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
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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