| Hakim Hayat |
A NEW contingent of Bruneian peacekeepers will be replacing their outgoing compatriots in Mindanao tomorrow, after a year of observing the enforcement of the ceasefire accord between Malacañang and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The incoming Brunei Darussalam 13th International Monitoring Team (IMT) contingent, comprising eight Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) personnel and one from the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF), is led by Lieutenant Colonel Abidin bin Haji Timbang and will replace the IMT-12 contingent after a full-year tour of duty.
Speaking to the media yesterday, Lieutenant Colonel Abidin said that among the main roles of the IMT-13, during their year-long deployment, is to monitor the ceasefire agreement and carry out observations to ensure that there will be no escalation of tensions.
During the deployment, the Bruneian contingent will be divided into four team-sites. Lieutenant Colonel Abidin will lead the first team-site, while the remainder will be led by peacekeeping contingents from Malaysia and Indonesia.
Lieutenant Colonel Abidin also said that the contingent attended a two-week pre-deployment course which gave updates on the situation in Mindanao, as well as a spiritual and counselling session.
Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, Commander of the RBAF and Mohd Irwan bin Haji Hambali, the Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police greeting the Bruneian 13th International Monitoring Team (IMT) contingent
Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, Commander of the RBAF during the recitation of Doa Selamat. PHOTOS: HAKIM HAYAT
“As trained members of the military, of course we are always ready, but this comprehensive programme was designed to prepare the contingent before deployment,” he said.
Expressing his gratitude for being entrusted with the responsibility of leading the IMT-13 team, Lieutenant Colonel Abidin said that the peacekeeping mission was an honour both for him and the contingent.
“With Tawakal (reliance in Allah the Almighty), all the tasks assigned to us will be carried out to the best of our abilities,” he said.
A religious ceremony was also held yesterday, at the Ministry of Defence (MinDef) surau in the Bolkiah Garrison, to bless the contingent’s impending departure.
Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, Commander of the RBAF attended the ceremony, which began with a recitation of selected verses from the Al-Quran, followed by mass Asar prayer and a Doa Selamat read by the Imam of the surau.
Among those present were Mohd Irwan bin Haji Hambali, the Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police; several members of the Defence Executive Committee; and members of staff from the Ministry of Defence and the RBAF.
To date, the RBAF has sent 130 personnel to Mindanao, for peace-monitoring missions since 2004.
Since September 2004, the IMT – comprising army personnel from Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, as well as civilian conflict resolution and rehabilitation experts from Norway, Japan and the European Union (EU) – has been helping the government in Mindanao and the MILF enforce the interim ceasefire.
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