MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO.: 108
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 9 MARCH 2012
Mr V M Manzini (DA-Mpumalanga) to ask the Minister of Defence and
Military Veterans:
What role does the SA National Defence Force play in strengthening our
peace keeping operations in other countries?
CW153E
REPLY
The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) is deployed on Peacekeeping
duties in a number of Peace Missions in several capacities. These
Include United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) Field Peace
Missions, Bilateral Peace Building missions and dedicated Standby
Forces to be deployed as part of the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) Standby Force, which is a component of the AU Standby
Force.
The SANDF is the primary contributor to South Africaâs Peacekeeping
and Peace building initiatives and presently has an average of more
than 2300 soldiers, specialists and experts on mission, deployed on
external peacekeeping activities since the termination of our
extensive involvement supporting the peace process in Burundi.
Our current deployment includes:
⢠Current SANDF deployment with the United Nations Organization
Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUSCO). The deployment of a peacekeeping contingent of 1242
SANDF members with the United Nations Organization Stabilization
Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). This
includes an Infantry Battalion, Engineering Company, Aviation
Unit with 3 Oryx medium transport helicopters, Specialist Staff
Officers and Military Observers. In addition, a small team of
specialists is assisting the DRC Government and Armed Forces
with Security Sector Reform (SSR) activities as part of a
bilateral assistance agreement. Specific mandated tasks have
included verification, security patrols, contributing to
security for humanitarian assistance, protection of civilians,
humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders under imminent
threat of physical violence, support to the Government of the
DRC in its stabilization and peace consolidation efforts.
⢠Current SANDF deployment with the African Union/United Nations
Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID). The deployment of a
peacekeeping contingent of 814 SANDF members with the African
Union/United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID). This
includes an Infantry Battalion, Specialist Staff Officers and
Military Observers. Specific mandated tasks have included the
protection of civilians under imminent threat of violence,
contributing to security for humanitarian assistance, monitoring
and verifying implementation of agreements, assisting an
inclusive political process, contributing to the promotion of
human rights and the rule of law.
⢠Current SANDF bilateral military assistance deployment to the
Central African Republic. The deployment of a peace building
contingent of 43 military specialists assisting the government
of the Central African Republic (CAR) with professional
development of their armed forces as part of post conflict
reconstruction and development support to Rule of Law
development in the CAR through the presentation of more than 20
professional development training courses as authorized through
a bilateral assistance agreement between the RSA and CAR.
Our peacekeeping successes include the following:
The White Paper on Peace Missions describes Peace Missions as
including âparticipation in Preventative Diplomacy, Peacemaking,
Peacekeeping Operations, Peace Enforcement, Peace Building,
Humanitarian Assistance and Humanitarian Interventionâ. From this
the SANDF derived one of its three military strategic objectives,
namely to âPromote Peace, Security and Stability in the Region and the
Continentâ. At the operational level this objective has been divided
into participation in Peacekeeping Operations and General Military
Assistance Operations. When describing peacekeeping successes, it is
therefore necessary to look at the entire spectrum of peacekeeping and
peace building deployments.
There is a continuum of activities needed for successful resolution of
armed conflicts. As important as Peace Support Operations are, these
need to be followed by a post conflict reconstruction and development
phase which includes the dimensions of Security Sector Reform (SSR),
Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR), Transitional
Justice as well as Socio and Economic development. It is in the SSR
field as well as its related DDR activities that many post conflict
societies need assistance. Often this assistance is beyond the scope
or capacity of an existing peace mission and South Africa has been
involved in numerous efforts on the continent to assist with Military
training, reform and capacity building. This has included military
assistance operations to conflict affected countries where there is
not yet a full blown civil war requiring intervention or a UN Peace
Mission and related PSO. These peace building efforts are seen as
just as important in their effect as the high profile peacekeeping
deployments in UN or AU Peace Support Operations (PSOs). Our
Bilateral military assistance operations in the Central African
Republic (CAR) and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are classic
examples of these critically important peace building efforts.
While it is impossible to quantify the success of a peacekeeping
operation in anything other than the achievement of the Peacekeeping
Mission Mandate â and the level of achievement is itself subjective in
terms of lives saved, there have been many memorable achievements by
the SANDF forces deployed in peacekeeping and peace building roles.
The SANDF has been involved in more than 15 PSOâs in support of
International Mandates and numerous General Military Assistance
operations in support of peace building. This has required the
deployment of an average of about 2500 Military Personnel, including
reserve forces. Deployment areas for these operations have included
the DRC, Burundi, Sudan, Côte dâIvore, Liberia, Nepal, CAR, the
Comoros, and Mozambique.
