PHL vows to ensure safety of Pinoy peacekeepers in Haiti

The Philippines has vowed to ensure the security and welfare of some 200 Filipino peacekeepers in Haiti, in light of continuing post-election violence and a cholera epidemic in the Caribbean state. In a release posted on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Libran Cabactulan expressed “grave concern" over the reported incidents of violence in Haiti following its presidential elections last November 28. Cabactulan made the statement after a briefing on the overall situation in Haiti by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the UN General Assembly in New York. Reiterating its commitment to cooperate with the UN, the country also welcomed joint efforts by UN member states, the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), and civil society groups and civil authorities in Haiti to combat the cholera epidemic, which has killed hundreds of people and continues to affect thousands, Cabactulan said. "The Philippine Government reaffirms its commitment to MINUSTAH where we have almost 200 police and military personnel. The safety and security of our troops remain our top priority and we look forward to working with the United Nations to ensure the welfare and security of all peacekeeping personnel in that country," Cabactulan said. "It is our hope that the recent exercise in democracy bears fruit and leads to a fresh start for Haiti's recovery and development," he added. For his part, Secretary-General Ban urged UN member states to extend “immediate and massive aid" to Haiti to address the cholera epidemic. Early this year, three Filipino soldiers and a Filipino civilian staff of the UN died in the deadly quake in Haiti, which claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Last year, a record number of over a thousand Filipino peacekeepers were deployed in various conflict areas worldwide, with military and police peacekeepers assigned to nine UN missions. Majority of the deployed military officers and personnel are part of the peacekeeping infantry battalion in Golan Heights, humanitarian troop in Darfur, military observer group in Kashmir, and the stabilization mission in Haiti. The rest are serving as military observers, liaison officers and staff officers in Sudan, Cote d’Ivore, Kashmir and Timor Leste. The police officers are similarly deployed in Darfur, Liberia, Sudan, Timor Leste and Haiti, with a lone officer assigned to Afghanistan. The Philippines first participated in UN peacekeeping operations in 1963 when it contributed a 40-member squadron from the Philippine Air Force to provide air support for the UN mission in the Congo.—JV, GMANews.TV