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Sunday, August 15, 2010

Indians decieving Kashmiris with UN logos:


New Delhi, Aug. 13: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) made a mistake by deploying personnel of its Rapid Action Force in Kashmir with UN gear and has corrected the “error” after an objection from the world body.
Citizens in Srinagar were surprised when two of the RAF personnel marched on the streets wearing blue helmets that had the letters “UN” painted on them.
The objection from the UN headquarters in New York was officially made after a complaint by the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).
The UNMOGIP has an office in New Delhi and its personnel make infrequent visits to the Line of Control in Kashmir but India does not give it any support because it views the group’s presence as third-party intervention in a bilateral dispute.
A CRPF source said the RAF company was earlier deployed on a UN mission to Liberia, Africa. The gear had the UN logo. This should have been corrected after the men were de-inducted from the UN mission but there was an “error”.
The error has resulted in international embarrassment. The official said that the two helmets had since been removed.
Three companies (about 300 personnel) of the RAF have been deployed to the Valley after stone-pelting and violence in Srinagar. The chief of public affairs of the UN Department of Peace Keeping Operations, Nick Brinback, told news agencies in New York that the world body had got complaints about “apparent use of UN-marked blue helmets by Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel in Srinagar”.
The UNMOGIP had also asked the Indian Army about the use of the UN logo.
“We understand that directions have since been issued by the Indian authorities to prevent its recurrence. UN-marked items can only be used by personnel serving in United Nations operations during their service under the blue flag and cannot be used for other purposes, including by national armies in the conduct of their operations,” the UN peacekeeping operations spokesperson said.
In Delhi, the CRPF official said: “We realise the helmets should not have been used. We have explained to the UN and the explanation has been accepted.”
Coutresy: The Daily Telegraph
 

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