By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 30 --
Two day after
the
nationalities
and details of
the
peacekeepers
detained and
restricted in
the Golan
Heights were first
published here,
but while the
UN still refused
to say who was
detaining and
restricting
them, the UN
Security
Council at
5:21 pm on
August 30 put
out this Press
Statement
which narrowed
it down:
"The
members of the
Security
Council
strongly
condemned
continued
attacks today
on United
Nations
Disengagement
Observer Force
(UNDOF)
positions in
the Golan
Heights.
They
reiterated
their strong
condemnation
of the ongoing
detention of
44 Fijian
peacekeepers
from position
27, as well as
the
surrounding of
position 68,
where Security
Council-designated
terrorist
groups
and non-state
armed actors
continue to
trap 40
Filipino
peacekeepers.
The members
demanded the
immediate and
unconditional
release of
these
peacekeepers,
as well as
their safe
passage.
"The members
of the
Security
Council
welcomed news
that 32
Filipino
peacekeepers
from position
69 were
extricated to
safety.
They insisted
that UNDOF’s
mandate,
impartiality,
operations,
safety, and
security must
be
respected.
They called
upon all
parties to
cooperate with
UNDOF in good
faith to
enable it to
operate freely
and to ensure
full security
of its
personnel.
They also
called upon
countries with
influence to
strongly
convey to
those
responsible in
the UNDOF area
of operation
to immediately
release the
peacekeepers.
The members of
the Security
Council
reaffirmed
their
unconditional
support for
UNDOF."
The UN
Security
Council cites
"SC-designated
terrorist
groups" soon
after their
resolution on
ISIL and Al
Nusra; the Al
Qaida
sanctions
committee
maintains a
list.
On August 15
the Security
Council added
to its
terrorist
designations
individuals in
the Al-Nusra
Front and the
Islamic State
of Iraq and
the
Levant.
Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi,
leader of ISIL
or the Islamic
State
has been
listed since
October, 2011.
And
"non-state
armed actors"?
A previous
grabbing of
Golan
peacekeepers,
not followed
up by UN
Peacekeeping's
Ladsous,
involved the
Al-Yarmouk
Brigades. Now
it's time to
name names,
something that
UN
Peacekeeping
under Herve
Ladsous has
for too long
refused to do.
Kidnapped for
their own good
has also been
a line UN
Peacekeeping
has used. Now
some are under
fire - but the
UN won't say
by whom.
On August 29
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.
, 
