JAKARTA: Chief of the Indonesian Police General Listyo Sigit Prabowo on Tuesday flagged off a 140-member task force contingent, Garuda Bhayangkara, that will join the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.
The ceremony marking the departure of the contingent, which will join the Formed Police Unit of the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (FPU 4 Minusca), took place at Bhayangkara soccer field near the Indonesian Police Headquarters in South Jakarta on Tuesday.
The contingent comprises 115 policemen and 25 policewomen.
They will be tasked with protecting UN assets, facilitating humanitarian aid, protecting human rights, and supporting justice and legal supremacy.
“The presence of our colleagues in the FPU 4 Minusca contingent is expected to present peace and give protection and security to the local people affected by the conflict,” Prabowo said
The active role of the Indonesian police in UN peacekeeping missions has improved the country’s reputation in the eyes of the international community, he noted.
Indonesia sent its troops to join UN peacekeeping missions for the first time in 1989.
The country is now the eighth largest contributor of troops to UN peace missions.
Currently, 2,674 Indonesian military and police personnel have been assigned to UN peacekeeping missions.
Prabowo said the presence of the police force in peace missions is needed along with the development of global peace missions, which cover not only the maintenance of activities and situation stability in conflict areas but also the execution of multidimensional tasks.
On its part, the Indonesian police have been encouraged to take an active part in peace missions by sending its officers, he said.
The participation of Indonesia in UN peacekeeping missions is a manifestation of the mandate of the preamble to the 1945 Constitution.
“The mandate of the Constitution aligns with the statement of Mr. President Joko Widodo that the issues of peace and humanity have always been the priority of Indonesian foreign policy. The Indonesian Constitution mandates the country to always try to contribute to the creation of global peace,” he said.
The police chief also lauded Indonesian policewomen for their participation in UN peacekeeping missions. Their participation is part of the Indonesian police’s commitment to gender mainstreaming and the UN mandate.
“The presence of policewomen gives a special colour for creating peace in the mission area through humanistic approaches, particularly in protecting women and children,” he added.
