Japan considers sending peacekeeping helicopters to Sudan
May 6, 2010 (KHARTOUM) –Japanese experts will travel to Sudan on Friday to study the feasibility of dispatching military helicopters to join the UN peacekeeping mission operating in southern Sudan.
If the decision is taken, it would be Japan’s first group of helicopters to participate in a peacekeeping mission.
Since June 2008, U.N. chief Ban Ki Moon requested that Japanese Self-Defense Force troops (SDF) participate in peacekeeping operations in Sudan.
The Japanese choppers will help the UNMIS to transport the ballots boxes of a referendum on southern Sudan self determination scheduled to take place in January 2011.
However, the Japanese news agency Kyodo said a final decision on the issue would not be made before July after the election of the upper House of Councilors.
The Japanese delegation composed of civilian and military will hold talks with officials from the Sudanese government and UN Mission in Sudan.
The Japanese government led by the Democratic Party considers U.N. peacekeeping operations as one of the pillars of the international contributions Japan should undertake actively.
(ST)
Kon Paul Awenchol
Japan considers sending peacekeeping helicopters to Sudan
Dear Japanese Experts.
It could be a good decision made by the Japanese authorities to intervened into Sudan to co-relate the faceful spiritual work toward the coming referendum for the people of Southern Sudan,but don’t come with that kind of fearful imperialism.Because we have witness now that,the government of Khartoum is dragging its feet in Southern Sudan referendum,the work of Japanese peace keeping force in Sudan is wonderful but we wish the Japanese Government should and must work well with government of Southern Sudan toward his community and self determination.
THE TRUE CITIZEN