Four Nepalese soldiers among 124 peacekeepers, who died last year serving in the cause of peace, will receive ‘The Dag Hammarskjold Medal’ to be provided posthumously.
A press statement issued by the United Nations Information Centre UNIC) in Kathmandu said those receiving the medals are; Warrant Officer Rishi Ram, who died while serving in the UN Mission in Burundi on 2 March 200(?), Corporal Mohan Shingh Ga Ma, who died while serving in the UN Mission in Haiti on 20 March 2005; Sepoy Shyam Bahadur Katuwal, who died while serving in the UN Mission in Haiti on 26 February 2005 and Major Kabindra Jung Thapa, who died while serving in the UN Mission in the DR Congo on 2 June 2005.
“The Dag Hammarskjold Medal will be awarded posthumously to military, police and civilian personnel who lost their lives serving in the UN peacekeeping operations amid a special ceremony in the United Nations headquarters in New York on 31 May,” the statement added.
At this time, Nepal is the fifth largest contributor to the peacekeeping operations with 3,523 peacekeepers serving in 12 missions, according to Douglas Coffman of the Peace and Security section in the UN Department of Public Information.
A press statement issued by the United Nations Information Centre UNIC) in Kathmandu said those receiving the medals are; Warrant Officer Rishi Ram, who died while serving in the UN Mission in Burundi on 2 March 200(?), Corporal Mohan Shingh Ga Ma, who died while serving in the UN Mission in Haiti on 20 March 2005; Sepoy Shyam Bahadur Katuwal, who died while serving in the UN Mission in Haiti on 26 February 2005 and Major Kabindra Jung Thapa, who died while serving in the UN Mission in the DR Congo on 2 June 2005.
“The Dag Hammarskjold Medal will be awarded posthumously to military, police and civilian personnel who lost their lives serving in the UN peacekeeping operations amid a special ceremony in the United Nations headquarters in New York on 31 May,” the statement added.
At this time, Nepal is the fifth largest contributor to the peacekeeping operations with 3,523 peacekeepers serving in 12 missions, according to Douglas Coffman of the Peace and Security section in the UN Department of Public Information.
Meanwhile, in a statement issue on the occasion of UN peacekeepers day on Monday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan urged all to pay tribute to the men and women from countries across the world who serves selflessly, tirelessly and fearlessly in UN peacekeeping operations.
“Let us remember the heroes who have laid down their lives in lands far from their own in the service of peace. And let us reaffirm our commitment to building a world free from the scourge of war,” Annan added.
“The days of lightly armed peacekeepers conducting foot patrols along ceasefire lines between sovereign States are long over. UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after decades of conflict,” he noted.
More than 72,000 uniformed personnel and 15,000 civilians now serve in 18 peace operations administered by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, making the United Nations the largest multilateral contributor to post-conflict stabilization worldwide.
“One hundred and eight countries now contribute uniformed personnel, including a 71-nation mission in Sudan -- the most diverse coalition ever assembled. The leading contributors, by far, are India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, which collectively provide more than 40 per cent of UN peacekeepers -- and as a result have also suffered some of the highest losses,” Annan added.
With peacekeeping having become a core function of the Organization, and with a greater number of staff joining the many already serving in dangerous field locations, it is essential that they receive more professional and responsive institutional support, he said, adding, “We are determined to achieve this through critical management and oversight reforms, and through strict enforcement of the highest standards of conduct and of the zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse.
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