The UN peacekeeping forces in Sudan on Wednesday awarded
certificates of merit to the Chinese peacekeeping troops for their
excellent performance during their eight-month task term in Sudan,
a Chinese officer told Xinhua on Thursday.
Lt. Gen. Jasbir Singh Lidder, commander of the UN Mission in
Sudan (UNMIS), handed over the Unit Citations to the engineering,
transportation, and medical contingents of the Chinese peacekeeping
troops, and the Force Commander Commendations to 22 members of the
Chinese troops.
The two kinds of certificates of merit are the highest honor
awarded for the peacekeepers from various contributing countries in
Sudan, said the Chinese officer.
The awarding ceremony was held in the base of the Chinese
peacekeeping troops in Wau, the capital of West Bahr al-Ghazal
State in southern Sudan, two weeks before their departure from
Sudan to rotate with another batch of Chinese peacekeeping
troops.
In his address at the ceremony, Lidder said it was a great honor
for him to stay with the Chinese peacekeepers as they were ending
"their very successful term" in Sudan.
"During the past months, the three contingents of the Chinese
peacekeeping troops have done a prominent job to be an example
model for their professionalism, commitment and conduct, " Lidder
said.
The Chinese peacekeepers had also managed to maintain an
excellent relation with the contingents of other countries and with
the local population as well, the UNMIS commander said.
Li Chengwen, the Chinese Ambassador in Sudan, congratulated all
the three contingents, the 22 Chinese peacekeepers as well as the
other officers and soldiers of the Chinese troops for receiving the
certificates of merit.
He highly praised the performance of the Chinese peacekeeping in
Sudan especially in the extremely difficult and complicated
conditions.
The 435-strong Chinese peacekeeping troops, the second batch of
Chinese peacekeepers deployed in southern Sudan since Chine took
part in the UN peacekeeping operation there in May last year,
arrived in Wau in January this year.
(Xinhua News Agency September 14, 2007)
