India puts off despatch of second peacekeeping force to Sudan
Sept 4, 2005 (New Delhi) — India has put off despatch of the second peace-keeping batallion group force to western Sudan following an SOS from the African Union that deployment of troops in the region in present circumstances was not possible.
India had promised to contribute a brigade level force to Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region following a call by the African Union to increase the mission to more than 7,000 troops and civilian police by end of Septemner.
The pause in Indian deployment has come even as New Delhi has already despatched a battalion strength group to the region last month end.
A batallion troop of 8th J&K Light Infantry, nick-named the Siachen Group as one its heroes Lt Banna Singh won the nation’s highest gallantry award Param Vir Chakra for capturing the key highest post in Sichen glacier, has been sent as peacekeepers to the region.
The despatch of the second batallion group along with some additional element has been held up as the African Union, which oversees deployment of UN peacekeepers in the region, has called for suspension of further delpoyment citing lack of jet fuels and heavy rains to move the troops.
According to Army sources here, the suspension would entail that the expansion of the UN Force won’t be completed until October end. Currently there are about 5,500 peacekeepers in the Darfur region, which has been labelled as one of the most volatile areas for such missions due to continuing civil war conditions.
After the delpoyment of the Brigade level force, this would be India’s second largest UN peacekkeping delpoyment ever.