Lesotho Intervention. The Peace Support Operations successes of the
SANDF began with the participation of our forces in the RSA led 3500
strong SADC mandated Peace Support Intervention Operation to re-
establish democratic governance in Lesotho during September 1998.
United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). The
specialist contingent of Military Staff Officers and Mission
Specialists in this mission, from start-up to closure, included a
number of key posts in which they positively influenced the
functioning of the mission in âforce multiplierâ posts â from Military
Observers, Observer Team Leaders, Sector Commanders, Department Heads,
Liaison Officer between the UN Mission and the State of Eritrea and
Senior Intelligence Advisor to the Force Commander. SANDF members
were directly involved in the separation of the Armed Forces of
Eritrea and Ethiopia, creation of a Temporary Security Zone that
prevented a renewal of the conflict, and investigation and de-
escalation of numerous ceasefire violation incidents that had the
potential to reignite the war that had already cost over 100Â 000
lives. The prevention of further armed conflict through a facilitated
peace process was the objective and mandate of the mission and this
was achieved â a major international success.
The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Liaison Mission in Ethiopia-
Eritrea (OLMEE). The 1998/1999 armed conflict between Ethiopia and
Eritrea saw excellent developments in co-operation between
international bodies and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The
success of the OAU initiative and intervention in the Ethiopia-Eritrea
conflict was laudable. A factor in this success was the speed with
which the OAU intervened and, subsequently, its close co-operation
with facilitators, the United Nations and the European Union, led to a
Peacekeeping mission that ended the war, enabled redeployment of armed
forces from each others territories, the creation of a demilitarized
buffer zone and final adjudication for the determination of the proper
border between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Several SANDF senior officers,
from Majors to the Senior Military Advisor post of Brigadier General,
played critically important roles in this small Political/Military
Observer Mission over a number of years.
SANDF Bilateral Military involvement in Peace building in the Central
African Republic (CAR). The tenuous peace process in the CAR was
supported by South Africa through the peace building bilateral
military assistance operation which had many notable successes.
Stabilisation assistance was provided by ensuring effective protection
of the President of the CAR to enable inclusive political dialogue to
continue which led to a multiparty inclusive power sharing government.
This SANDF assistance included specialist training of VIP protectors
to the President of CAR to ensure security. Rule of law successes
included on-going professional development through training and
facility refurbishment for the armed forces of CAR known as FACA.
Since 2007, 1306 members have been trained on 29 courses. This
includes many specialities such as Infantry, Intelligence, Artillery,
Medical, Special Forces, Logistics, Driving and Maintenance,
Leadership and Staff Officers. Other successes include refurbishment
of base infrastructure in Bouar and Bangui â leading to more
professional standards and capabilities. Other peace-building
successes of this mission include the effective support of the
democratic electoral process through delivery of ballot material and
support to the IEC in CAR during 2011.
SANDF peace building deployments to the Comoros. The SANDF has
deployed several operations of different size and scope to assist with
peace building activities in the Comoros, mainly in the stabilisation
and electoral support environment. The successes of these deployments
in stabilisation of the situation and assistance with the electoral
processes over several electoral processes is self evident through the
successful, free, fair and transparent democratic elections that were
held each time and internationally recognised. The largest deployment
of more than a Bn as lead nation was under the African Union Mission
for Support to Elections in the Comoros (AMISEC), which was over the
period 16 April 2006 to 9th June 2006. The mandate of the mission
included to ensure a secure environment favourable to the holding of
free, fair and transparent presidential elections in the Union of
Comoros. 432 Military personnel were deployed together with 2 x Oryx
Helicopters, 1 x DC3 fixed wing aircraft. The AMISEC forces (90%
SANDF) were publicly congratulated by the Chairperson of the African
Union Commission, Alpha Oumar Konare, for the quality and
effectiveness of the security arrangements put in place to safeguard
the elections which were monitored by an International Observer
Mission which concluded the Presidential Election to be free and fair
after earlier grave concerns by the International Community of the
Comorian Military becoming involved in and influencing the election
process.
SANDF participation in the United Nations Mission to Liberia (UNMIL).
The successes of this operation were focused on the deployment of
critical Military Staff Officers in 2004, notably in the legal
environment. The high standard and quality of the SANDF contribution
was noted in the form of commendations from the Military and political
leadership of the mission.
SANDF involvement in supporting the peace process in Côte dâIvoire.
