UN asks Indian army to stop wearing its helmets

Indian troops in Kashmir, armed with rifles and dressed in full riot gear, have been using UN-marked blue helmets.

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations on Thursday asked Indian troops, cracking down on protestors in Indian Kashmir, to stop wearing its distinctive marked blue helmets.

Responding to a complaint lodged by Paul Barrow, Director of Policy and Communications, United Progressives, a US-based policy group, Michel Bonnardeaux, Public Affairs Officer at the United Nations, said,

Following the use of UN-marked blue helmets by Indian Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel in Srinagar, the United Nations Military Observer Group (UNMOG) immediately brought the issue to the notice of the Indian Army authorities. UN blue helmets and other UN equipment are provided to personnel serving in the United Nations operations for the sole purpose of use during service under the blue flag. All UN equipment provided for use in a UN operation ought to be returned to the organisation upon completion of service and under no circumstances, can it be used for other purposes, including by national armies in the conduct of their operations.

Around 300 members of the paramilitary Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed in the region since last week to quell two months of unrest.

More than 50 protesters have been killed by the Indian security forces so far.

Members of the Rapid Action force, armed with automatic rifles and dressed in full riot gear, have been using UN-marked blue helmets and shields in Srinagar.

They have increasingly been taking part in baton charges and firing tear gas into the crowds.

The Indian forces' use of UN equipment has perplexed many Kashmiris, who wondered why UN troops were taking sides in the conflict and assisting Indian forces.