NATIONAL 1 (Spotlight Weekly)]

Training For Keeping Peace

Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) establishes its mark by conducting an international peacekeeping training

By KESHAB POUDEL

The possibility of Nepal becoming a regional peacekeeping training center got a boost after a senior UN official endorsed the idea put forth by Royal Nepalese Army Chief Prajwalla Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana.

Rana : A worthwile proposal

As UN peacekeeping operations have become more complex and multi-dimensional, it is felt that there ought to be specialized training and strategy-development to fit in with the changing needs.

"This center be declared a South Asian Regional Peacekeeping Training Center to enable us to exchange our professional experience in our endeavors and pursuit of universal peace," said Royal Nepal Army Chief Prajwalla SJB Rana, addressing the training program held in Panchkhal on January 16.

With the coordination from United Nations Peacekeeping Department, two-weeks-long South Asia Peacekeeping Multi-platoon Training Event recently commenced at Panchkhal.

Organized by Royal Nepalese Army with support from US Army Pacific Command, this is first of the international army training program held in Nepal.

"We will support Nepal's effort to establish itself as a South Asian Regional peacekeeping center," said Young Jin Choi, assistant secretary of United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

The training, among others, has opened up the possibility to establish Nepal as a center for regional peacekeeping training. "At a time when South Asian region does not have a peace keeping training center, it can be developed like that," said commander-in-chief of United States's Pacific Command Admiral Dennis C Blair. "Royal Nepalese Army have performed their duties with excellence."

Royal Nepalese Army has a long history of involvement in international peacekeeping operations. From Lebanon to Iraq, troops of RNA have been deployed in different parts of the world to keep peace and harmony. This is the reason why Nepal was chosen as a place for discussing international peacekeeping operations.

"As a member of the United nations, Nepal has been doing its best according to the UN charter in various areas," said Prime Minister and Defence Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai inaugurating the seminar. "Nepalese take pride in Royal Nepalese Army's involvement in peacekeeping."

Army officials from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and United States are participating in the training programs. India and Pakistan withdrew from the training.

Likewise, Army personnel from Australia, Canada, China, Fiji, India, Kajakhastan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga and United States and other ten officials representing the United Nations are participating in the training as observers.

One of the aims of the training is to enhance the preparedness of the UN peacekeepers and increase international networking among peacekeeping forces of various countries. It is believed to lend a great help in peacekeeping in accordance with the international covenants and treaties.

The UN has adopted the concept of peacekeeping to manage the crisis of different natures and characters. The first operation the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization established in June 1948 was to assist the truce in Palestine.

Nepal has been involved in almost all peacekeeping operations of UN in the last five decades with the involvement of 35,000 soldiers. Thirty five Nepalese soldiers have lost their lives during the peacekeeping service.

In their effort to establish peace Nepalese soldiers have laid down their precious lives. Their commitment towards the international peace has been exemplary. Whether the Lebanon incident of 1982 where Nepalese soldiers stood firmly at Khardala Bridge over the river Litani or Croatia incident of 1995 where they withstood the attack and invasion in west sector, Royal Nepalese Army has proved its efficiency.

Ever since 1958, RNA has been participating in various peacekeeping operations all over the world.

The list of RNA's participation in peacekeeping operations:

UNIPOM India- Pakistan border in 1965
UNEF II Egypt -1974
UNIFIL Lebanon till today, since 1978
UNOGIL Lebanon in 1985
UNGOMAP- Afghanistan Pakistan in 1988
UNPROFOR- Croatia 1992
UNISOM II Somalia in 1993
A contingent of guard in Iraq\Kuwait border in 1993
UNIMH - Haiti 1995