Recognising 77 years in the pursuit of peace
Last Saturday, on the anniversary of Australia’s first peacekeeping deployment, we marked National Peacekeepers’ Day.
On 14 September 1947, Australians were among the world's first peacekeepers deployed into the field, when working alongside personnel from Belgium, Britain, China, France and the United States, they helped Indonesia gain independence from the Netherlands. This heralded the start of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations.
Over the last 77 years, tens of thousands of Australian military members, police personnel and civilians have served in peacekeeping roles.
Sixteen Australians have lost their lives serving on these operations.
The nature of peacekeeping can vary enormously, with our nation’s contribution spanning the globe in over 70 international peacekeeping operations across more than 60 countries.
From the remote sands of the Western Sahara to the dense jungles of the South Pacific, some operations have only involved a handful of personnel, while others have a significantly larger scope, included all three branches of defence, public servants, and state and federal police officers.
The roles of Australian peacekeepers have varied, with Australians supporting countries around the world through the delivery of humanitarian aid, helping war-torn communities, supporting peaceful transitions of power during elections, observing ceasefires, standing between hostile armies, and clearing and training others to clear landmines.
Despite the considerable risks peacekeepers face, it’s a testament to the skill, professionalism and sometimes good fortune, of Australian peacekeepers that so few Australians have lost their lives while performing these dangerous jobs.
Lest we forget.
To learn more about Australia’s role in peacekeeping, visit our Anzac Portal.
During the period of the East Timor Presidential Election, ADF soldiers patrol Dili streets aboard armoured personnel carriers (APCs).
Image courtesy of the Australian War Memorial.