News Analysis / The International Day of UN Peacekeepers
Published on: June 02, 2022
Source: The Hindu
Why in News?
International Day of UN (United Nations) Peacekeepers is observed globally on 29th May.
Theme for 2022: People. Peace. Progress. The Power of Partnerships.
What is UN Peacekeeping?
About:
UN Peacekeeping began in 1948 when the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of UN military observers to the Middle East.
UN Peacekeeping helps countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace.
It deploys troops and police from around the world, integrating them with civilian peacekeepers to address a range of mandates set by the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the General Assembly.
Composition:
UN peacekeepers (often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets) can include soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel.
Peacekeeping forces are contributed by member states on a voluntary basis.
Civilian staff of peace operations are international civil servants, recruited and deployed by the UN Secretariat.
UN Peacekeeping and India:
India has been among the largest troop-contributing countries to the UN peacekeeping missions. As of November 2021, India is the second-highest military (1,888) and fifth-highest (139) police-contributing country to the United Nations Organisation Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
More than 200,000 Indians have served in 49 of the 71 UN peacekeeping missions established around the world since 1948.
India has a long tradition of sending women on UN peacekeeping missions.
In 2007, India became the first country to deploy an all-women contingent to a UN peacekeeping mission.
Despite its presence in several countries as part of the Peacekeeping missions, India has routinely expressed its displeasure at a similar mission headquartered in Srinagar and Islamabad.
The United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) was established in January, 1949 to supervise the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
India has reiterated that the mission has “outlived its relevance” after the Simla Agreement was signed by India and Pakistan in July 1972 and the establishment of the LoC (Line of Control).
