Ugandan UNMIL police honoured for working to end impunity in Liberia

12 December 2007 – Monrovia, Liberia – Ugandan police officers serving with the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) have been appreciated for working towards ending impunity in Liberia. “Your daily activities in Liberia are contributing towards ending the culture of impunity that is still too prevalent here,” said UNMMIL Force Commander, Lt.-Gen. Chikadibia Isaac Obiakor, when he awarded UN peacekeeping medals to the Ugandan UNMIL police officers at a ceremony in the Liberian capital.

Commending the Ugandan police officers for their professionalism and dedication, Force Commander Obiakor said “as part of the United Nations Police, you provide an invaluable service to the mission by motivating, training, advising and mentoring Liberian police officers at the police academy.”

Lt.-Gen. Obiakor cited crucial tasks performed by the Ugandans, including the gathering and provision of information to the mission and to the general public, as well as contributing to the work of the Women and Children Protection Unit of the Liberia National Police.

The visiting Inspector-General of Police of Uganda, Maj.-Gen. Kale Kayihura encouraged the police officers and their Liberian counterparts to keep up the good work, noting, “you can make a lot of progress by joining hands with Liberians in consolidating the rule of law in the country.”

Present at the medal awarding ceremony were UN Police Commissioner, Mr. Mohammad Alhassan; his deputy, Mr. Idris Ibrahim;  Liberia National Police Deputy Inspector-General for Operations, Mr. Gayflor Tarpeh; UNMIL Director of Administration, Mr. Stephen Lieberman; and other senior Liberian and UN police officers.