"Therefore, the six officers were recruited from members of the Indonesian contingent joining the UN peacekeeping force."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The National Defense Forces (TNI) is to send six of its officers to join the UN team to monitor the implementation of a full cessation of armed violence in Syria.
The Indonesian government had accepted UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon`s impromptu request to send any of its officers to join the team, TNI spokesman Col Minulyo Suprapto said here on Friday.
"Because of limited time, the recruitment of officers through the normal procedure is impossible. Therefore, the six officers were recruited from members of the Indonesian contingent joining the UN peacekeeping force. They will temporarily be assigned to Syria," he said.
The six officers are now joining the United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), he said.
They are Maj (Adm) Aulawi Imam (UNAMID), Capt Dharma Yoga Gede (UNMIL), Maj Muhammad Anom Kartika (MONUSCO), Maj Ratih Pusparni (UNIFIL), Capt Nani Kusminati (UNIFIL) and Maj Hery Darmawan (UNIFIL), he said.
Minulyo said the participation of the Indonesian military officers in the UN monitoring team demonstrated the world community`s trust in and recognition of Indonesian peacekeepers` capability in carrying out global peace mission under the aegis of UN.
The violence in Syria, which began in March 2011 has claimed over 9,000 lives, mostly civilians, and displaced tens of thousands of people.
The UN has estimated that over 9,000 people have so far been killed in the conflict, while Damascus says 6,044 have died, including 2,566 soldiers and policemen.
(Uu.S012/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
