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View all search resultsHonor the fallen, complete the mission and never retreat
If Indonesia withdraws from Lebanon in reaction to the death of the three peacekeepers, we are essentially saying their sacrifice means nothing.
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President Prabowo Subianto (right) salutes the coffins of Indonesian soldiers killed while serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on April 4, at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten. (AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba)
T
hree coffins draped in the red-and-white flag arrived at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Saturday evening, carrying the bodies of Capt. Zulmi Aditya Iskandar. Sgt. Muhammad Nur Ichwan and Pvt. First Class Farizal Rhomadhon. The three young Indonesians were killed while serving as United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.
President Prabowo Subianto was there to receive them. The whole country grieved.
Grief is the right response. Anger too. But grief and anger must not drive foreign policy. Since the deaths, prominent voices have called on Jakarta to pull the Garuda Contingent out of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The feeling is completely understandable. However, withdrawing from Lebanon is not the answer. Indonesia must stay and complete the mission.
These three soldiers did not die doing something pointless. They volunteered to serve under the UN flag in one of the most dangerous places on earth. They knew the risks. They went anyway, because they believed that protecting peace is worth the cost.
If Indonesia withdraws in reaction to their deaths, we are essentially saying their sacrifice means nothing. We are saying that Indonesia's commitment to international peace only holds when it is easy and safe.
That is not the Indonesia these men signed up to represent. A country's reputation for reliability is built precisely in the moments when staying is painful. This is one of those moments.
Indonesia is currently the third-largest troop contributor to UNIFIL, with 755 peacekeepers on the ground. That is not a small number — it is real influence. UNIFIL's mandate ends on Dec. 31 of this year. Between now and then, the Lebanese Armed Forces are supposed to take over security responsibility in the south.
