By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 30 --
Two day after
the
nationalities
and details of
the
peacekeepers
detained and
restricted in
the Golan
Heights were first
published here,
the UN put
this out at 12:35
pm on August
30:
The
UN
Disengagement
Observer Force
(UNDOF)
reports that,
early this
morning, UN
Position 69
was fired upon
by armed
elements. The
Mission’s
Force Reaction
Group has been
deployed to
the position
and all 32
Filipino
personnel from
this position
have been
extricated and
are now safe.
UNDOF reports
that armed
elements also
attacked UN
Position 68
with mortar
and heavy
machine gun
fire. The UN
peacekeepers
returned fire
and prevented
the attackers
from entering
the position.
Position 68 is
currently
under fire,
preventing the
personnel from
moving out.
UNDOF has also
withdrawn
personnel from
Observation
Post 52 as a
precautionary
measure after
firing in
their
vicinity. We
are still
working
towards the
safe release
of the
detained 44
Fijian
peacekeepers
from Position
27. There are
no reported
casualties
amongst UN
personnel.
Kidnapped for
their own good
was a line UN
Peacekeeping
previously
used. Now some
are under fire
- but the UN
won't say by
whom.
On August 29
the US said
Vice President
Biden
"spoke
with President
Aquino of the
Philippines
today to
express U.S.
support for
the Filipino
peacekeepers
currently
surrounded by
armed
non-state
groups in the
Golan
Heights.
The two
leaders
discussed
their shared
interest in
strengthening
UN
peacekeeping
operations.
The Vice
President
praised the
commitment of
the
Philippines
over many
years to UN
peacekeeping
missions,
including in
Liberia, where
the support of
the
international
community
remains
critical to
addressing the
Ebola
outbreak.
The two
leaders also
reaffirmed
their
commitment to
a strong
bilateral
alliance."
If they really
want to
"strengthen UN
peacekeeping
operations,"
they should
take a look at
the top, and
what was done
(or wasn't)
after previous
attacks on
peacekeepers
in the Golan
-- and refusal
to answer
questions
about human
rights abuses
by UN
Peacekeeping's
partners.
On
August 28 after
the UN belated
announced that
“forty-three
peacekeepers
from the
United Nations
Disengagement
Observer Force
(UNDOF) were
detained early
this morning
an armed group
in the
vicinity of Al
Qunaytirah..
in addition,
another
eighty-one
UNDOF
peacekeepers
are currently
being
restricted to
their
positions in
the vicinity
of Ar
Ruwayhinah and
Burayqah,”
Inner City
Press began
looking into
it.
And
hour an half
later, Inner
City Press
understands
that Syria's
Permanent
Representative
Bashar
Ja'afari met
with UN
Peacekeeping.
Chief Herve
Ladsous,
who previously
did little to
nothing when
Filipino
peacekeepers
were taken
hostage, was
not present.
So Ja'fari met
with Edmond
Mulet, whom
Inner City
Press then
witnessed
going into the
Security
Council at
11:30 am.
Inner
City Press was
informed on
the record by
Syrian
Ambassador
Ja'afari that
the 43
peacekeepers
detained are
from Fiji, and
that those
“restricted”
are from the
Philippines.
This comes
after Filipino
leadership
already said
it plans to
pull its
troops out
both the Golan
Heights and
Liberia. Now
what?
The UN
has confirmed
"Fiji and
Philippines,"
but only
anonymously,
initially to scribes.
This is
Ladsous' UN
Peacekeeping.
, 
