Our nation has a proud history of peacekeeping.
On the 14 September 1947, Australians were part of the very first group of United Nations (UN) peacekeepers to be deployed anywhere in the world. Yesterday, on the anniversary of this first deployment, we commemorated National Peacekeepers' Day, honouring all peacekeepers, peacemakers, peacebuilders and peace enforcers.
The first peacekeeping operations were 78 years ago in the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) by unarmed military observers monitoring peace between the Dutch (former colonisers) and the new Republic of Indonesia. Australians, alongside personnel from Belgium, Britain, China, France and the United States took part in a United Nations mission to help Indonesia gain independence from the Netherlands, marking the beginning of UN peacekeeping operations.
In the nearly 8 decades that have followed, Australians have participated in over 70 international peace operations in more than 60 countries. Australia’s peacekeepers since the 1960s have included ADF personnel, Australian police, and civilians. Australia’s involvement in peace missions expanded after the 1970s, reaching a high point in the late 1990s and early 2000s with simultaneous missions regionally and in other parts of the world. Australia has taken a leading role in several peace operations, and their work continues today.
Since the late 1980s, peacekeeping has become more complex and multidimensional. It now also incorporates a wide variety of important roles, including providing safety and security to war-torn communities, training, distribution of humanitarian aid, rebuilding infrastructure, intelligence, communications, enabling democratic elections, disarming former combatants, and preserving ceasefires. Modern peacekeepers in some areas also face a threat of armed conflict.
More than 65,000 Australians have served in peace operations. All peacekeepers face challenges and potential dangers. Their willingness to accept the risk and determination to succeed in their mission is a testament to their professionalism and humanity. Tragically, 17 Australians have died on peace operations, including both military and police personnel.
Today, there are Australians serving on peace missions overseas, including in South Sudan, the Middle East, and the Korean Peninsula.
Today, we reflect on the resilience and service of all Australian peacekeepers, and we honour their dedication, compassion, courage and sacrifice in the name of peace.
Lest we forget.
Australian signallers standing in front of their Landrover at the Field Services Section. They are all members of the Australian contingent to the United Nations Assistance Mission In Rwanda (UNAMIR).
Image courtesy of the Australian War Memorial.