By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 29 --
The day after
the
nationalities
and details of
the
peacekeepers
detained and
restricted in
the Golan
Heights were first
published here,
the UN put
this out at
6:46 pm on
Friday, August
29:
The
United Nations
has received
assurances
from credible
sources that
the 44
peacekeepers
from the
United Nations
Disengagement
Observer Force
(UNDOF) who
were taken
from their
position on
the morning of
Thursday, 28
August, are
safe and in
good
health.
UNDOF has not
yet had direct
contact with
these
peacekeepers.
UNDOF has been
informed that
the intention
behind those
holding the
peacekeepers
was to remove
them from an
active
battlefield to
a safe area
for their own
protection.
UNDOF has been
in regular
contact with
the
peacekeepers
who are
confined in
two UNDOF
positions (68
and 69) and
can confirm
they have not
been harmed
and are in
good health.
Kidnapped for
their own good
was a line UN
Peacekeeping
has used
before.
Meanwhile the
US said Vice
President
Biden
"spoke
with President
Aquino of the
Philippines
today to
express U.S.
support for
the Filipino
peacekeepers
currently
surrounded by
armed
non-state
groups in the
Golan
Heights.
The two
leaders
discussed
their shared
interest in
strengthening
UN
peacekeeping
operations.
The Vice
President
praised the
commitment of
the
Philippines
over many
years to UN
peacekeeping
missions,
including in
Liberia, where
the support of
the
international
community
remains
critical to
addressing the
Ebola
outbreak.
The two
leaders also
reaffirmed
their
commitment to
a strong
bilateral
alliance."
If they really
want to
"strengthen UN
peacekeeping
operations,"
they should
take a look at
the top, and
what was done
(or wasn't)
after previous
attacks on
peacekeepers
in the Golan
-- and refusal
to answer
questions
about human
rights abuses
by UN
Peacekeeping's
partners.
On
August 28 after
the UN belated
announced that
“forty-three
peacekeepers
from the
United Nations
Disengagement
Observer Force
(UNDOF) were
detained early
this morning
an armed group
in the
vicinity of Al
Qunaytirah..
in addition,
another
eighty-one
UNDOF
peacekeepers
are currently
being
restricted to
their
positions in
the vicinity
of Ar
Ruwayhinah and
Burayqah,”
Inner City
Press began
looking into
it.
And
hour an half
later, Inner
City Press
understands
that Syria's
Permanent
Representative
Bashar
Ja'afari met
with UN
Peacekeeping.
Chief Herve
Ladsous,
who previously
did little to
nothing when
Filipino
peacekeepers
were taken
hostage, was
not present.
So Ja'fari met
with Edmond
Mulet, whom
Inner City
Press then
witnessed
going into the
Security
Council at
11:30 am.
Inner
City Press was
informed on
the record by
Syrian
Ambassador
Ja'afari that
the 43
peacekeepers
detained are
from Fiji, and
that those
“restricted”
are from the
Philippines.
This comes
after Filipino
leadership
already said
it plans to
pull its
troops out
both the Golan
Heights and
Liberia. Now
what?
The UN
has confirmed
"Fiji and
Philippines,"
but only
anonymously,
initially to scribes.
This is
Ladsous' UN
Peacekeeping.
, 
