The wind-fueled fire has forced thousands to evacuate
Peacekeepers typically consist of personnel deployed by international organizations to help maintain peace in areas where there is conflict. Unlike private military contractors, peacekeepers’ missions are focused on protecting civilians, supporting democratic processes, promoting human rights, and facilitating aid. They are viewed as impartial entities that operate with the consent of the countries which host them. Yet, more and more peacekeepers are facing targeted attacks and violence, while controversies regarding some of their activities loom in the background.
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In October 2024, United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon were wounded in a series of targeted attacks by the Israeli Defense Forces, when an Israeli tank fired at the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters in Naqoura, Lebanon.
Over 30 similar incidents were recorded in October 2024 alone in an area that has experienced an escalation of violence between Israeli and Hezbollah forces.
The Israeli government has accused UN forces of providing cover for Hezbollah in the area and has ordered UNIFIL to evacuate from southern Lebanon. The peacekeeping forces have refused Israeli orders and reiterated their commitment to continuing their mission.
Many more peacekeepers have been wounded since the initial incident. More than 10,000 peacekeepers from over 50 countries have been in southern Lebanon since 1978, monitoring the so-called "Blue Line," referring to the border between Lebanon and Israel.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, argues that abandonment of the area may result in the occupation of the land by either party’s forces and, therefore, fears that the UN may be accused of impartiality if orders without mandate, which can only be provided by the UN Security Council, are followed.
The UN peacekeepers are understood as a force that acts on behalf of the international community. It is founded on the following three principles: (i) consent of the relevant states, (ii) impartiality, (iii) and use of force only in the defense of the mandate and self-defense.
UN peacekeepers are not considered part of a conflict, rather they are there to prevent escalation or any progression of violence. Therefore, under international law, UN peacekeepers are provided the same protection as civilians.
What does the application of international law for UN peacekeepers and civilians mean? They cannot be considered legal targets. Therefore, any direct attacks are considered a violation of international law.
In addition to their activities in southern Lebanon, as of August 2024, there are 11 active peacekeeping operations. The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) was established in 1974, and is located on the Israeli-Syrian border, following the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights.
There are over 1,300 personnel stationed in the Golan, overwhelmingly from Nepal. In the same area, there is the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, which has been stationed in Jerusalem since the formation of the Israeli state, in 1948. Over 360 personnel, primarily from Northern Europe, are stationed there.
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus consists of over 1,000 personnel, primarily from Argentina, who supervise the ceasefire between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities.
The United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan consists of just over 100 personnel. Stationed in Islamabad and Srinagar, the peacekeepers are stationed to prevent escalation between India and Pakistan.
The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo was established in 1999 to facilitate the autonomy of the people of Kosovo following their independence from Serbia.
The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara was created in 1991. First occupied by the Spanish, the region of Western Sahara was subsequently under joint administration by Morocco and Mauritania.
The territories occupied by Mauritania then were annexed by Morocco, and the struggle for independence is ongoing in the region. The International Court of Justice rejects Morocco’s claims over the territory and has described the situation as an occupation.
The United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan was established in 2011, when South Sudan became an independent republic. While the initial mandate was to help establish conditions for peace, ongoing conflict has redirected its efforts toward human rights monitoring and assistance.
The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, primarily consisting of Ethiopian troops, was put in force in 2011. Considered contested territory between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan, the primary objective of peacekeepers is to demilitarize and monitor the area.
The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic was established in 2014, to provide protection to civilians at risk. The mission consists of nearly 19,000 personnel.
The overwhelming majority of peacekeeping personnel in the Central African Republic come from Rwanda, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. The Nepalese are the single highest contributors to peacekeeping forces around the world. Followed closely by Bangladesh, Rwanda, and India. Countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, and Sweden are among the lowest.
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo was created in 2010 and consists of approximately 14,000 personnel. Failures of the mission to protect civilians on a number of occasions have resulted in many protests and accusations by the public.
The tension that emerged between the public and UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo is not unique in any sense. The agencies, both former and current, have been the subject of controversies and critique.
Following the conclusion of UN peacekeeping efforts in Haiti, AP News, among other outlets, published investigative reports of sexual exploitation and abuse, primarily targeting poor Haitian women.
Reports show that women were offered food or protection in exchange for the abuse. A child sex-trafficking ring was also tied to peacekeepers.
These shocking allegations complement a series of other investigative reports in Somalia, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The responsibility to prosecute peacekeepers is held by their nation of origin but is rarely exercised.
In 2015, the UN began publishing the nationalities of peacekeepers that had conducted this behavior, the majority of which came from European Union states. The report called on their governments’ attention, requesting the prosecution of abusers.
Reports from the Central African Republic show that children as young as seven faced abuse by French personnel in exchange for a bottle of water and cookies. Extensive reports of cases involving children emerged.
Children were fathered by peacekeepers, leaving many victims in vulnerable situations. These children were left to deal with stigmatization by their communities and socio-economic disadvantages as well as psychological scars.
Despite the reiteration of the organization’s zero-tolerance approach to sexual assault, child abuse, and prostitution, misconduct and abuse continue. In addition to Haiti and the Central African Republic, evidence of similar abuses has arisen regarding former missions in Burundi and Liberia.
Sexual abuse isn’t the only controversy staining the missions’ reputations. Also in Haiti, a huge cholera epidemic that caused the death of over 10,000 Haitians was due to the improper disposal of waste by peacekeepers in a major river that supplied water to villages.
Haitians also experienced a great deal of violence and intimidation at the hands of peacekeepers. The closure of the UN mission was largely driven by the peacekeepers’ culture of violence in the area. A survey conducted in Haiti found that nearly 20% of respondents had received death threats from peacekeepers in their area.
The UN has played an important role in maintaining peace in many areas. While no organization is free from the misconduct of its staff, the controversies surrounding peacekeeping missions have left many populations feeling suspicious or fearful of their presence.
Sources: (Al-Monitor) (Al Jazeera) (OpinioJuris) (RULAC) (United Nations) (Human Rights Watch) (AP News) (The Pardee Atlas Journal of Global Affairs) (American Foreign Service) (The New Humanitarian) (IPI) (International Crisis Group) (Politico) (BBC)
See also: There are 10 ongoing global conflicts in 2024, a record number since WWII
Serving on the front lines of global peace
The controversies and risks of peacekeeping
LIFESTYLE United nations
Peacekeepers are typically personnel deployed by international organizations to help maintain peace in areas where there is conflict. Unlike private military contractors, peacekeepers’ missions are focused on protecting civilians, supporting democratic processes, promoting human rights, and facilitating aid. They are viewed as impartial entities that operate with the consent of the countries that host them. Yet, more and more peacekeepers are facing targeted attacks and violence, while controversies regarding some of their activities loom in the background.
Curious to know more? Click through the gallery.