Change of mind? UNDOF chief praises Filipinos' courage

MANILA, Philippines — In what seems to be a reversal in opinion, Lt. Gen. Iqbal Singh Singha credited the Filipino peacekeepers who defied his direct orders for their courage after he earlier called their escape an "act of cowardice."

Singha, commander of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Golan Heights, briefed the United Nations Security Council on challenges facing peacekeepers on the ground. In an incident in August, 45 Fijian  peacekeepers were detained by armed members of the Syrian opposition, while 72 peacekeepers from the Philippines were surrounded in two positions by the al-Qaeda linked radicals.

"The Filipino and Fijian peacekeepers bravely faced the situation, and exhibited raw courage, resilience and patience," Singha said.

The rebels, he said, expressed plans of detaining additional peacekeepers and snatch their weapons. "They also clearly spelled out the the UN was not required in the area," Singha said.

"Despite of all such challenges, it is to the credit of the senior management and peacekeepers from all the troop-contributing countries that in all incidents of detentions since last year, all peacekeepers have been released safely without any harm," he added.

Singha was accused by the Philippine military of ordering Filipino troops to surrender their firearms to the rebels, a move that could have put their lives in graver danger. The UNDOF chief, however, criticized the group's defiance as "non-professional" and put more risks to the lives of the Fijian peacekeepers who were held hostage.

He also testified on the ongoing fighting in Syria, where “an upward spiraling of violence” has seen troops come under fire, been abducted, hijacked, had weapons snatched and offices vandalized.

Countries that have sent troops, such as Austria, moreover, have pulled out their forces as the conflagration in neighboring Syria has continued to rage.

“The process of adapting and carrying out the mandate differently during these trying times was not in a graduated manner, but all concerns were addressed simultaneously, to achieve significant cohesion in moving ahead and continuing to retain our relevance,” Singha explained.

“We adjusted to the situation very quickly and continue to evolve in the face of dynamically changing threats.”

All Filipino soldiers deployed in Golan Heights were sent home earlier than expected a few weeks after the incident. The trapped peacekeepers who made what has been called the "greatest escape" came home to a heroes' welcome and honored with military merit medals.

Singha, meanwhile, noted that as UNDOF was required to reduce its footprint, it continued to monitor the ceasefire between Israel and Syria for which the mission was mandated.

“UNDOF still skilfully maintains its mandate in a modified manner and has ensured that two traditional adversaries are kept away from a conventional war,” Singha added.

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