Brazil News
| BEIRUT – The Brazilian Navy frigate Union, which will lead the fleet of naval forces of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), docked in the port of Beirut Monday, sparking an “historic moment for Brazil,” according to Rear Admiral Luiz Henrique Caroli.
Fragata União (photo: bbc/Tariq Saleh)
In an interview with BBC Brazil aboard ship, Caroli said that the presence in the UN maritime force is crucial to Brazil for the country's importance in the international arena, and to show confidence in the competence of Brazilian Navy organization in this type of operation.
“The entire crew know of the enormous responsibility of being part of a UN peacekeeping force and the historical moment for Brazil to be here,” said the Rear Admiral, who is the commander of the Maritime Task Force (MTF), UNIFIL's maritime unit.
This is the first time that the Brazilian military has been part of a fleet of a peacekeeping force. Equipped with a helicopter and carrying 243 Brazilian sailors, marines, combat divers and airmen, the frigate Union will be the lead ship of an international fleet that also includes three German ships, two from Bangladesh, one Greek one Turkish and one from Indonesia.
The commander and the ship's captain, Ricardo Fernandes Gomes, also stressed that the crew is aware “of the political repercussions surrounding the UNIFIL and the potential consequences of their actions.”
“Everyone if motivated and aware of the requirements to be part of the peacekeeping forces in a troubled region like the Middle East,” he said. “For this, the Navy is giving us all the financial and logistical support to play our role.”
The two men explained that the incorporation of the frigate Union will increase the power range of the fleet of UNIFIL, as the frigate has more features, allowing a greater range and coverage, and more flexibility in operation.
In order to become a part of UNIFIL, the Brazilian military underwent training focused on specific situations and peacekeeping courses and lectures.
“A third of the crew did stages of UNIFIL peacekeeping operations. And Brazilian soldiers in Lebanon lectured our sailors on the country and the lives of the peacekeepers,” Gomes said.
He explained that they simulated approaching vessels and the peaceful use of force to make inspections using special operations divers who now man the frigate.
The UN demanded that the military peacekeepers be volunteers. “About 5% of the crew did not volunteer for family reasons, and another 10% were released because they had training already scheduled,” said Captain Gomes.
The Brazilian mission, eight months, officially began in February, when Caroli took command of UNIFIL's maritime unit.
Currently, the mission monitors the border between Lebanon and Israel and helps the Lebanese government to help prevent the entry of weapons across the rest of their borders. The MTF patrol waters off the Lebanese coast to prevent the violation of arms embargo on Lebanon and to train the country's Navy. The force was created by a resolution of the UN Security Council in 2006.
UNIFIL was created in 1978 to oversee the withdraw of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory after an Israeli invasion and occupation. The force currently has more than 12,000 soldiers from 37 countries.
According to the Brazilian ambassador in Lebanon, Paulo Roberto Tarrisse da Fontoura, the bilateral relationship between Brazil and Lebanon can only be strengthened by the presense of the frigate Union.
“The Lebanese government has enormous affinity for Brazil and know that we have the necessary competence to do a good job,” the ambassador told BBC Brazil.
According to Fontoura, the Brazilian government is aware of the fact that UNIFIL is a fundamental instrument of the Lebanese state to exert sovereignty over its territory.
“The country has experienced civil war, Israeli occupations, most recently until the year 2000 and Syrian meddling until 2005. The south was inaccessible to the Lebanese government for a long time. UNIFIL is paramount to help Lebanon to have its sovereignty,” noted the ambassador.
“The presence of a Brazilian ship and the expansion of our presence is certainly a national pride and something of enormous importance to Brazil,” he added.
Brazil is home to 9 million people of Lebanese descent—three times the number in Lebanon itself.
Read also: More Articles from BD
Brazilian online news source: terra.com.br
Do you like this post? Please link back to this article by copying one of the codes below.
HTML link code:
0 comments:
Post a Comment