Four Tajikistan’s peacekeepers joint Darfur mission

July 31, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — Four Tajikistan’s peacekeepers joined this week the African Union –UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

The high ranking police officials from the south-central Asia country are expected to join the police section of the peacekeeping mission. They will replace five police officials serving in Darfur since last year.

Last April the five Tajikistan police officials, who served in Darfur since October 2008, were presented with UN medals of Honor awarded to military personnel who complete 90 days in the mission without committing an offence.

At Sudan’s request the UN resolution voted in July 2007 called for a force with a “predominantly African character” but stressed the need for “a force which could effectively implement the mandate set out in resolution 1769.”

During long months, Khartoum has long insisted that it will not accept Western troops or even from other continents unless all African options are exhausted.

But under the international pressure, Sudan accepted the participation of many European, and Asian countries besides Canada and Australia.

“Resolution 1769 which authorized UNAMID speaks about predominantly African character of the force but it does not say that it should be exclusively African” said last year the Nigerian General Martin Luther Agwai, the former Force Commander of Darfur peacekeepers.

(ST)