Lebanon has become an arena of global interest, with peacekeepers at the center of current geopolitical conflicts. Several similar cases, serving as historical precedents, occurred in Bosnia (1995), where UN protection failed, and in the Congo, where MONUSCO claimed numerous casualties, and in Mali, which was one of the deadliest missions. This demonstrates that the risks to peacekeepers are structural.
Lessons Learned
- Revise Mandates and Rules of Engagement (ROE), as mandates must be realistic and adaptable to modern threats.
- Strengthening the Protection System through the use of real-time intelligence, surveillance technology, and active defense systems.
- Firm Diplomacy: Indonesia actively demands accountability and advocates for troop protection.
- Participation evaluations need to be based on strategic questions: are UN missions aligned with national interests or merely symbolic diplomacy?
- Doctrinal Transformation. From passive peacekeeping to more assertive peace enforcement. From a strategic perspective, neutrality without force is an illusion, and without robust intelligence, the rapid response capabilities of every peacekeeper will always be at risk of becoming a victim.
Conclusion
The deaths of TNI soldiers during the UNIFIL mission demonstrate that international law only provides a normative framework, but global political realities determine its implementation. Therefore, a redefinition of mandates, strengthening of protection, and the political courage to demand accountability are needed.
*Head of the State Intelligence Agency (2001-2004).
