It is a major contributor to UN peacekeeping and currently, has the fifth-largest peacekeeping contingent globally, with 2,559 military personnel deployed across eight missions.
Over one thousand Indonesian military personnel from the Garuda Contingent Task Force XXV MONUSCO have been training at the Peacekeeping Mission Center (PMPP) in Sentul, Bogor, West Java, since April this year for their assignment in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Congo has a wealth of natural resources, such as coltan, gold, diamonds, and cobalt. Competition to control and exploit these resources is one of the main triggers of conflict in the country.
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Training at PMPP Sentul
All scenarios for the training of the troops have been designed to be as close as possible to the real conditions in Congo and created as per UN standards.
The scenarios involve conflict mediation, hostage negotiation, medical evacuation, and humanitarian assistance, mirroring the complex situations peacekeepers encounter on the ground.
In Land Komanda, for example, the troops simulated a negotiation scenario with local residents. Through the simulation, they were trained to improve their ability to resolve conflicts peacefully and reach agreements with other parties.
They were also trained to be more patient and careful and to control their emotions when residents began to ask for barter in the form of food or made other demands.
In one scenario, the troops faced demonstrators, who pelted them with objects and forced their way into the headquarters. The scene was designed to build their preparedness to handle mass rioting.
The trainers conducted evaluations immediately after the troops underwent a scenario. They provided continuous support and encouragement to motivate the troops to better understand the training material.
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PMPP TNI and the United Nations Information Center (UNIC) Jakarta held their first-ever "Journalist Boot Camp: Experiencing Indonesia's Peacekeeping Mission" on May 14 and 15, 2025, in Sentul.
At least 10 journalists from leading media outlets across Indonesia were selected to participate in the two-day immersive program.
The program was designed to deepen public understanding about Indonesia's contribution to UN peacekeeping operations, particularly in complex missions like those conducted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Under the program, journalists from ANTARA, CNN Indonesia, Kompas TV, Kompas.com, Radar Sukabumi (Jawa Pos), Suara.com, TribunNews, TVRI, Al Jazeera, and Kyodo News were embedded in a realistic peacekeeping scenario.
Through the boot camp, journalists participated in simulations and experienced them first-hand.
As a result, they are expected to produce coverage that increases the visibility of Indonesia's contributions to global peace while applying conflict-sensitive journalism principles and upholding ethical standards.
"Media is our essential partner in telling the story of peace. By this pre-deployment training, we are trying to develop scenario-based training to provide soldiers with a clearer understanding of the tasks in the mission area later," he added.
Director of UNIC Jakarta Miklos Gaspar informed that the initiative aims to bridge the gap between the public and peacekeepers by providing journalists first-hand experience of how peacekeeping operations are conducted.
The event is expected to promote accurate, ethical, and informed reporting on Indonesia's vital contributions to global peace and security, he added.
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Blue UN Beret
A total of 1,117 TNI personnel officially secured peacekeeper status after receiving the UN blue beret at the closing ceremony of the pre-deployment training (PDT) at PMPP Sentul on Tuesday. It marked the readiness of the troops for joining a world peacekeeping mission under the UN flag.
Commander of the PMPP Major General Taufik Budi Santoso asked TNI troops to always pray and believe that their task is part of worship to maintain world peace.
Meanwhile, Captain of Cavalry Bekti Aji Suyekti one of the trainers, said receiving the beret was the proudest moment for the prospective peacekeepers waiting to leave for the mission area.
"Officially, the peacekeepers wear blue berets with the UN badge logo, indicating that they are well-trained or have graduated from participating in the pre-deployment training activities carried out for a month at the TNI PMPP," he added.
With the end of the pre-deployment training activities, he said he hopes that the peacekeepers will be able to apply their training in the mission area well.
"Of course, the most important thing is to apply the Rules of Engagement and POC, which are the main mandates of a peacekeeper. The success of a mission is marked by the success in carrying out tasks and returning home safely and completely," he said.
"Hopefully, the Indonesian peacekeepers will continue to fly the Red and White (flag of Indonesia) on the world stage," he added.
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Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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