China blocks India's move in UN seeking action against Pakistan on Lakhvi

UNITED NATIONS, June 23: China has blocked India's move in the UN demanding action against Pakistan over release of Mumbai attack mastermind and LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi in violation of a resolution of the world body as it contended that India provided insufficient information.

As the UN sanctions committee met here at India's request, a clarification was to be sought from Pakistan over Lakhvi's release in the 26/11 trial but the Chinese representatives blocked the move on grounds that India did not provide sufficient information, official sources said.

In a letter to the current chair of the UN sanctions committee Jim McLay, India's permanent representative to the UN Asoke Mukherjee last month had said Lakhvi's release by a Pakistani court was in violation of the 1267 UN resolution dealing with designated entities and individuals.

The sanctions measures apply to designated individuals and entities associated with terror groups including al-Qaeda and LeT, wherever located.

The sanctions' committee has five permanent and 10 non-permanent UN member states in it.

The release of Lakhvi had also raised concerns in the US, UK, Russia, France and Germany with Washington calling for him to be re-arrested.

Lakhvi and six others — Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum — have been charged with planning and executing the Mumbai attack in November, 2008 that left 166 people dead.

Lakhvi, 55, a close relative of LeT founder and Jamaat—Ud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, was arrested in December 2008 and was indicted along with the six others on November 25, 2009 in connection with the 26/11 attack case. The trial has been underway since 2009.

A Pakistani court had on April 9 set free Lakhvi, a development which India said "eroded" the value of assurances repeatedly conveyed to it by Pakistan on cross—border terrorism.

Virtual Memorial Wall launched at UN to honour Indian Peacekeepers

By Deepak Arora

UNITED NATIONS, May 29: In a unique initiative a Virtual Memorial Wall honouring Indian peacekeepers who laid down their lives during UN Peacekeeping Operations was launched at United Nations on the commemoration of International Day of UN Peacekeepers on Friday.

To commemorate the the day, the Permanent Mission of India to UN hosted a somber function for all the recipients of the 125 Dag Hammarskjold Medals awarded this year by the United Nations.

Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji, Permanent Representative of India to United Nations, welcomed the awardees and read out a message of India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

The wall of honor included details of 161 Indian peacekeepers who made the supreme sacrifice in 16 UN Peacekeeping Missions so far. The Virtual Wall, will be hosted on the website of the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations (www.pminewyork.org)

This Indian initiative is a precursor to the eventual construction of a UN Peacekeepers Memorial Wall on the premises of the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

India had proposed the construction of the UN Peacekeepers Memorial Wall as an appropriate way to commemorate all the troops from member states of the United Nations who had given their lives while on duty under the Blue Flag of the United Nations.

While paying solemn tribute to those who have laid down their lives for the cause of peace, Mrs Sushma Swaraj said India is justifiably proud of its own long and rich tradition of contribution to the UN peacekeeping operations towards the preservation of international peace and security.

She also recalled the cardinal principles of peacekeeping which sustain it as a mechanism to maintain international peace and security, viz. consent of the parties, impartiality and non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate. "These principles continue to be as relevant as ever today and central to the respect and regard that the Blue Helmets have earned for themselves," said India's Minister.

The proposal for the establishment of the Memorial Wall at the United Nations Peacekeepers Memorial at Headquarters has been recommended by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations in its report A/69/19 (Para 19). The recommendation is under consideration in the Special Political and Decolonization Committee as a part of draft proposals in the Fourth Committee document A/C.4/69/L.19.

Since attaining independence in 1947, India has steadfastly responded to calls from the United Nations Security Council to contribute troops as UN peacekeepers for maintaining international peace and security. India’s consistent and substantive response over the past seven decades of UN peacekeeping operations has resulted in more than 180,000 Indian troops having participated in 44 of the 69 UN peacekeeping operations mandated by the UN Security Council so far. India is proud of being the single largest contributor to UN peacekeeping.

The high degree of professionalism and courage displayed by Indian UN peacekeepers have extracted their costs in terms of human lives. 161 Indian UN peacekeepers have made the supreme sacrifice while on active duty with the United Nations.

In order to keep their memory alive, and to highlight the significant contribution these dedicated professional troops have made to the objectives and purposes of the United Nations Charter, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations has been actively engaged in enhancing the commemoration of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers on 29 May every year.

Two years ago, on 29 May 2013, to mark the 10th anniversary of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations had organized a photo exhibition showcasing the historical origins of India’s UN peacekeeping participation and scenes from the various areas of operation where Indian peacekeepers have been deployed over the past 60 years.

In 2014, at India’s initiative, the UN General Assembly agreed for the first time in its Resolution No. A/67/287 to request the Secretary General of the United Nations to place a wreath at the UN Peacekeepers Memorial, located on the UN Headquarters premises, on 29 May every year.

That same day, for the first time, an inclusive commemorative reception was hosted by India at the United Nations Headquarters in memory of all the 106 UN peacekeepers from different member states of the United Nations, who had laid down their lives in service of the United Nations during 2013.

On 2 October 2014, Mrs Sushma Swaraj became the first foreign minister from any member state of the United Nations to place a wreath at the UN Peacekeepers Memorial in New York.

Friday’s function to honour the memory of Indian peacekeepers was also attended by Mr. Atul Khare, Under Secretary General for Field Support along with Mr. Herve Ladsous, Under Secretary General for Department of Peace Keeping Operations, who both paid glowing tributes to the sacrifices made by Indian peacekeepers in UN peace keeping operations.