UN's Liberian mission, with Indian policing, extended

The Security Council has extended the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which has the participation of Indian police, till September next year, tailoring its mandate to focus on civilian protection, humanitarian assistance, and justice and security reforms.

The Security Council said Monday it was extending mandate because grappling with the Ebola outbreak has slowed the Liberian government's efforts to carry out national reforms. It also said that coordinating with the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) would be among its tasks.

UNMIL, which has 103 women police in the 249-strong Indian contigent, should focus on abuse of women and children, especially sexual violence as part of its human rights mandate, according to the Security Council.

Following years of turmoil in the West African nation, UNMIl was set up in 2003 to help bring about peace and stability to a country that had been wracked by more than a decade of brutal civil war that claimed more than 150,000 lives. It comprises military, police and civilian personnel whose mandate goes beyond law and order to supporting national reconciliation and building political and government institutions.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)