Panchkhal, Jan 16;An international level training co-ordinated by United Nations Peace Keeping Operations Department conducted by the Royal Nepalese Army with assistance from US army pacific command for peace keeping began here today.
Army peacekeeping personnel from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and United States are participating in the “South Asia Peacekeeping Multi-platoon Training Event” to be held until January 31st. However India and Pakistan withdrew from the training citing various reasons, it is said. Army personnel from Australia, Canada, China, Fiji, India, Kajakhastan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga and United States and ten others representing the United Nations are participating in the training as observers.
The training which aims at enhancing the preparedness of the peace-keepers, increase international networking among peacekeeping forces of various countries is believed to be of great help in peacekeeping in accordance with the international covenants and treaties.
Inaugurating the training, Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence Krishna Prasad Bhattarai said economic prosperity is impossible without peace and stability.
He also mentioned that world is suffering because of the political chaos, ethnic strife and religious and communal disputes and the ever increasing gap between the rich and the poor is also to blame for the threat to world peace.
“As a member of the United Nations, Nepal has been doing its best according to the UN Charter, in various areas and is especially active in peace keeping, he said, adding that Nepalese take pride in the Royal Nepalese Army being involved in peacekeeping under the umbrella of United Nations and hope to continue into the future.”
He also said that the award of Nobel Peace prize to the peacekeeping force of United Nations is a fitting evaluation of the work of the peacekeeping force.
The Assistant general secretary of the United Nation’s Peacekeeping Department Young Jin Choi (please check the spelling with the RSS despatch) praising the contribution of Nepal in international Peacekeeping said only peace can bring about prosperity.
“There is still great need for unified efforts to control the strife and violence in various parts of the world and this training is a part of that effort, he said.
Delivering the welcome address, Nepalese Army Chief Prajjwal Shamsher JBR stressed the need for capacity building in the area of international peace- keeping to combat the conflict between nations and the internal civil strife.
With this first ever training for South Asian countries being organised in Nepal, he suggested that the training centre at Panchkhal be declared as the centre for such training.
Citing that His Majesty the King during the Coronation had proposed that Nepal be declared as Peace zone, Rana said the proposal had invigorated peace process in the world.
Present during the ceremony were Ministers, Commander of American Pacific Command Commander-in-Chief Admiral Dennis C. Blair, Army chief of Bangladesh Major General Hassan Masood Chaudhary, Sri Lankan Deputy Chief of Staff Major General K J C Perriera and diplomats.
It is to be noted that from the year 1958 about thirty-five thousand officers and soldiers of Nepalese army have served in the peace-keeping force out of which thirty-five have lost their lives.
Wreaths were laid by the UN Assistant General Secretary and Army chiefs in honour of the memory of the martyrs. The Royal Nepalese Army held aerial shows and performed para jumps on the occasion.