India backs the UNSC move for probes into attacks on peacekeepers

United Nations, June 23 (IANS) In a resolution co-sponsored by India, the Security Council on Tuesday called for action against those attacking peacekeepers and supported the involvement of troop-contributing countries in investigations where their nationals are victims.

The resolution reiterated that attacks on peacekeepers or their facilities could amount to war crimes and asked all parties to conflicts to comply fully with their obligations to UN personnel.

It was co-sponsored by over 150 countries, including India, reflecting the international concern about the safety of peacekeepers.

Since peacekeeping operations began in 1948, 1,150 peacekeepers have been killed in attacks, 69 of them Indian, according to UN data.

In the most recent series of attacks, seven peacekeepers have been killed so far this year in Lebanon, where UN personnel are caught in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

The resolution paid tributes to peacekeepers “who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty for the cause of peace”.

It encouraged troop- and police-contributing countries to deploy, “on a voluntary basis, as appropriate, trained investigative personnel” to assist host countries in probing cases of killings and violent acts against UN personnel.

Christina Markus Lassen, the permanent representative of Denmark, which, along with Pakistan, was the main sponsor of the resolution as a Council member, said it sent a strong message to perpetrators of crimes that the international community was watching and that “crimes will not go unpunished”.

She added that the unanimous support for the resolution was an important reassurance to peacekeepers that “the Council is behind them” and to contributing countries that “this Council is ready, willing and able to step in”.

The resolution asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to ensure that clear factual records of attacks on peacekeepers are maintained and demanded that countries involved and “other relevant actors” cooperate with investigations.

Guterres was asked to submit to the Council within 120 days a report on the status of investigations into attacks on peacekeepers.

Protecting peacekeepers from India – 4,264 are now deployed – is a major concern for New Delhi, which launched the Group of Friends to Promote Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers in 2022 to promote their safety and demand action against attackers.

While an elected member of the Council in 2021, India sponsored a resolution that was unanimously adopted, calling on countries hosting peacekeeping missions to promote accountability for violence against peacekeepers by investigating incidents and prosecuting perpetrators.

–IANS

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