The Ivorian peace process which has led to the successful emergence of
a democratically elected government and President, was delayed for
many years, despite the presence of a fully-fledged, multidimensional
United Nations Peacekeeping Mission (ONUCI). There were a number of
sticking points between the Rebel Forces and National Government,
principal among these were the rebels confidence in the Disarmament,
Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) process, whereby former rebel
armed forces would demobilise. Former president Mbeki was appointed
by the African Union as the Mediator for this process. To support
this mediation, which produced many breakthroughs, strengthening the
peace process, a SANDF contingent of 45 members, including 23
specially trained DDR experts, were deployed to provide a confidence
building measure. While the peace process ultimately took several
more years to come to a successful conclusion, the building blocks for
peace and reconciliation were laid during this time, including for an
inclusive joint government, extension of services to rebel controlled
territory and demobilisation of both Government controlled militia and
rebel armed forces, occurred in this period. The SANDF, with a small
specialised team in support of our political mediation efforts on
behalf of the AU, can be proud of what ultimately proved to be a
highly successful peace process in a country ravaged by war and armed
conflict for many years.
SANDF participation in the United Nations Organization Mission in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). The concerted international
efforts to broker peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),
with a number of neighbouring countries involved, were successful with
the signing of the Lusaka Peace Agreement. This paved a way for the
establishment of the United Nations Organisation Mission in the DRC
(MONUC). In turn, the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping
Operations requested South Africa to deploy senior military staff
officers, a military specialist contingent (Cargo Handling teams,
Airfield Crash and Rescue Teams, Fire Fighting Teams, Aero Medical
Evacuation Teams), to deploy as a matter of urgency along with a small
advance team. This was the first military formed element of the SANDF
to deploy in support of an International Peace Mission. In January
2001, after the assassination of President Laurent Kabila, which
placed a renewed pressure on the United Nations, South Africa was
requested to urgently deploy the specialist element, now referred to
as the South African National Defence Force Specialist Contingent
(SANDFSPECC). South Africa continued to play a critical role on both
the military peacekeeping level and the political level â facilitating
the Sun City Agreement, which was an agreement that was signed between
some of the warring parties in the Second Congo War, on 19 April 2002
at Sun City, as a result of the Inter-Congolese dialogue (ICD).
Delegates hoped that this would be a historic "final act," ending more
than four years of war and setting up a government of national unity.
While the SANDF specialist contingent continued playing a leading role
in facilitating mission support for MONUC throughout the DRC, the
SANDF Infantry Battalion had a decisive and high successful role as
the MONUC Force Reserve in the Eastern Division, constantly
redeploying in extremely difficult and dangerous situations, to deal
with armed spoilers to the peace process that were engaged in human
rights atrocities and crimes against humanity. The numerous
successful military engagements of the SANDF contingent against armed
groups, assisted in no small measure to consolidate and strengthen the
peace process and saved innumerable lives of civilian populations
under imminent threat â one of the primary mission mandate tasks.
SANDF participation in the United Nations Organization Stabilization
Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). With the
transition of the MONUC mission to MONUSCO and a resultant change in
mission focus from 01 July 2010, the SANDF continued to play a leading
role in supporting the peace process in the DRC with 25 Staff
Officers, 3 Military Observers, a specialist contingent of 142, an
infantry Battalion of 850, an Engineering company of 178 and an
Aviation unit of 56 with 3 Oryx medium transport helicopters. The
SANDF forces have been highly successful in supporting the UN Security
Council Mandate and related tasks, which have a focus on the effective
protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights
defenders under imminent threat of physical violence, as well as the
protection of United Nations personnel, facilities, installations and
equipment. The Mission is also supporting the DRC Government efforts
to fight impunity and ensure the protection of civilians from
violations of international human rights and humanitarian law,
including all forms of sexual and gender-based violence. Furthermore,
the SANDF successes are also measured in the area of stabilization and
peace consolidation in the DRC, where MONUSCO is assisting the
Government, along with international and bilateral partners, in
strengthening its military capacity, including military justice and
military police; support the reform of the police; develop and
implement a multi-year joint United Nations justice support programme
in order to develop the criminal justice chain, the police, the
judiciary and prisons in conflict-affected areas and a strategic
programmatic support at the central level in Kinshasa; support the
Congolese Government in consolidating State authority in the territory
freed from armed groups.
SANDF operations for delivery of ballot materials to the DRC. The
separate SANDF bilateral military involvement as UN contractor in 3
operations under MONUC and one under MONUSCO, involving hundreds of
flights for the delivery, safeguarding and distribution of millions of
ballot papers for elections in the DRC, played a critical and highly
successful role in that countryâs transition to democracy, leading to
a democratically elected, Local and National Government and President.
