Keeping the peace far from home

A CONTINGENT of nine Namibian Police officers left for Darfur in Sudan on Monday 21March to become part of the UN Peacekeeping Mission there. The contingent consists of one Constable, four Sergeants, three Warrant Officers and one inspector. Soon after Independence, Namibia became a Member State of the UN on the 23 April 1990 and is currently ranked at number eight in the list of UN top 10 police contributing countries.

The Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lt.-General, Sebastian Ndeitunga, was a very happy man when he addressed his cadres before they left for Sudan. “To date, we have 62 members altogether in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations; six for the UN mission in Sudan, 37 for the UN African Nations in Darfur, 13 for the UN Peace-keeping Mission in East-Timor, five for the UN Peace-keeping Mission in Liberia and one for the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations at the UN Headquarters in New York.

“Our commitment and support for the maintenance of peace in the afore-mentioned peacekeeping missions has benefited and rewarded us with recognition as a country, in the international arena. “This is not only attributed to the number of members the country was able to send, but our men and women in those missions have dedicated themselves and demonstrated their ability and professionalism, coupled with discipline of the highest degree,” the Inspector General said.

However, he warned that they are not only sent as peacekeepers, but should also serve as ambassadors of Namibia in the foreign country.

“You must also take note that the moment you depart from Namibia, or Windhoek in particular, till the date you return back home, I will be receiving updates on your work performance and conduct. “I must, therefore, emphasize that my office and our Government in general, will not tolerate anyone of you who happens to misbehave, to complete the duration of the mission, but we will recall you back home with immediate effect,” he warned.

click to enlarge READY TO GO: (Sitting from left) are Chief Inspector Tobias Elago, Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga, Commissioner Ben Shikongo and Chief Inspector Marius Katamila, pictured with the group of nine officers who left for Darfur, Sudan