Search

"Am 31. Juli 2007 hat der UN-Sicherheitsrat beschlossen, eine 26.000 Mann starke Friedenstruppe nach Darfur zu entsenden, die dort eine Mission der Afrikanischen Union ablöst. Das sind 9.000 Mann mehr als bei der bisher größten UN-Friedenstruppe in Afrika, der Mission de l'Organisation des Nations Unies en République Démocratique du Congo (MONUC) in der DR Kongo. Seit 1989 hat die Zahl internationaler Militärinterventionen in Postkonfliktgesellschaften drastisch zugenommen. Zu den Zielen dieser Interventionen gehört auch immer eine Unterbrechung der Kampfhandlungen. Dies geschieht dann, wenn es den Interventionstruppen gelingt, den Sicherheitsmarkt zu monopolisieren. Dafür stehen die Aussichten gut, wenn alle Konfliktparteien einem Friedensabkommen und einem Entwaffnungsprogramm zugestimmt haben. Das ist aber längst nicht immer der Fall. Die Erwartungen an Interventionsstreitkräfte sollten nicht überfrachtet werden. Bestenfalls ist eine kurzfristige Befriedung möglich, die die Grundlage für eine langfristige Transformation der Gewaltstrukturen bietet. Auf dem Sicherheitsmarkt treten Interventionskräfte parallel zu einheimischen Akteuren auf, die für die Bürger wichtige Schutzgaranten darstellen könnten. Ein inklusives Friedensabkommen ist eine Grundvoraussetzung für eine gewaltfreie Postkonfliktordnung. Liegt dies nicht vor, ist eine deutlich stärkere militärische Präsenz notwendig, um die Konfliktparteien abzuschrecken. Wo Friedensabkommen oder Entwaffnungsprogramme fehlen, können Interventionstruppen den Konflikt bestenfalls 'einfrieren', jedoch nicht überwinden. Spätestens nach ihrem Abzug wird der Konflikt erneut ausbrechen." (Autorenreferat)

Increasing numbers of military and civilian personnel deploy overseas on peacekeeping duties. Although these are widely acknowledged as stressful, the psychological effects of peacekeeping duties are unclear. Results from previous research in this area are mixed, perhaps because many studies suffer from methodological limitations. This study sought to overcome some of these methodological limitations by utilising a controlled, longitudinal design. The aims of the study were to establish whether there were any changes in mental health (adverse mental health and psychological well-being) as a result of a peacekeeping deployment; to examine possible predictors where changes did occur; to assess the incidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) amongst the peacekeepers; to make comparisons with other groups to gain an understanding of the specific stressors of the peacekeeping experience and to develop a measure of the potentially traumatic stressors involved in peacekeeping service. The study examined the mental health status and the nature of the stressors experienced by a group of New Zealand Army soldiers who deployed to Bosnia at four stages of the deployment (pre-deployment, mid-deployment, post-deployment and follow-up). The mental health status of members of three control groups, New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel who deployed overseas on other than peacekeeping duties, NZ Army personnel, matched with the Experimental Group, who remained on duty in New Zealand, and a group of civilians, was examined at three of these deployment stages (pre-deployment, post-deployment and follow-up). Unfortunately the research suffered from a decline in response rate across the stages of the study, and this limited some of the analyses. Nonetheless, the robust nature of the design allowed some firm conclusions to be made. Results show that peacekeeping service can have an adverse effect on the mental health of those personnel who undertake such duties. Levels of Post

The United Nations, in pursuit of conflict resolution, established numerous peacekeeping missions in the world. Some of these missions date back to as early as when the UN itself came into being. Military observers, as part of the effort, have been employed unarmed despite the different situations that they have operated in, some of which might have required a different approach. This study analyses three case studies; United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) set up in 1948 in the Middle East, United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) established in 1992 in the Balkans, and United Nations Organization Mission in Congo (MONUC) set up in 1999 and currently operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Analysis shows that accusations of lack of impartiality, lack of security and lack of cooperation hampers UNMOS’ work. The study concludes that different situations require different approaches as far as employment of UNMOS is concerned. In the contemporary operating environment, the United Nations should consider arming UNMOS according to the demands of the situation.