By IANS
New Delhi : The United Nations (UN) awarded medals to 500 Indian peacekeepers for their exemplary work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The medals were conferred at a parade ceremony organized for the first time June 28 by North Kivu Indian Brigade of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) in Goma.
In all, 513 UN peacekeepers and military observers received the UN Medals, said a statement released here Wednesday.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, William Swing, MONUC Director of Administration Hazel Scott and North Kivu governor Julian Paluku attended the award ceremony. Swing and North Kivu Brigade Commander Pramod Behl reviewed the parade.
After the ceremony, Behl informed the media that it was the first combined medal parade in Indian peacekeeping history.
"It was the first time that such an honour was bestowed to the troopers by the MONUC, established by the UN Security Council to facilitate the implementation of the Lusaka Accord 1999.
"India sent the first of its troops under the UN umbrella in the early 1950s, and so far it had contributed almost 100,000 troops to some 23 UN missions across the globe," he said.
Swing praised the leadership of the North Kivu brigade in bringing peace to the province.
He lauded the crucial role being played by the Indian aviation contingents, both in North and South Kivu and also appreciated the services of the Indian Level-III hospital and the military observers associated with the Brigade.