First batch of Nepalese troops join Darfur peacekeeping force

October 19, 2008 (EL FASHER) – The first batch of Nepalese Formed Police Unit (FPU) arrived today in Nyala where they will be based for a one-year tour of duty in Darfur, the UNAMID said.

108 Nepalese police officers of the 147 strong force arrived today to the capital of South Darfur. They will be followed by the rest of the unit on 21 October 2008.

UN Security Council adopted resolution 1769 on July 31st which authorized a hybrid UN-AU force (UNAMID) consisting of 26,000 troops and police but so far it only has only 9,000 personnel.

Sudanese government for long time resisted the participation of non African troops in Darfur peacekeeping operation. The Nepalese and Thai troops are expected to be fully deployed in Darfur by the end of the year according the Alain Le Roy , the head of the UN peacekeeping department.

These officers were preceded, on 23 September 2008, by an advance party of twelve (12) Nepalese Police Advisors tasked with assisting in the preparations of the facilities earmarked for the Unit at UNAMID Super-Camp and the coordination of the logistics of the contingent’s owned equipment (COE).

Police Advisors are unarmed civilian police officers whose task is to conduct patrols, investigate incidents, monitor reports, conduct community policing in Darfur Internally Displaced Persons Camps (IDP) camps, as well as training.

UNAMID FPUs are specialized, self-sufficient and fully mobile rapid reaction police units, entirely composed of police officers from a single contingent, with expertise in crowd-management and other police tactical operations.

They may be called upon to engage in high risk assignments and the protection of people in imminent danger, preventing attacks and threats against civilians, and in monitoring and providing security and protection in IDP camps, threatened villages, and migration routes.

Besides providing security, they will also assist national authorities and UN agencies in delivering humanitarian assistance in times of need and conducting escort duties in order to build the confidence of the local population in the rule of law.

The Nepalese Formed Police Unit is the third UNAMID FPU to be deployed, after the Bangladeshi and Indonesian ones, out of the 19 such units mandated by the Security Council resolution creating UNAMID.

Till last August, U.N. officials repeatedly said they would be able to get 80 percent of the authorized force into Darfur by the end of the year. But, Le Roy revised recently this figure to 13000 peacekeepers.

The African Union – United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) has currently around 10,000 troops on the ground.

(ST)