UN may soon wind up peacekeeping operation in Congo: BSF chief

From Yahoo.news

Wed, Aug 4 02:52 PM

New Delhi, Aug 4 (PTI) The United Nations may soon wind up its peacekeeping operations in the Central African country of Congo where Indian troops have been rendering civil police duties for the last few years. Border Security Force (BSF) chief Raman Srivastava who flagged off a 125-personnel contingent of BSF for UN peacekeeping mission in Congo today told his men that their batch could be the last as it has come to his notice that the UN could be winding up its operations or scaling down the strength of the troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

"It is a difficult job you are going for.

this could be the last civil police contingent in Congo as I have been told.

I do not know how much of it is true.

but UN may either reduce the troop strength or shift locations," he said.

It is possible (winding up of UN operations in Congo) as there was some talk in UN headquarters, Srivastava later told reporters. The UN mission -- United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSC) took over from an earlier UN peacekeeping operation the United Nations Organisation Mission in Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) on July 1 this year.

According to the UN, this was done in accordance with a Security Council (of the UN) resolution to reflect the new phase reached in the country. The UN mission is mandated to "protect civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence and to support the Government of the DRC in its stabilisation and peace consolidation efforts.

The BSF troops, upon deployment, will perform duties of civil police and render other humanitarian assistance in the troubled country. The contingent has been trained to handle mob, control riots and render disaster management help and have also been tutored to speak French.

The contingent -- fifth of the BSF -- will be deployed from August 8. According to official data, since the outbreak of violence in Congo, at least 40 lakh people are estimated to have been killed and 25 lakh rendered homeless.