UN approaches India for CRPF contingent in Haiti

Shemin Joy

New Delhi, Dec 21, 2007 (PTI) The United Nations hasapproached India for the deployment of a CRPF contingent inthe trouble-torn Latin American nation of Haiti to help its peacekeeping mission, a proposal which is being considered by the government.

The Home Ministry received the UN proposal seeking CRPF personnel for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (UNSMIH) some time back, a senior official told PTI.

"The government is considering the proposal. Discussions are on the preliminary stage," the official said without elaborating the number of CRPF personnel sought by the UN to strengthen its existing force. No decision has been taken so far, the official added.

If the government accepts the invitation, this will be the second CRPF contingent to be deployed with UN peacekeeping mission now. A 125-member strong women contingent of the CRPFis presently in Liberia as part of the UN mission there.

The 123-men strong Rapid Action Force, a constituent of the CRPF, was earlier deployed in the trouble-torn Latin American nation in 1995 to assist the election process there. There were also a few Indians serving in the Mission inHaiti on the civil side.

The UN mission started functioning in Haiti in 1993 tos upport the country, the first indpendent nation in Latin America, which was in the midst of chaos and anarchy.

Presently, there are 8,889 personnel in Haiti as partof the UN mission. This include 7,060 military personnel,1,829 police personnel, 482 international civilian personnel,1,102 local civilian staff and 194 UN volunteers.

The personnel are from Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka,Nepal, United States, France, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey,Nigeria and Philippines among others nations.

According to official statistics, a total of 32 personnel of the UN Mission have lost their lives in the violence-hit nation, including 19 military and three police personnel in the past.

Personnel of CRPF were also deployed in Sri Lanka aspart of the India Peace Keeping Force. In 2000, RAF sent its 240 personnel as part of anIndian contingent on UN mission to strife-torn Kosovo.

This unit provided special secuirty to the UN officials, assistedthe local police in controlling crowd during violentdemonstrations and civil unrest. CRPF contingent were also pressed into action by various UN Missions in Namibia, Somalia, Haiti, Maldives andBosnia. These contingents won praises from the UN for its professionalism and steadfastness to duty, the official said.