KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 (Bernama) -- Malaysia, along with more than 60 other countries contributing troops to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), has condemned in the “strongest terms” persistent attacks on peacekeepers in Lebanon.
The collective outcry follows recent attacks that killed three Indonesian peacekeepers and injured several others from France, Ghana, Nepal and Poland.
In a video posted on the United Nations (UN) YouTube channel on April 9, Indonesia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Umar Hadi, read a joint statement in which countries expressed “deep concern” over escalating tensions in Lebanon since March 2 this year and their impact on the safety and security of peacekeepers.
“We firmly condemn the unacceptable aggressive behaviour towards UNIFIL personnel and leadership recently observed,” said Umar, who spoke on behalf of more than 60 countries in the joint statement, which stressed that the safety and security of UN peacekeepers is “non-negotiable”.
The countries include Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Congo, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Liberia, Luxembourg.
Malaysia, Malta, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Panama, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, South Korea, Romania, Russia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, Zambia, and the European Union.
“Peacekeepers must never be the target of attack and attacks on them are prohibited while they enjoy protection under international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and may constitute a war crime,” they said.
These countries urged the UN and the Security Council to exert all tools available at their disposal to strengthen the protection of UN peacekeepers in an increasingly dangerous environment.
They reaffirmed their full support for UNIFIL and its mandate as set out in relevant Security Council resolutions, and urged all parties, under all circumstances, to take all measures to ensure the safety and security of peacekeeping personnel and premises in accordance with international law.
“Those responsible for these attacks must be held accountable,” they said.
“We pay tribute to the dedication and service of all United Nations peacekeepers who risk their lives in the cause of international peace and security, and express our deep appreciation to all troop-contributing countries,” they said.
Beyond the safety of the troops, the countries also expressed “deep concern” over the humanitarian situation in Lebanon, especially the significant civilian casualties, the extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure, and the mass displacement of more than one million people.
“We call on parties to urgently return to the cessation of hostilities arrangement of 2024 and respect the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701,” they said while calling for de-escalation of tensions and for all parties to return to the negotiating table.
The full video can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qgbL6ZDvu0.
-- BERNAMA
