of a gun battle between East Timorese factions also in Dili.

A total of 155 Filipino police peacekeepers serve in UNMIT, making it the biggest UN peacekeeping mission where the Philippines is involved.

UNMITs police component is also led by a Filipino, retired General Rodolfo Tor, who sits as UN police commissioner.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/brea...rticle_id=68299

UN Peacekeepers Link

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko/dpko.shtml

UN peacekeepers struggle through floodwaters near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in the wake of by hurricane Ike. Photo: Reuters