Create hybrid forces in conflict areas – Police Commander
A former Police Commander of the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has called for the creation of more African Union/United Nations hybrid forces in conflict areas in Africa, to help resolve them.
Mr James Oppong-Boanuh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), and Director General of the Ghana Police Service, in-charge of General Services, said across the continent of Africa, areas experiencing conflicts, similar to that of Darfur, where he served as the UNAMID Commander, would experience rapid peace and stability under an African Union/United Nations hybrid force.
DCOP Oppong-Boanuh made the call on Thursday in Accra at a lecture organized by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), in collaboration with Training for Peace, an NGO.
He spoke on the topic: “Policing in Complex Peacekeeping Environments: Experiences of a Ghanaian Police Commissioner in Darfur,” with participants drawn from Members of the Diplomatic Corps, academia, members of the security services, staff of the United Nations Agencies, the Nigerian Police Service and senior media practitioners.
The former Commander said UNAMID had the protection of civilians as its core mandate, but was also tasked with contributing to security for humanitarian assistance, monitoring and verifying implementation of agreements, assisting an inclusive political process, contributing to the promotion of human rights and the rule of law.
He said the Darfur conflict erupted in early 2003, because the people felt marginalized by the Central Government of Sudan in terms of the distribution of the national cake.
He added that, it was counteracted by a government backed militia group known as the Janjaweed; who were on horsebacks killing members of the Darfur movement, which compounded the situation.
Mr Oppong-Boanuh noted that all the Darfur rebel movements, such as the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement were a splinter group, which made negotiations with them difficult.
He said the Darfur Peace Agreement signed in May 2006 failed because most of the rebel movements were not party to it, which had led to some humanitarian and security problems.
He observed that women, who were being raped in Darfur, found it very difficult to report to the police, because according to the law there, they had to produce three witnesses to prove their case or they would rather be charged of committing adultery.
The former Commander said factors hindering the Darfur peace process, include mistrust between government and rebel movements, fragmentation of rebel groups, and the lack of punitive action against people who commit crimes.
He said the Mission was focused on providing robust police protection to Darfuris and helping to improve the capabilities of Darfur’s local police.
DCOP Oppong-Boanuh said challenges that UNAMID personnel were facing include attacks from unknown persons, which sometimes led to their deaths, the sandy nature of Darfur, making mobility of vehicles very difficult.
He urged his fellow Police Officers to be ever ready, since duty could call on them to serve in peacekeeping missions.
Source: GNA