SANDF Involvement in the African Union Mission to Sudan (Darfur) known
as AMIS. The complex political, security and humanitarian disaster
situation in Darfur was identified by the UN in 2003 already as a
humanitarian disaster and remains the worlds worst humanitarian
disaster. The African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) was an African
Union (AU) peacekeeping force operating primarily in the country's
western region of Darfur with the aim of performing peacekeeping
operations related to the Darfur conflict. Originally founded in 2004,
with a force of 150 troops, by mid-2005, its numbers were increased to
about 7,000. The highly successful SANDF involvement started with a
large group of Military Observers and Staff Officers and was followed
by the deployment of a Battalion of troops and an Engineering Company.
Operating in very austere, difficult and dangerous conditions, the
SANDF forces focused on supporting and monitoring the Humanitarian
Cease Fire, with tasks such as protection of civilians, escort and
support of humanitarian aid workers and supporting the peace process
leading to the drafting of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). AMIS was
the only external military force in Sudan's Darfur region until UNAMID
was established. It was not able to effectively contain the violence
in Darfur. A more sizable, better equipped UN peacekeeping force was
originally proposed for September 2006, but due to Sudanese government
opposition, it was not implemented at that time. AMIS' mandate was
extended repeatedly throughout 2006, while the situation in Darfur
continued to escalate, until AMIS was finally replaced by UNAMID on
December 31, 2007.
SANDF involvement in the African Union â United Nations Hybrid
Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). This joint African Union and United
Nations peacekeeping mission was formally approved by United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1769 on July 31, 2007, to bring stability
to the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan while peace talks on a final
settlement continue. Its initial 12-month mandate has been extended
repeatedly and despite the enlarged military force now numbering
26Â 000, due to the complex security situation and lack of certain
capabilities such as air transport. On request, South Africa has
committed a battalion of 805 Infantry and 24 Military Observers and
Staff Officers. Despite difficult and dangerous conditions, the SANDF
forces have performed admirably and the success of the peacekeeping
mission in Sector 6 where the SANDF forces are deployed, has been
based on the SANDF contribution.
SANDF involvement in the United Nations Mission to Nepal (UNMIN).
Following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed on 21 November 2006
between the Government of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal
(Maoist) at the end of the Nepalese Civil War, the United Nations
received a request for assistance, and established the political
mission called the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) on 23
January 2007, to monitor the disarmament of Maoist rebels and the
preparations for Constituent Assembly elections in 2007. The UN
subsequently requested assistance from South Africa which led to the
highly successful and effective deployment of Specialist Staff
officers and Military Observers. An additional success of this
mission was the fact that the contingent consisted primarily of female
SANDF Officers after a specific request for female officers from the
UN. The ultimate success for this involvement and of the UNMIN
mission can be evaluated against the successful transition of Nepal to
a democratically elected government, leading to the closure of the
UNMIN mission on 15 January 2011.
SANDF involvement in the peace process in Burundi. The SANDFâs role
in the Peace Process in Burundi has been one of the finest examples of
successful peacekeeping in modern times and is internationally
referred to as one of the few truly successful peace missions. This
consisted of Successful involvement through several different
missions/operations as follows :
South African Protection Support Detachment (SAPSD) in Burundi. This
was a bilateral Military Assistance operation in support of the
Burundi Peace Process known as the Arusha agreement. A Memorandum of
Understanding was signed between the South African and the Burundi
Governments on 26 October 2001. This Understanding laid a legal
framework within which South African troops were to be deployed. In
accordance with Section 201 of the Constitution, the South African
parliament was informed of the nature and extent of the deployment.
Three days later, the United Nations Security Council, acting in
accordance with Resolution 1375, endorsed the operation of the
deployment of South African troops in Burundi. This gave international
recognition and legitimacy to South Africa's efforts to ensure the
stability in that country. A unique and highly successful aspect of
SANDF successes with this operation was the deployment of an SANDF
Battalion of 700 members commencing on 01 November 2001, to facilitate
and secure the peace process by protecting rebel political leaders to
enable them to come to the Bujumbura, the Burundi capital, and engage
in the peace process - leading to rapid advancement of the peace
process. This was even before a ceasefire had been signed. Under
difficult and sometimes dangerous situations, dealing with armed
spoilers to the peace process in combat operations, the SANDF had a
direct and critical role in enabling the peace process to develop
while successfully protecting the assembly of former armed combatants,
in preparation of a Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration
(DDR) process. This success led to conditions under which the African
Union (AU) was prepared to issue an international mandate for the
establishment of a complex, multidimensional peace mission with South
Africa as the lead nation and expanded to include two other troop
contributing countries under the African Union Mission in Burundi
(AMIB).
