Indonesia has surpassed its peacekeeping contribution goal, but not per se the number of peacekeepers deployed. This is because, based on data from the UN’s Department of Peacekeeping in July, Indonesia deployed 2,790 peacekeeping personnel, lower than the deployment last November when the country stationed 3,545 personnel across UN missions. The real goal of the Vision is to place Indonesia in the top 10 countries contributing personnel to the UN, and this has been achieved since February 2016.

Pursuing a set number of peacekeepers deployed is elusive because the demand fluctuates over time. The number of deployed UN personnel heavily depends on the condition of mission areas. New or heavily armed-conflict missions, such as UN missions in Central Africa, the Congo and Mali usually require more personnel than missions that are relatively more stable and are beginning to phase out. With the wrapping up of UN missions in Cote d’Ivoire and Haiti (2017), as well as the one in Haiti (2018), the demand for personnel has reduced. Hence, Indonesia should not fixate merely on quantity.

Of course, there are benefits for Indonesia to deploy peacekeeping personnel. First, it provides the country international recognition for working together toward world peace. Second, Indonesia’s troops and police forces would gain the experience of international deployment and working in a multinational environment, making them more professional and up-to-date with global dynamics.

Third, countries contributing peacekeepers to the UN missions gain opportunities for building close relationships with people and governments in deployment areas, which could secure political cooperation or, in the case of China’s way of sending peacekeepers, economic and investment access.

However, upon returning from a workshop in New York organized by the UN Department of Peace and Political Affairs, I learned there is an opportunity for Indonesia to play a role beyond putting boots on the ground. That is to show the international world how the country uses the internet and information communication technology for peace. The workshop on how new technology can be used to advance the UN peace mandate showed the international organization’s desire to explore the use of technology for the success of peace operations.

The UN is aware of the rising use of mobile phones, satellite observation and internet access in remote areas has changed conflict dimensions, which could challenged the creation and maintenance of peace. Although this awareness has even been raised in the 2017 report titled “Improving security of UN peacekeepers”, the UN still needs to examine the best way to equip peacekeepers with adequate technology that can protect their lives and ensure mission effectiveness. According to the report, since 1948 over 3,500 peacekeepers have lost their lives while serving on a UN mission, with a quarter of those deaths resulting from violence.

Encouraging the UN to use technology to support peacekeeping forces is important for Indonesia. This is because, aside from being a high-profile contributing country, Indonesia is also a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the term 2019-2020. One of Indonesia’s visions in its UNSC membership is to improve personnel safety and security by improving peacekeeping forces’ equipment and capability.

The 2017 report does not demand that peacekeepers be equipped with high-class sophisticated technology such as stealth aircraft or large drones. But it is urgent to increase peacekeepers’ capacity through basic technology and training on how to use suitable technology to help carry out the UN peacekeeping mandate, including civil protection, while ensuring the security of the UN forces themselves.

Deployed peacekeepers have complained that conflicting parties, especially local armed militias, are often more aware of the terrain and locations of UN peacekeeping forces than vice versa. The UN troops have limitations in assessing field situation quickly due to inadequate technical equipment, so they are relatively vulnerable to attacks. As the peace forces do not have a mandate to use weapons except for self-protection, not all personnel deployed are armed, however the UN should ensure that peacekeepers are well supported with adequate technology and training to enable them to protect themselves and save others.

In 2013, Hervé Ladsous, then-UN under-secretary-general for peacekeeping noted that peacekeeping had finally “entered the 21st century” when the UN force inaugurated its first surveillance drones. Notwithstanding, relatively basic capabilities such as these drones, satellite positioning system, and night vision have not been evenly distributed in all UN missions. This is because of limited funds, as well as concerns that the modernization of UN forces can be perceived as combat operations. The concern arises from equipment-contributing countries’ refusal to paint their platforms white due to financial constraints, and only attaching the UN logo on top.

As a country committed to the creation and maintenance of world peace, Indonesia can contribute more actively in several ways. First, within its nonpermanent membership period in the UNSC, the country can consistently encourage the protection of peacekeepers through the provision of appropriate technology and capacity training for personnel.

Second, Indonesia can share best practices in the use of technology for peace and stability. The presence of cekfakta.com, a fact checking and verification project launched by 22 media companies to counter hoaxes, and kawalpemilu.org, a volunteer-based website to help verification of election votes tallies, are insightful for postconflict countries where UN missions are deployed that grapple with the issue of misinformation and disinformation brought by the new technology.

It is time for Indonesia to contribute more than just peacekeeper deployment, but also through innovative ways in applying technology to support sustainable peace-building. The sooner the missions are able to run their own stable government, the faster the UN can affirm that its support for peace has been successful, and all the more better if Indonesia can influence such accomplishment.

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Researcher at the International Relations Department of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta.

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