TODAY'S KALAM CAMBODIA PEACE KEEPING

Peace Keeping in Cambodia

UN Advance Mission in Cambodia (UNAMIC - Oct 91 to Mar 92) United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) Feb 92 to Sep 93 UN Military Liaison Team in Cambodia (UNMLT - Sep 93 to May 94) After more than a decade of negotiations, resulting in Paris Agreement on 23 Oct 91, United Nations Advance Mission in Cambodia (UNAMIC) became operational on 09 November 1991, with the aim to: • Help the parties in conflict to address and resolve any violation of the cease-fire. • Maintain contact with SNC (Supreme National Council Cambodia) on preparation for the deployment of UNTAC effort in Cambodia. • Prepare the grounds for safe and orderly repatriation of Cambodian refugees and displaced persons. • India provided six military observers to UNAMIC. UNTAC began its initial deployment on 15 March 92, reaching the maximum strength of 15,991 military and 3,359 civilian police personnel. The mandate given to UNTAC included aspects relating to human rights, organisation and conduct of free and fair elections, military arrangements, civil administration including law and order, repatriation and resettlement of the Cambodian refugees during the transitional period. The Indian Army, after a gap of 25 years (after Gaza-UNEF I-1967), sent an Infantry Battalion Group (1 ASSAM). Apart from this, a field ambulance, a mine-training team, staff officers and 17 military observers also participated in UNTAC. Area of Responsibility of Battalion Group and Field Ambulance. The AOR of the battalion group included politically sensitive provinces of Kampong Cham, Svey Reng and Prey Veng. Field Ambulance at Battambang had infantry battalions from Malaysia, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Netherlands dependent on it. Tasks of the Infantry battalion • Disarming of armed factions. • Providing a secure environment for registration of voters. • Electoral security. • Protection of UN civilian members and property. Infantry Battalions, Which Served in UNTAC. • 1 ASSAM - Commanding Officer, Colonel A K Tiwari. • 4 JAK RIF - Commanding Officer, Colonel A N Bahuguna. Following the end of UNTAC,s mandate, United Nations military liaison team (UNMLT) was deployed in Cambodia on 15 Nov 1993 consisting of 20 unarmed military observers to maintain close liaison with the government and report to the Secretary General on matters affecting security. India provided three military observers to perform this delicate task.