UN peacekeepers cross the line of warfare in the Congo

The idea that peacekeepers should not initiate military action has prevailed ... until now. Jeni Whalan says the new "intervention brigade" in the Congo has stretched the institution of peacekeeping to breaking point.

For the blue-helmeted United Nations peacekeepers deployed in some of the world's worst conflict zones, it's a line that is constantly, violently tested - by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in the early 1990s; by rebels who this month killed five peacekeepers in South Sudan. Yet the greatest challenge may have come from the United Nations itself.

Last month, the United Nations Security Council established an "intervention brigade" to take offensive military action against rebel groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

It's a decision that takes UN peacekeeping into uncharted waters. Peacekeeping is the UN's policy instrument of choice for responding to violent conflict around the world. It entails diverse tasks, from monitoring buffer zones to holding elections to demobilising militia forces. But never has UN peacekeeping involved combat operations to defeat an armed group through military force.

The Congo's new peacekeepers are charged with precisely that: with "neutralising" militia in the country's east. The move follows an earlier decision in which the Security Council dropped its historic reluctance to give peacekeepers intelligence-gathering capacity, authorising their use of surveillance drones to monitor conflict activity. Despite assurances that the DRC is an exceptional case, these are precedents that demand careful scrutiny.

Just for fun here's a quick look at what you're tax money is financing in the Congo:

MONUSCO Facts and Figures

Current authorization until 31 March 2014
Security Council resolution 2098 (2013) of 28 March 2013

Strength

Initial authorization

22,016 total uniformed personnel
- 19,815 military personnel
- 760 military observers
- 391 police
- 1,050 personnel of formed police units
Appropriate civilian, judiciary and correction component

Additional authorization

On 28 March 2013, the Security Council decided by resolution 2098 that MONUSCO shall, for an initial period of one year and within the authorized troop ceiling of 19,815, include an “Intervention Brigade” consisting inter alia of three infantry battalions, one artillery and one Special force and Reconnaissance company.

Current strength (28 February 2013)

19,160 total uniformed personnel
- 17,273 military personnel
- 507 military observers
- 1,380 police (including formed units)
985 international civilian personnel*
2,902 local civilian staff*
591 United Nations Volunteers

*Note: Statistics for international and local civilians are as of 31 December 2012

Country contributors

Military personnel

Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Yemen and Zambia.

Police personnel

Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Guinea, India, Jordan, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine and Yemen.

Fatalities

31 troops
3 police
3 military observer
11 international civilian
7 local civilian
_____

55 total

Financial aspects

Method of financing: Assessment in respect of a Special Account
Approved budget (1 July 2012 - 30 June 2013): $1,402,278,300 [A/C.5/66/17]

Additional costs associated with the deployment of the ‘intervention brigade’ were estimated at
approximately $140 million over a full year.

The premise that the UN has never been used as a military force is a lie - see Korean War for further details

She's talking about the UN Peacekeepers, which is its own department started in 1958. Having done a lot of reading on them lately it looks like their primary function is to provide jobs for third world soldiers from places like Bangladesh (8,826), Pakistan (8,251) and Ethiopia (6,514). Oh, and they must have a whole section that does nothing but make up acronyms.

This is kind of an interesting page.

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