The Border Security Force (BSF) have helped world peace by often donning the role of UN Peace keeping Forces.

The 4th BSF Contingent for United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (IFPU-III) was flagged off here on Friday by the BSF Director General, Subhash Joshi from the Headquarters.

The BSF Peace Keeping Mission proceeding to Haiti has a total strength of 140 personnel including 9 officers (1 CMO and 1 SMO), 12 subordinate officers and 119 from other ranks. The team, headed by Commandant BB Sidhra, will join the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and will replace the 3rd BSF Contingent already deployed there and would come back after completion of one year successful in the UN Mission.

Haiti is a small country with area of 27,750 sq km in the continent of North America. It has a population of approximately one million and has been badly affected by natural calamities beside poor governance. Port-au-Prince is the capital city of and headquarters of many political institutions as well as headquarters of the UN Mission.

The role of contingent in Haiti will be to maintain civil law and order, crowd control, protection of civilians, filling capacity gap, VIP security for UN staff, capacity enhancement and armed support to Haiti National Police (HNP). The members of the contingent have been imparted training to accomplish the role and task as per UN mandate.

To meet the prevailing challenges in the UN Mission, BSF contingent have been trained with specific reference to combat the menace of civil war and assist the local police in maintaining law and order. A specific capsule training was imparted by BSF to the Peace Keeping Mission personnel including knowledge in French language, mob dispersal, riot control, protective patrolling, driving, aid to civilian, human rights as per the guidelines of the UN.

The BSF has been regularly deployed in various United Nations Peacekeeping Missions in addition to its primary role of border guarding. Some of such missions are UN Mission in Namibia in1989, in Cambodia in1992, in Mozambique in1994, in Angola in1995, in Bosnia & Herzegovina in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.

India is one of the largest contributors of troops as UN Peacekeepers in various countries out of which BSF is the second largest force after Indian Army, sending troops on UN Mission. BSF is presently participating 2 Peacekeeping Missions in Congo and Haiti as an Indian Formed Police Unit-II and III.

IFPU-3 contingent was deployed in Haiti on self-sustainment basis during the year 2010 after massive earthquake in Haiti. The 3rd BSF contingent is deployed in Haiti on rotation at present. The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) was established on June 1, 2004. The devastating earthquake of January 2010 which resulted in more than 2,20,000 deaths delivered a severe blow to country’s already shaky economy and infrastructure. MINUSTAH played a vital role in the immediate recovery, reconstruction and stability efforts in the country.