African Union Mission in Burundi (AMIB). The success of SANDF forces
deployed as lead nation under AMIB revolve primarily around the
achievement of the mission mandate â an ambitious and critical set of
objectives supporting the peace process. Security was an integral
aspect in which the SANDF played a lead role with i.a. stabilisation,
confidence building, escort, protection and peace building activities.
The successful achievement of these peacekeeping mandated tasks with
the SANDF as lead nation, led to a situation where the United Nations
deemed the peace process to be stable enough to mandate and authorise
a complex and multidimensional UN field peacekeeping mission in
Burundi called the United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB).
Clearly this would not have been possible and the peace process would
have faltered and possibly stalled irrevocably in its present form had
it not been for the confidence building measures and associated
mandated tasks that the SANDF performed so successfully under
difficult and trying conditions and without international funding
assistance.
United Nations Operation in Burundi (French acronym ONUB). The United
Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) was established by the United
Nations Security Council in May 2004, to ensure the continuation of
the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, signed on 28 August
2000. Furthermore, by the terms of Resolution 1545 which established
the mission, it was authorized to use "all necessary means" to ensure
the respect of ceasefire agreements, carry out disarmament and protect
civilians under imminent threat of physical violence. South Africa
remained as the lead nation in ONUB, providing a Bn, core staff for
the HQ and many specialist capabilities in the UN Security Council
mandated and funded multidimensional peacekeeping mission. The
successes of the SANDF contribution are again focused on the
successful execution of the mission mandate and associated tasks,
paving the way for democratic elections in a power sharing government.
The mission ended 1 January 2007 when many of its functions were
transferred to the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi
(BINUB).
SANDF contribution to the last phase of the peace process in Burundi.
Despite the UN determining that mission objectives had been met, a
critical failure of the international peace process that had not been
addressed was the role of Agathon Rwasa, a Burundian politician and
the leader of the National Liberation Forces (Forces pour la
Liberation Nationale, FNL). He was a Hutu militia leader during the
Burundi Civil War. In 2002, Agathon Rwasa seized control of most of
the FNL from Cossan Kabura. Agathon's FNL was linked to three of the
worst incidents of the civil war: The Titanic Express massacre in
December 2000; The massacre of 152 Banyamulenge Congolese refugees at
Gatumba in August 2004; The killing of Monsignor Michael Courtney, the
Catholic Church's chief representative in Burundi. Following the
Gatamba masscre, the Great Lakes Regional Peace Initiative declared
the FNL as a terrorist organisation. The Burundian government also
issued an arrest warrant for Rwasa. In September 2006 the FNL signed
a peace deal with the government. South Africa retained a contingent
of nearly 1000 troops in Burundi for over a year with an AU mandate
and under a bilateral agreement in order to assist the Burundian
Government with the final phase of the peace process. The success of
this deployment was based on the protection of FNL ex-combatants
awaiting a DDR program and providing confidence to the peace process
which led to Rwasa being appointed to a Ministerial position in a
power sharing government and appointments in Government service and
military to his faction based on proportional representation. The
success of the peace process, power sharing and democratic governance
in Burundi has been credited in no small way to South Africaâs and the
SANDFs role, from inception to closure, in the Burundi Peace Process.
In conclusion, generic peacekeeping roles of the SANDF included the
deployment of legal, technical and medical specialists and equipment,
staff officers and military observers that have acted as force
multipliers, aircraft, helicopters, infantry, engineering and other
specialist units. The SANDF have been engaged in peacekeeping and
peace building roles that have saved many lives, stabilized areas in
support of peace processes, facilitated extensive disarmament,
demobilization and reintegration (DDR) activities, executed
verification and observation tasks, protected civilians and
humanitarian aid workers under imminent threat, played active and
integral roles for the AU/UN and the host counties involved in
ensuring security, supporting elections, developing professional
standards and capacities of National Armed Forces and assisting with
Security Sector Reform (SSR) processes. All of these roles have
ultimately saved lives and supported encompassing democratic political
processes aimed at comprehensive and long lasting peace agreements
with democratic, inclusive and representative governance on the
African Continent and beyond.
South Africa role in peace keeping has received recognition for both
the United Nations and the African Union.
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