23 Sep 2009

Twenty Fiji police to join UN police deployment to Sudan

1:59 pm on 23 September 2009

An additional 20 police officers from Fiji will be deployed in December to serve in the United Nations Mission in Sudan.

Fijivillage reports that the interim regime has approved the additional deployment bringing the total number of officers serving with the UN in Sudan to 28.

The interim Defence Minister, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, says Fiji has been contributing to the mission since 2005 and the interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, was asked for more when he visited the Sudan in 2007.

Ratu Epeli says police have been rotating 8 officers every 12 months and so far 30 have served in Sudan.

On several occasions, New Zealand and Australia have called for the UN to stop using Fiji soldiers and police in its peacekeeping operations because of the Fiji military's role in ousting the elected government in 2006.