Guterres honours Indonesian troops who paid ‘ultimate sacrifice’

UN Secretary-General António Guterres paid tribute to Indonesian peacekeepers on Monday, laying a wreath in honour of four who recently lost their lives in Lebanon and offering a robust defence of UN peacekeeping in what he called “testing times for peace”.Speaking to troops at the Indonesia Armed Forces Peacekeeping Centre in Sentul – some of whom are deploying to the Central African Republic (CAR) – Mr. Guterres said the fallen had paid the “ultimate sacrifice” to protect others in very difficult circumstances.“Their service and their sacrifice will never be forgotten. No one should die serving the cause of peace,” he said, extending his deepest condolences to their families.“Attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes. These violations demand accountability,” the UN chief stressed, pledging to keep calling on Member States to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel at all times.‘A source of hope’Mr. Guterres described UN ‘blue helmets’ as “a source of hope in some of the world’s most troubled places” and, for him, “a source of enormous pride”.Far from home and in some of the world’s most dangerous settings, t...