Three TNI Soldiers Killed, SBY Urges UN to Halt Deployment to UNIFIL
Former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has urged the United Nations to halt the deployment of peacekeeping forces to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
He made this statement in response to the deaths of three TNI soldiers and injuries to several others during UNIFIL operations over the past week.
“The UN in New York should immediately take firm decisions and steps to halt the UNIFIL deployment or relocate their positions away from the current active battlefield,” SBY said on his X account on Sunday (5/4).
SBY stated that UN peacekeeping units, such as the current Indonesian Contingent Garuda XXIII deployed in Lebanon, are tasked with maintaining peace (peacekeeping).
“Not peacemaking. Peacekeepers are not heavily armed and are not given a mandate to carry out combat tasks,” he said.
He noted that this is governed by Chapter VI of the UN Charter, not Chapter VII, which has a mission ‘to enforce the peace’, meaning carrying out more robust tasks for peacemaking.
“They are stationed along the blue line or in the blue zone, which is not a combat area or war zone,” he added.
SBY emphasised that the Indonesian contingent is essentially tasked with duties along the blue line separating Israeli and Lebanese territory.
However, in reality, what was initially around the blue line has now become a war zone where battles between Israel and Hezbollah rage daily.
“It is even reported that Israeli forces have advanced 7 km from the Blue Line. This situation is certainly very dangerous for peacekeepers, as they could become casualties at any moment from the ongoing fighting,” he said.
SBY urged the UN Security Council to convene immediately and issue a firm and clear resolution.
He also supported the government’s steps in pressing the UN to conduct a serious, honest, and fair investigation.
“Indonesia has the right to that. The UN (particularly UNIFIL) with full responsibility must be able to explain why a series of consecutive incidents resulting in the deaths and injuries of Indonesian peacekeepers have occurred,” he said.
SBY acknowledged that a thorough investigation amid ongoing combat is not easy, but it can still be carried out in the hope that the results are reasonable.
The three TNI soldiers who died while serving in UNIFIL perished in different attacks in Lebanon: Private First Class Farizal Rhomadhon, Captain Inf Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, and Sergeant Major Muhammad Nur.
In its statement, UNIFIL said Private First Class Farizal Rhomadhon was killed by a projectile explosion near an Indonesian post in the village of Adchit Al Qusayr on Sunday (29/3).
Meanwhile, Captain Inf Zulmi Aditya Iskandar and Sergeant Major Muhammad Nur Ichwan were killed by an explosion from an unknown source on Monday (30/3).
In addition to the fatalities, several TNI personnel sustained injuries.