UNITED NATIONS, July 13 (AFP): The United Nations said Thursday it has imposed a moratorium on the use of rubber bullets by its peacekeepers around the world pending a review following two deaths linked to these ammunitions in Kosovo in February.
Nick Birnback, a spokesman for the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), said the temporary suspension was in effect in six UN missions equipped with such bullets pending a review of policies and procedures "to make sure there's not a systemic problem."
The six DPKO missions involved are in Kosovo, East Timor, Haiti, Liberia, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Birnback made it clear that the move did not amount to a policy change but was merely standard operating procedure in any organisation.
"Until such time as we can determine that all our peacekeepers in missions where we have this type of technology...are properly trained on that equipment and that the equipment is up to international norms and standards, we put a moratorium on its use," the DPKO spokesman told AFP.
Last week the UN police commissioner in Kosovo, Richard Monk, announced he had imposed a ban on the carriage and use of rubber bullets by international police in the UN-run province.
UN peacekeepers barred from using rubber bullets pending review
FE Team | Published: July 14, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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