JORDAN: DESPITE LOSSES IN HAITI QUAKE, JORDAN

UNCLAS AMMAN 000200 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MOPS ASEC HA JO SUBJECT: JORDAN: DESPITE LOSSES IN HAITI QUAKE, JORDAN RECONFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS REF: AMMAN 00199 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Jordan lost three of its military peacekeepers, and 23 were wounded in the January 12 earthquake. This is in addition to five Jordanian peacekeepers who were recently killed in an October 2009 UN plane crash in Haiti. Despite this loss, Jordan has sent a military field hospital and emergency supplies to assist the international relief effort. In addition, the Jordanian Government stated publicly that the loss in Haiti and other recent losses by Jordanian peacekeepers would not affect Jordan's commitment to participate in such missions. End Summary. Jordan's Contributions to Haiti -------------- ¶2. (U) Since the January 12 earthquake, Jordan has sent two C130 aircraft with relief supplies to assist international efforts. The first aircraft arrived in Port-au-Prince on January 14, carrying medical supplies, small teams of medics, and water. ¶3. (SBU) The second aircraft departed Jordan on January 15 carrying materials and supplies to establish a military field hospital, including teams of physicians specialized in surgery and orthopedics. This second aircraft experienced a mechanical failure en route and is currently awaiting repairs in the Bahamas. ¶4. (U) These material contributions to the international relief effort are in addition to the roughly 800 Jordanian security forces deployed in Haiti. Jordan's presence in Haiti includes: -- a 500-person battalion of UN military peacekeepers, -- two 125-person Formed Police Unit companies, and -- a Special Assignments platoon. ¶5. (U) On January 17, the Jordan Times reported that members of the peacekeeping battalion had evacuated a Jordanian family that was trapped in the rubble, and were assisting in search and rescue efforts. The Jordanian private sector has also responded with various small-scale efforts such as financial contributions. The most significant of these is the Zain-Jordan telecommunications company, which offered free long distance calls to and from Haiti for anyone involved in the relief effort, including the families of the 800 security forces stationed there. Jordan's International Peacekeeping and Police Presence -------------- -------------- ¶6. (U) Jordan is the UN's fourth largest contributor of troops to peacekeeping operations, and the largest contributor to international police missions. Jordan has nearly 62,000 forces deployed in such missions in 18 conflict areas, including Sierra Leone, East Timor, Congo, Haiti, Sudan, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Angola, and Kosovo. Jordan's contribution to UN peacekeeping missions began in 1989 in Angola. Jordan to Maintain PKO Presence Despite Losses -------------- - ¶7. (U) Three military peacekeepers from the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) were killed while working in the UN building in Port-au-Prince that collapsed in the earthquake. An additional 23 peacekeepers were injured in various locations throughout the city. ¶8. (U) In October 2009, five Jordanian peacekeepers were killed, also in Haiti, when their UN plane crashed during a mission. On January 5, 2010, a Jordanian peacekeeper died while on assignment in the Ivory Coast These losses bring to nine the number deaths by Jordanian forces in international peacekeeping and police missions in the last three months. ¶9. (U) Despite these losses, Jordan's Minister of Communications and Government Spokesperson Nabil Sharif issued a statement on January 13 saying Jordan remains committed to continuing "to offer humanitarian and relief aid to conflict-ridden countries and those suffering from disastrous events." Beecroft