Category: Peace

Peace

UN appoints Indian as mission commander for S. Sudan

The United Nations Secretary-General has appointed General Mohan Subramanian of India as the new force commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan.

António Guterres announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Mohan Tuesday.

He succeeds Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar of India to whom the Secretary-General said he is grateful for his tireless dedication, invaluable service and effective leadership as UNMISS Force Commander.

The new commander, Mohan has a distinguished military career with the Indian Army spanning over 36 years.

According to the UN, Mohan served as the General Officer Commanding, Military Region, Operational and Logistic Readiness Zone in central India, contributing to the Army’s operational and logistic preparedness.

Previously, he served as the Additional Director General for Procurement and Equipment Management at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence from 2019 to 2021, General Officer Commanding a Strike Infantry Division from 2018 to 2019.

Mohan also served as the Deputy General Officer Commanding of Infantry Division from 2015 to 2016 and Commander of a Mountain Brigade from 2013 to 2014.

He also held positions of India’s Defence Attaché to Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia from 2008 to 2012 and Staff Officer with the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone in 2000.

Lieutenant General Mohan holds two Masters of Philosophy degrees in defense and management studies as well as Social Sciences.

As of 2019, India was the second highest troop contributing country to UNMISS with 2,337 Indian peacekeepers, second to Rwanda with 2,750.

Reports indicate that India is the fourth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to the UN peacekeeping missions, and currently contributes thousands of military and police personnel to the UN peace operations in Abyei, other parts of South Sudan, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, the Middle East, and the Western Sahara.

In March this year, the United Nations Security Council extended and strengthened its peacekeeping mission in South Sudan for another year.

The UNMISS mandate was renewed after 13 of the 15 Security Council members voted in its favor with China and Russia abstaining.

‘Recommit to Papal kiss as we reschedule visit’, Abp Welby

The Archbishop of Canterbury has reminded South Sudan leaders to recommit to the 2019 spiritual retreat in Rome, Italy before they could reschedule visit to Juba.

The 2019-retreat saw Pope Francis hierarchically kiss the feet of President Kiir, First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, Taban Deng Gai, and Rebecca Nyandeng at his own house in Santa Marta, Italy.

During the ritual, the Pontiff appealed to the political leaders to respect any peace agreement they signed saying, God entrusted them the responsibility of guiding his people.

For his part, Opposition Leader Dr. Riek Machar, the first vice president-designate, said the act by the pope was a gift from God and had given them the push to implement the September 2018 peace accord.

Meanwhile, a religious leader warned that the kissing of the leaders’ feet by Pope Francis symbolized that leaders should not be above the people they serve.

On Saturday, Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic, Justin Welby of Canterbury and Iain Greenshields who is Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, paid their solidarity with the people of South Sudan.

In separate video messages, the global religious leaders call on the peace leaders to lead a path of forgiveness and reconciliation.

In his remarks, Welby reminded the presidency of their commitment during the 2019 retreat in Sant Maria, Italy.

“This was promised during the spiritual retreat in 2019. I pray that through them, your leaders would listen to you, the people and to their conscience and to the government. So that when we visit your country, we will pray with them for the healing of the nation”, Welby stated.

“I pray for all of you in your daily choices, turn from the spirit of revenge, seek the spirit of reconciliation. God knows how hard that is. This hard thing is our greatest strength,” he added.

Apparently, the peace parties are grappling with implementing key provisions of the peace agreement.

So far, the leaders have not graduated the unified forces which is seen by many as vital to drive the peace agreement forward.

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