PH seeks UN review of peacekeeping rules

By: Marc Jayson Cayabyab - 10 years ago

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario. PHOTO FROM DFA

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has asked the United Nations (UN) to review its rules on peacekeeping in light of the standoff in Golan Heights that involved Filipino peacekeepers, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario said.

In a letter Del Rosario read during the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) budget briefing in the House of Representatives on Monday, the secretary said the guidelines should be reviewed due to new threats.

“The Philippines strongly proposes a revisit of the outstanding operational and tactical issues [related to peacekeeping], including the UN’s command and control vis-a-vis the safety and security of peacekeepers during kidnapping and siege incidents, the accountability of UN peacekeeping mission leaders for decisions made during crisis operations, as well as the contingency plans and procedures [in place] to address these situations,” according to the letter addressed to UN Secretary General Ban Kim-Moon.

More than a week ago, 70 Filipino soldiers found themselves in a standoff with more than 100 Syrian rebels who demanded that they surrender their weapons. Four days later, the troops were able to escape following a seven-hour firefight.

The soldiers also defied the order of Lt. Gen Iqbal Singh Singha of India, commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (Undof) on the Golan Heights, to surrender. The soldiers instead fought the rebels from the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front who were holding 45 Fijian peacekeepers hostage.

Singha said the Filipino soldiers committed an act of cowardice and put the abducted soldiers’ lives in danger.

Del Rosario defended the Filipino peacekeepers’ actions.

“The Philippine government strongly believes that surrender will only further endanger the lives of Philippine peacekeepers in that position and embolden [the rebels]… By retaining their arms, the Philippine troops had maintained a minimum defense posture against confirmed hostile forces while bearing in mind the principles indicated the UNDOF’s rules of engagement,” the letter read.