ID :
23588
Fri, 10/10/2008 - 10:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/23588
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INDONESIA SENDING 140 POLICE OFFICERS TO DARFUR
Jakarta, Oct 9 (ANTARA) - Indonesia is sending 140 police officers to participate in UN peacekeeping efforts in Darfur, Sudan, which has been ravaged by conflict that has left 200,000 civilians dead and 2,5 million others displaced.
The police task force called "Bhayangkara Garuda Contingent" was officially sent off by National Police Deputy Chief Commissioner General Makbul Padmanegara here on Thursday.
The group would depart for Sundan aboard a UN plane and stay there for a year unil October 2009.
The task force will join 19,557 other members of the UN peacekeeping forces including 3,772 police officers.
National Police Chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri in his written address read by Commissioner General Makbul on the occasion said the task was an honor for the country as well as the national police force.
"This is the first time for the national police to participate in an international peacekeeping effort. This also means that the national police is recognized by the world," he said.
Therefore, he called on the police officers taking part in the effort to give their best performance as the country's peacekeeping forces had so far always received appreciation and respect from other countries.
"This is not an easy task but honorable because 200,000 people have been killed in the conflict-riven region while 2.5 million others were forced from their homes," he said.
He called on task force to really play their peacekeeping role in addition to giving public service and enforce the law.
"They must act professionally and in accordance with the UN rules," he said.
The National Police Chief's deputy for operations, Inspector General Rubani Pranoto, meanwhile, said members of the police contingent had received training in various skills, including mastery of the English language.
"All of them can speak English. Even five of them can also speak Arabic," he said.
The arrival of the Indonesian police force was being awaited by Sudan because of the two countries' historical and religious ties.
"The two countries' common religion gives an added value to use as not many members of the peacekeeping forces there are Moslem," he said.
He said Indonesia's first president Soekarno was also well-known in Sudan so that hopefully all of these factors would help them in carrying out their duties.
An additional force of 140 police members is also expected to be sent to Sudan in December but confirmation on it still has yet to be received from the UN.
"We have already prepared the personnel," he said.
As the field they would be assigned to is a conflict region the police members to be sent there are from the Mobile Brigade unit.
They have skills in the medical and logistical fields, counseling, law enforcement, mediation and partnership, he said.
The police task force called "Bhayangkara Garuda Contingent" was officially sent off by National Police Deputy Chief Commissioner General Makbul Padmanegara here on Thursday.
The group would depart for Sundan aboard a UN plane and stay there for a year unil October 2009.
The task force will join 19,557 other members of the UN peacekeeping forces including 3,772 police officers.
National Police Chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri in his written address read by Commissioner General Makbul on the occasion said the task was an honor for the country as well as the national police force.
"This is the first time for the national police to participate in an international peacekeeping effort. This also means that the national police is recognized by the world," he said.
Therefore, he called on the police officers taking part in the effort to give their best performance as the country's peacekeeping forces had so far always received appreciation and respect from other countries.
"This is not an easy task but honorable because 200,000 people have been killed in the conflict-riven region while 2.5 million others were forced from their homes," he said.
He called on task force to really play their peacekeeping role in addition to giving public service and enforce the law.
"They must act professionally and in accordance with the UN rules," he said.
The National Police Chief's deputy for operations, Inspector General Rubani Pranoto, meanwhile, said members of the police contingent had received training in various skills, including mastery of the English language.
"All of them can speak English. Even five of them can also speak Arabic," he said.
The arrival of the Indonesian police force was being awaited by Sudan because of the two countries' historical and religious ties.
"The two countries' common religion gives an added value to use as not many members of the peacekeeping forces there are Moslem," he said.
He said Indonesia's first president Soekarno was also well-known in Sudan so that hopefully all of these factors would help them in carrying out their duties.
An additional force of 140 police members is also expected to be sent to Sudan in December but confirmation on it still has yet to be received from the UN.
"We have already prepared the personnel," he said.
As the field they would be assigned to is a conflict region the police members to be sent there are from the Mobile Brigade unit.
They have skills in the medical and logistical fields, counseling, law enforcement, mediation and partnership, he said.
