Cops should be friends, not threats: India agrees with UN resolution

The United Nations Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted the first stand-alone resolution on reforming the security sector in post-conflict regions.

India, which has contributed 1.7 lakh peacekeepers to UN missions, told the SC that it wants crucial reforms of security institutions to facilitate peacebuilding in the conflict-hit nations.

India's permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Asoke Mukerji, said after the debate on 'Security Sector Reform (SSR): Challenges and Opportunities' that security sector reform is an "important element of post-conflict peace-building" and should be part of the internal political process of a nation emerging from conflict.

In the document adopted, the council stressed the importance of nationally-owned security sector reform to stabilise situations in the aftermath of conflicts. The council reaffirmed its commitment to integrating such reforms in the mandates of UN peacekeeping missions.

"The Security Council ... stresses that security sector reform is critical to addressing impunity for violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law ... and contributes to the rule of law," the resolution said.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that security institutions can only contribute to peace-building and development if they gain the trust of civilians.

"The sight of an officer in uniform should evoke feelings of order, discipline and security," Ban said. "Our collective goal is to help states build professional security institutions solidly anchored in a culture of service, rather than an unchecked and unaccountable exercise of power and force."

While many Security Council resolutions have made references to the importance of security sector reforms in the past, this is the first comprehensive text devoted to the issue alone.