SAMMY JULIAN
THE Philippines has been a consistent contributor to the United Nations’ (UN) peacekeeping missions after first contributing to the world body’s operations in 1963, when it sent a squadron of its Air Force to support the United Nations Operation in the Congo.
In fact, the Philippines is one of the largest contributors of peacekeepers. As of 2013, it was ranked 30th among 114 nations that contribute military and police to UN operations with a total of 730 peacekeepers, 685 males 45 females.
However, the safety of its troops was on top of the minds of Philippine government officials wrestling with the decision last year whether to withdraw 340 peacekeepers or let them continue with their mission.
Two separate incidents in March and May 2013 drew a response from Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario so great that it almost sealed the fate of the brave peacekeepers.
In March, 21 Filipino peacekeepers under the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force were abducted by Syrian rebels of the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade in the Golan Heights. The rebels demanded they will keep the peacekeepers hostage until President Bashar Assad and his forces withdraw from the Syrian city of Jamlah. They were safely released three days later.
Four Filipino peacekeepers were also abducted in early May. Likewise, they were released unharmed by their captors several days later.
In response to the abductions, del Rosario suggested to President Benigno Aquino III that the Philippines withdraw its 340 peacekeepers from the Golan Heights.
The UN, together with the United States, appealed the Philippines and warned of an adverse effect of the withdrawal.
During a meeting with UN officials in New York, del Rosario stated three conditions to the UN for a continued stay of Filipino peacekeepers in the Golan Heights: the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (Undof) in the Golan Heights must deploy its full troop strength of 1,250 by October; provide the equipment for the protection and defense of Filipino troops; and the Philippines must be allowed to deploy troops using a six-month rotation.
By end of July, del Rosario said that he has dropped his recommendation to President Aquino for the withdrawal of Filipino peacekeepers and that the UN officials promised to fulfill the three conditions.
The Philippines’ foreign minister now prefers for the country’s 340 peacekeepers to stay in the Golan Heights for at least six months.
But now, just a little more than a year, the Filipino troops were being accused by no less than the Undof commander as “nonprofessionals” for having endangered the lives of fellow peacekeepers.
They have reportedly defied orders at a time when officials have negotiated a ceasefire with the rebels to ensure that all troops in the conflict area could exit.
The Undof commander Lt. Gen. Iqbal Singh Singha claimed that the higher UN echelon, as well as the Indian Army, agree with him that his controversial order to Filipino troops in the Golan Heights to surrender to Syrian rebels was right.
Apparently, the order was ignored by the Filipino soldiers under siege because they believe it was their duty to defend their positions, and to yield without a fight could have put their lives in peril, there being no guarantee of safety.
However, this good man Singha (reminds us of the Filipino word for blowing one’s nose) described the move of the Filipino troops not to yield peacefully to the Syrian rebels as “an act of cowardice.”
This action, according to the Indian general, would have resulted in casualties on both sides and affected the fate of 45 Fijians abducted earlier.
Well, we have an answer to that. Under the Terms of Reference, it was not mentioned there that peacekeepers can be ordered to surrender their firearms — that is according to General Gregorio Pio Catapang, the guy who ordered the Filipino soldiers to defy the alleged order of Singha.
It’s quite simple: the Undof commander wanted to save the Fijians at the expense of the Filipinos.
Still, Catapang was right when he said the Undof commander need not apologize. There is actually no need to say sorry. What is needed is that he be investigated because we won’t be put to shame./PN
