Indonesia calls for stronger protection for peacekeepers in Lebanon

JAKARTA - Indonesia has demanded that the United Nations evaluate the safety and protection mechanism for its peacekeeping forces in Lebanon after the death of the fourth Indonesian peacekeeper from injuries in an unprovoked Israeli military attack in late March.

On April 24, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced the death of Chief Private Rico Pramudia, a 31-year-old Indonesian peacekeeper, after undergoing intensive treatment at St George Hospital in Beirut for his wounds due to an Israeli strike near Lebanese city Aadchit Al Qusayr on March 29.

In a separate statement on April 24, Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry said the government had coordinated intensively with UNIFIL, Lebanese authorities and a medical team in Beirut to ensure optimal medical treatment for Chief Pte Rico. However, he died due to his severe injuries.

The government condemned the March attack and called any strike against peacekeepers a war crime. It also pushed for an “immediate, thorough and transparent” investigation while demanding full accountability for the incident. 

The ministry also urged the UN to ensure the safety of its peacekeeping personnel in Lebanon.

“Safety and security of the UN peacekeepers is not negotiable,” the Foreign Ministry wrote in the statement.

“(The government) also continues its coordination with the (UN) and other troop- and police-contributing countries to strengthen the protection of peacekeepers, including through a comprehensive evaluation of their safety and security, as well as enhanced risk mitigation measures in UNIFIL’s area of operations.”

Pressure on the UN to strengthen peacekeepers’ safety also came from the House of Representatives.

Mr Sukamta, deputy chair of House Commission I overseeing foreign and military affairs, called on the UN to fully evaluate its protection mechanism for the Blue Helmets – as UN peacekeeping personnel, who wear blue helmets, are known – citing the escalating threat in southern Lebanon as the Israeli military intensifies its attacks against Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah.

The Prosperous Justice Party on April 25, as quoted by Antara, said: “The protection for UN personnel needs to be a main priority and cannot be neglected by any parties, including in the conflict involving Israel and other actors in the region.”

Mr Sukamta also urged the government to launch a comprehensive review on security and readiness to deploy the country’s military personnel, without cutting Indonesia’s commitment to global stability as a contributor to UNIFIL.

In its announcement on April 24, UNIFIL urged all parties to comply with the internal law to ensure the safety of UN personnel. It also emphasised that attacks on peacekeepers are “grave violations of international humanitarian law”.

With Chief Pte Rico’s death, six UN peacekeeping personnel have died since late March in Lebanon, four of whom were Indonesians.

Chief Pte Farizal Rhomadhon was killed instantly during the March 29 strike in Aadchit Al Qusayr. A day later, a separate attack resulted in the killing of Captain Zulmi Aditya Iskandar and First Sergeant Muhammad Nur Ichwan.

Two other casualties were French troops who were ambushed during a mission on April 18. France blamed the ambush on Hezbollah, for which the group denied responsibility.

Seven other Indonesian peacekeepers were wounded in three incidents in late March and early April.

Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesperson Major-General Aulia Dwi Nasrullah was quoted as saying on April 20 by Antara that Chief Pte Bayu Prakoso and Chief Pte Arif Kurniawan, two peacekeepers wounded in the March 29 attack, were still receiving medical treatment in hospital.

Despite the death of several peacekeepers, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix is consulting with all parties about options to keep UNIFIL’s presence in Lebanon after the force’s mandate expires at the end of the year.

“They’re (the Lebanese) very clear that they would want to keep a UN presence,” Mr Lacroix said on April 23, as quoted by Reuters. “We’re looking at a presence that would probably be smaller than UNIFIL.”

After the March strike, pressure has been growing in Indonesia for the government to thoroughly review the country’s peacekeeping deployment to Lebanon, with some urging a full suspension of the mission.

But House Commission I deputy chair Dave Laksono from the Golkar Party said in early April that any decision to withdraw Indonesian peacekeepers could not be rushed and needs to be based on a comprehensive assessment, as Indonesia remains committed to its peacekeeping role.

TNI previously said the force was open to reducing the number of peacekeepers deployed in May if security conditions continue to deteriorate.

Indonesia is the largest contributor to UNIFIL, with 755 personnel deployed, according to the force’s website.

In an Instagram post on April 25, TNI expressed condolences over Chief Pte Rico’s death, saying his dedication to the mission would serve as “an inspiration in maintaining world peace”.

Maj-Gen Aulia did not respond to The Jakarta Post’s question on plans for Chief Pte Rico’s repatriation. THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK