Spare a thought for Ireland's peacekeepers away from home at Christmas
Sean O'Riordan feature on Defence Forces personnel overseas at Christmas/New Year. UNDOF
Those able to raise a glass or two during the festive season might spare a thought for the hundreds of Defence Forces personnel who have missed celebrations at home with their families as they're abroad on peacekeeping missions around the globe.
Ireland has a proud record of being the only country in the world to have a continuous presence on global peacekeeping missions since 1958, mainly with the United Nations.
It hasn't come without a cost, as 85 people have lost their lives.
The first peacekeeper to lose his life was Company Sergeant Felix Grant DSM (distinguished service medal), who died in the Congo on October 3, 1960. In total, 26 people died in operations in the Congo between then and 1963.
Nine men lost their lives while serving in Cyprus between 1965 and 1971.
Our biggest peacekeeping role has been in Lebanon, where our troops remain today. In total, 46 have lost their lives there. Four died in one day — February 14, 2000.
Commandant Conor King, general secretary of the Defence Forces' officers' representatives association RACO, said we have a proud and unbroken six decades of service in UN missions.
“Our personnel are the physical embodiment and projection of Ireland’s foreign policy in far-flung corners of the globe,” said Comdt King.
He said Defence Forces personnel love overseas service, despite the inherent risk and danger associated with it, and the strain it can place on family life.
However, he added that well-documented retention issues will have to be tackled, as defence minister Simon Coveney acknowledges, before we can seriously think about expanding our global military footprint.
“The Defence Forces have completed over 70,000 individual tours of [overseas] duty, but every one person deploying means one less person to do the work at home,” said Comdt King.
"We need to improve the ‘offer’ in order to retain people and seriously review the organisational structures at home to allow for an adequate overseas establishment, which accounts for the 600 personnel deployed away from their home station at any one time."
He said shortages of specialists and middle-ranking officers have seen increasing instances of ‘mandatory selection’ for his members, where they are selected to deploy despite not being a volunteer.
“This can have serious implications for morale, family life and ultimately retention,” said Comdt King.
This represents the Defence Forces largest overseas deployment. Currently, the 117th Irish/Polish Battalion is made up of personnel from both countries, plus troops from Hungary. The Irish contingent (IRCON) comprises both Irish and some Maltese personnel.
Our unit for 117 IRCON is the 28th Infantry Battalion based in Finner Camp, Co Donegal. Of the 351 personnel currently stationed, there are 26 women.
It is currently conducting an average of 28 operations daily, with almost 20% of mobile ops conducted in close co-ordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Lt Col O'Donovan said that half of operational activities are conducted in darkness and the unit provides a patrolling presence throughout its area of responsibility on a 24/7 basis.
Patrols include counter rocket-launch operations, foot patrols, vehicle checkpoints and patrols of the Blue Line — the UN line of demarcation between Lebanon and Israel.
"At all times the battalion operates two forward outposts along this Blue Line, which constantly monitor the area and report back to our headquarters," he said.
"These outposts provide constant feedback, which is vital to the credibility and success of the UN mission in Lebanon
"Our routine market walks, which have taken place in recent years on weekends, throughout the local towns and villages have been postponed during the pandemic to protect both our troops and the local population."
This has put on hold the engagement with the local population, which has been such a central part of Irish peacekeeping in south Lebanon for over 30 years.
"However, the Irish battalion still engages as much as possible with local representatives and leaders through use of text services and phone calls to ensure that, when we finally come through the pandemic, the close links Irish units have with the local population will have been strongly maintained," he said.
In addition, at force headquarters, Brig Gen Maureen O’Brien is deputy force commander.
On May 31, 1974, the UN adopted a Security Council Resolution to establish a UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). Its mandate is to watch over the Golan Heights and maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Syria.
On July 16, 2013, the Defence Forces were ordered to deploy with UNDOF. That role is currently carried out by 62nd Infantry Group. It contains 129 personnel, of which 11 are women.
Between them, personnel of the 62nd Infantry Group have a combined total of over 265 previous overseas tours, with Company Sergeant Paul O’Mara having completed the most tours with 16.
He's currently serving there alongside his son, Corporal David O’Mara.
The 62nd Infantry Group’s primary responsibility is to act as the Force Reserve Company (FRC), under the direct command of the UNDOF force commander.
The FRC's responsibility is to maintain a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) and also a Reserve Force within Camp Faouar at all times.
The QRF is a small, highly mobile and flexible force that can respond to any request within 15 minutes. They can range from evacuation of UN personnel for various emergency reasons to routine patrols.
In the last number of weeks, the 62nd Infantry Group has conducted over 75 patrols and contingency plan exercises in conjunction with unarmed military observers.
Two weeks prior to deployment last October, their personnel began a quarantine period in Kilworth Camp, Co Cork.
They were the first group to trial 'Covid watches', which measure distance from soldier to soldier and vibrate to inform personnel if they had been within 2m of another soldier for more than two minutes.
The watches provided information to a central computer that would instantly track and trace if there was a positive Covid case detected in the camp. This gave personnel a heightened sense of awareness of the dangers and risks associated with being in close contact with others.
Unfortunately, the group will be the first six-month mission with no leave due to the pandemic. As a result, the mental health and wellbeing of personnel has been a top priority.
A number of guest speakers have spoken to personnel via video link on topics such as gambling, addiction, and depression.
The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established by a UN Security Council resolution in April 2013 to support political peace processes in the war-torn country and carry out a number of security-related tasks to aid the population.
The current mandate is in place until June 30, 2021, with a focus on security reform, protection of civilians, constitutional reform, implementation of a peace agreement, and the participation of women across all elements of society.
Ireland first deployed to the mission in September 2019 and currently has 14 personnel with MINUSMA in Mali. These include members of the elite Army Ranger Wing (ARW).
There are two staff officers deployed at the force headquarters and 12 supporting operations across the wider mission area.
The Irish unit currently operating with the EU Training Mission Mali (EUTM), a multi-country operation, is 16 IRCON. It's based at two locations: Mission Force Headquarters in Bamako, the capital, and at a training camp at Koulikoro, 57km away.
Currently, 20 Irish troops provide military advice, education, and training to the Malian ministry of defence and Malian armed forces.
The impact of Covid-19 has been significant as the headquarters is in lockdown due to the number of positive cases. However, the operational need continues, with decentralised training activities ongoing.
The UN mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was established by a Security Council resolution in 1991 in accordance with settlement proposals by warring Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y de Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO).
A UN-approved plan provides for a transitional period for the preparation of a referendum in which the people of Western Sahara would choose between independence and integration with Morocco.
While to date, the organisation of the referendum hasn't been possible, other requirements of the mandate have been pursued successfully. Defence Forces officers monitor the ceasefire through air and ground patrols and assist in the reduction of the threat from mines etc.
Despite a recent resumption of hostilities, MINURSO remains present throughout the territory, monitoring the situation whilst communicating with all parties the need to take all necessary steps to defuse tensions and to remove all obstacles to the resumption of the political process.
Ireland's deployment with MINURSO commenced on September 20, 1991, and Defence Forces personnel continue to serve with the mission, with a contingent of two serving on a six-month tour.
UN military observers (UNMOs) are unarmed and are trained to observe and report violations of the agreements of ceasefire, disengagement, etc.
All military observers are seasoned officers in the rank of captain or major. In total, 27 nations contribute to UNTSO with a total of 153 military personnel.
UNTSO currently provides military observers to two UN missions in the area: Observer Group Lebanon (OGL), which supports UNIFIL in south Lebanon; and Observer Group Golan (OGG), supporting UNDOF in the Golan.
OGG maintains its headquarters co-located with UNDOF HQ and is split into two outstations: Observer Group Golan – Damascus (OGG-D) and Observer Group Golan – Tiberias (OGG-T), based in those respective areas. In total, 11 Irish are posted in many roles across UNTSO in the region.
The Defence Forces has been serving with Kosovo Force (KFOR) since August 1999 and currently has 13 personnel at Camp Film City in Pristina.
As members of KFOR’s headquarters staff, they're instrumental in the planning and execution of all support activities performed by KFOR, with the aim of providing a safe and secure environment with freedom of movement for all communities in the region.
Col Bowen said KFOR has faced a number of challenges in 2020, primarily due to Covid-19.
The Irish contingent have people serving with the headquarter support group on air operations, logistics and it's PR branch.
Five members of the Irish contingent hold key appointments within this unit, including commander, site manager and fund manager.
The UN Organization Stabilisation Mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, was established under a Security Council Resolution in May 2010.
It took over from an earlier UN peacekeeping operation that was deployed in 1999 after civil war in the DRC and fighting between the army of the president, Mobutu Sese Seko, and rebel forces led by Laurent Kabila, aided by the intervention of other neighbouring states.
The UN's initial mandate was to plan for the observation of the ceasefire and disengagement of forces and maintain liaison with all parties to the ceasefire agreement.
The new mission (MONUSCO) reflected the new environment in the DRC, which included the country’s first free and fair elections in 2006.
MONUSCO was authorised to use all necessary means to carry out its mandate to protect civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights organisations under imminent threat of physical violence and to support the government of the DRC in its stabilisation and peace consolidation efforts.
This was extended to include an ‘intervention brigade’ tasked with carrying out offensive operations to neutralise and disarm armed groups in certain parts of the country.
Ireland has contributed troops to various peacekeeping missions in the DRC since 1958. We first began deploying personnel to MONUC in June 2001 and have contributed to MONUSCO since its inception.
There are three Irish personnel currently attached to MONUSCO employed in various roles in the force headquarters in Goma.
The EU operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina was launched in December 2004.
It monitors the region and maintains close liaison with local security forces. At local level, EUFOR is present through small teams of soldiers living in communities across the country.
The EUFOR Multinational Battalion (MNBN), based in Camp Butmir, is deployable by land and air, and is equipped and trained to respond to different kinds of situations if required.
Bosnia and Herzegovina still have large stockpiles of weapons, ammunition and mines left over from the war (1992-1995), many of which become more dangerous over time.
EUFOR provides essential expertise, support, monitoring and mentoring to complete the safe disposal and storage of ammunition, weapons and explosives.
The Defence Forces currently has five personnel involved in Operation ALTHEA and has contributed to the mission since 2005.
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