TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

20 countries join peacekeeping training

Drilling home the message of peace: Mongolian peacekeeping forces march onto a field in Cipatat, Bandung, West Java, during a joint exercise with more than 550 additional soldiers from 20 countries, including the US and Australia

Yuli Tri Suwarni (The Jakarta Post)
Bandung
Wed, June 17, 2009

Share This Article

Change Size

20 countries join peacekeeping training

Drilling home the message of peace: Mongolian peacekeeping forces march onto a field in Cipatat, Bandung, West Java, during a joint exercise with more than 550 additional soldiers from 20 countries, including the US and Australia. The two-week training exercise is fully sponsored by the US government. JP/Yuli Tri Suwarni

More than 500 soldiers from 20 countries, including the US, Australia, Germany and Italy, are taking part in a US-sponsored two-week peacekeeping training – Garuda Shield-09 – in the Army Infantry Training Center in Cipatat, to prepare troops to support UN peacekeeping missions.

The joint training, which was officially opened by chief commander of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Gen. Djoko Santoso, involved Army soldiers armed with rifles and will run until June 29.

Also attending the opening ceremony was Maj. Gen. Vern T. Miyagi, assistant to the commander of US Pacific Asia Command (USPACOM). Djoko said in his address to the opening ceremony that it was an honor and pleasure for Indonesia to win the confidence of  participating countries to host the joint training, as well as to win international support for the country’s participation in working toward world peace.

Indonesia’s efforts are in accordance with its contribution to world peace through the UN peacekeeping mission.

He stressed that joining the UN peacekeeping operation was a must for all countries due to changing strategic relationships as a result of  border disputes and energy, economic and climate change crises.

“We have to create cooperative strategies to tackle these crises by creating a standard practice in peacekeeping operations,” he said.

Miyagi thanked Indonesia for its readiness to host the training and selected the country because it has long since taken part in UN peacekeeping operations in many countries, including Congo, Lebanon and Cambodia.  

He said the US government has been involved in the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) since the G8 Summit held in 2004.

“Indonesia, along with Cambodia, Mongolia, and 31 other Asia Pacific countries, are able to give proper training on peacekeeping operations due to their experiences in such operation,” he said.

The Garuda Shield-09 joint military training is divided in two activities: Post Exercise (CPX) and Field Training Exercise (FTX). The exercises are aimed to support peacekeeping and peace support operations by Asia Pacific countries where UN troops are stationed.

Mongolia hosted the first joint military training, code name Khan Quest 07 in 2007.  Bangladesh hosted the second training, code named Santi Dhoot-2, in 2008.

The training exercises include technical and tactical military procedures such as checkpoint operations, patrolling and search and disarmament. The soldiers are also trained in humanitarian assistance.

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.