Caste system in UN peacekeeping

Lakhdar Brahimi’s presence at a seminar on UN peacekeeping triggered memories of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where the Indian police contingent played a key role in restoring peace. Brahimi, former Algerian foreign minister, was invited by the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, to study UN peacekeeping and produce a report making recommendations for the Secretary General and the Security Council.

When I first met Brahimi, he was UN Secretary General Boutros-Boutros Ghali’s Special Representative to oversee the joint US-India peacekeeping operation in Haiti. The reason why this meeting remains memorable is because of what Brahimi said on TV of the Indian contingent: “The Indians walked in like they were going in for a picnic.” This statement has a large, bleak backdrop. In the absence of all law and order in Haiti, vigilante justice was becoming the norm. Neighbours would surround a suspected thief and hack him to death. The low-lying, downtown areas of Port-au-Prince were far too forbidding for US peacekeepers, for instance. But the Indians walked into the most troubled alleys as they would in, say, Dharavi when it was charged with tension. The Indian performance clearly left an impression on Brahimi.

Subsequently when I met him, the Indian involvement in Sierra Leone was drawing to a close. If you ask me it was brilliant leadership by Gen. Vijay Jetley with one reservation: he failed to take into account the fact that West African states, led by Nigeria, resented Indian leadership of a mission in their backyard.

There were various other sources of confusion at Freetown. The Lone Peace Accord of July 1999 was equidistant from President Kabbah and rebel leader Foday Sankoh. But, in fact, the peacekeeping forces were constantly under pressure to side with the government against Sankoh.

The British had an abiding interest in Sierra Leone. Smart mercenary groups had already pushed Sankoh to the wall before the UN intervened. But in spite of the UN intervention, the British maintained their independent military presence outside the pale of the peacekeeping activity. This was clearly odd because the British as permanent members of the Security Council, had played a major role in navigating the draft which resulted in the dispatch of UN peacekeepers, including 3,000 from India under Jetley. Parallel to the peacekeepers was the British task force under Brig. David Richards. Any liaison between Richards and Jetley itself created problems of hierarchy.

This was further complicated by the attitude of the host country. “British is the grandfather of all armies including yours” said Hinga Norman, Sierra Leone’s Deputy Defence Minster. He was trying to justify not only the presence of the British task force, but also the expected arrival of even more British officers to train the Sierra Leone army.

Which Sierra Leone army? The one that would serve President Kabbah’s interests? But the entire peacekeeping operation had been mounted to bring about peace between Kabbah and Foday Sankoh!

When 213 Indian troops were encircled in Kailahum after a tactless interview to the BBC by Brig. Richards praising Indian troops for being ever so helpful to the Sierra Leone army at Rogberi, Sankoh’s rebels were livid. This was one of the reasons for the encirclement.

I have listed some facts simply to bring into focus the caste system that operates in the UN system. Has Brahimi gone into some of these aspects? His recommendation for a credible, achievable mandate, robust rules of engagement among umpteen others are laudable. What bothers me is the caste system.

Let me explain. Boys and girls from diverse backgrounds are sent, say, to a boarding school where they share a common lifestyle for six to eight years. At the end, they come out with shared values having made life-long friendships.

Can a system not be devised where all contingents operate under some degree of standardisation? That American and the British will sanction peacekeeping operation but participate only under the rubric of NATO is clearly a function of an unequal global system. What should be India’s response to this disparity? Participate in peacekeeping operation as poor cousins?

I have just returned from Eritrea where Indian peacekeepers are
on duty. With great efficiency they have set up their own tents and mess. The mess is the pride of Asmara. But Indian construction units are working day and night to build the fancy Kobe tents without which the French refuse to descend on Asmara. True, the Norwegians left behind a fancy camp in southern Lebanon, complete with a sauna and other luxuries, which the Indians now occupy. But this is only a gift, a largesse, not comforts bestowed by the UN system.

Brahimi will remember the excellent curry and rice at the Indian camp in Haiti, which the Americans shared. But for the Americans there was an air-conditioned lining room boasting of menu which included Alaska King crab, lobster tail, salmon — a culinary carnival. Disparities in standards of living will be resented and shall one day erupt.

Earlier Columns