In a notable first, an Indian Army women’s officer, Major Jasmine Chattha, led over a platoon of over 1,000 Indian Peacekeepers at the ceremony where they were awarded UN medals.
For their vital work in South Sudan, exactly 1,171 Indian Peacekeepers have been honoured with the prestigious UN Medal on Thursday,” tweets the UN Mission in South Sudan.
However, what grabs more attention are the experiences of the female peacekeepers deployed in Upper Nile, who have also been honored. Of the total 1,171 troops awarded, five were female.
Taking to Twitter, the United Mission in South Sudan elaborated on the details of the award ceremony.
“Take a bow, India! Exactly 1,171 of your finest sons and daughters have received UN medals for their vital UNMISS work in Upper Nile, South Sudan. Major Jasmine Chattha and a couple of her female colleagues tell us more about their experiences.”
Breaking stereotypes, Indian women peacekeepers have bravely served in and around various conflict-torn countries in the past—on medical duties and as military observers. As part of the Indian Battalion in the United Nations Interim Security Force, the Indian Army recently deployed its largest contingent of women peacekeepers in the United Nations mission at Abyei, UNISFA.
In a press statement released earlier by UNMISS, Major Chattha was quoted as saying, “It has been an honour to represent my regiment on this special day. By positioning women as leaders, we are sending a strong message to the citizens of South Sudan in general and its women in particular. In our work, for example when we repair roads or try to mitigate floods, we are in contact with the local population, and they can see that we, women, are leading a team and we are both respected and listened to.”
The Indian contingent deployed with the UN Mission in South Sudan has been assisting in building and repairing critical infrastructure while also ensuring the protection of civilians as part of their mandate.
Captain Karishma Kathayat, an engineer, serving with the mission, said, “It is a great feeling to contribute to a better standard of living of the people we are here to serve. Our engineering work is something we take great pride in.”
Out of the many daunting tasks, the Indian Peacekeepers are also offering health services.
The Indian Medical Peacekeeping Staff deployed in the region since September last year has performed critical emergency surgeries that have saved the lives of many.
Major Amanpreet Kaur, who is also a doctor, shared her experience and said, “We have already learned a lot by providing healthcare to both UNMISS staff and our South Sudanese hosts who come for emergencies or special treatment they cannot find elsewhere. Seeing previous patients coming back in good health is a priceless experience.”
Notably, the Indian contingent is also well known for its frequent mobile veterinary clinics in various parts of Upper Nile State. Notably, thousands of cows, goats, donkeys, sheep, and other animals, including the occasional dog, have been given precious veterinary services rarely available to cattle owners in the country. Vets earlier treated 1,749 animals in Renk, the country’s capital, in just two days.
source/content: newsonair.com (headline edited)