By Murali Krishnan,
New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS) They have proved themselves in anti-insurgency and crowd control operations in troubled areas of India, and now a section of women personnel of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will show their skills in Liberia to assist in UN operations - a move that has already won praise from the world body.
The designated 'mahila' (women) CRPF team of 125 personnel, led by Commandant Seema Dundiya, is currently undergoing specialised training at the CRPF's industrial training centre in Wazirabad, north Delhi, before they travel to the west African country most probably in October.
"This is the first time that a specialised unit of women police is being sent for such a mission. They will assist in maintaining law and order, play a training role for local officers and help in crowd control," a senior home ministry official told IANS.
"Liberia also enters a new phase of democratic experience. For the first time you have a woman elected as president (Ellen Johnson-Sir-leaf) in the country. And considering that we traditionally have good ties with Africa, sending a women's police unit fits in perfectly," said an external affairs ministry official.
The move to send the specialised CRPF unit to Liberia's capital Monrovia as a formed police unit (FPU) has already won praise from the UN with police adviser Mark Kroeker describing it as "unprecedented".
"This is an unprecedented move by India to deploy these women officers in policing and we applaud it and think it is extremely timely and relevant to the policing needs in the years ahead," Kroeker said.
"We think it is a breakthrough that India has expressed its willingness to send these police officers. And it is also good for our Liberia mission because it brings to that police operation these officers who are trained, capable and women who can bring the best of what the UN police is to the component there," he added.
The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) took over peacekeeping duties from the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) in October 2003 and all peacekeepers are now under UN command.
CRPF director-general J.K. Sinha said a team went on a recce last month to Monrovia to work out the logistics and accommodation details.
"They (UN) initially wanted the team to be in place by Sep 15 but that will be delayed as weapons and equipment will have to transported by ship. My guess is that the unit will be there by October," Sinha told IANS.
The all-women Indian unit will join other FPUs currently serving in Liberia, where the concept was first tried out and its success there and in other operations led to calls for increasing deployment.
UN officials also highlight that FPUs are cheaper to deploy than regular military units, noting that it costs around $5 million to set up a specialised police formation while a military battalion can cost up to $30 million.
According to the terms of a memorandum of understanding, the CRPF women's unit will be in Liberia for a year. The team will also get a chance to meet with the chief of staff of the UNMIL, Brig. Gen. John Forkuo.
UNMIL currently has over 15,000 military personnel and over 1,000 civilian police officers.
Its mandate includes monitoring implementation of ceasefires between government and rebel forces and investigating violations of the ceasefire. Its also ensures the delivery of humanitarian aid, provides security at key government installations, including major sea and air ports, and protecting UN staff, facilities and civilians.
The CRPF is the only paramilitary force in the country with two women battalions.
After it was raised in March 1987, the 88th battalion won laurels for its work during the Meerut riots and later with the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka.
Women personnel of the second mahila battalion - the 135th - carried out elections duty during the 1996 Lok Sabha elections and state polls.
Currently, women personnel are deployed in Jammu and Kashmir, Ayodhya, Manipur, and Assam. In addition, each Rapid Action Force (RAF) battalion also has a women's component consisting of 96 personnel.