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The UN Secretary General, on Friday, paid tribute to a Malawian peacekeeper who was killed, saving the life of another soldier during a year-long gunfight. last in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
"He saved his comrades and helped the United Kingdom protect vulnerable people," said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, referring to soldier Chancy Chitete of Malawi. "He personally made a difference – a deep one."
Chitete's widow cried when she received the biggest peacekeeping award from the United States at a ceremony before International Peacekeeping Day next Wednesday. The medal bears the name of Senegalese captain Mbaye Diagne, who was killed protecting hundreds of civilians during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Private Chitete is the first peacekeeper to receive this honor since its inception in 2014 and its posthumous award to Diagne in 2016.
A flawless stayDeadly fight
Last November, US and Malawian peacekeepers from Malawi and Tanzania were caught in an exchange of gunfire as they tried to repel rebels from the ADF who had raided nearby towns. Beni and North Kivu, in the east of the country. The region is also currently experiencing a major epidemic of Ebola and ADF attacks have disrupted the response.
Malawian troops provided fire blankets so Tanzanians could move to safer land.
The Tanzanian soldier, Corporal Ali Khamis Omary, was seriously injured during the operation and failed at the approach of the fighters of the security forces. Chitete saw him and dragged him to a safer area. When Chitete administered first aid, he was hit by enemy fire.
The two men were evacuated for medical treatment, but only Omary survived.
"The heroism and selfless sacrifices of Private Chitete helped peacekeepers achieve their goal and dislodge the militia from his stronghold, which was essential for the Ebola response to continue," he said. Guterres said.
Peacekeeping in the United States involves significant risks. Last year, 98 military police and civilian peacekeepers from 36 countries were killed in the line of duty. Although this is the lowest figure in a decade, the secretary-general said "this remains unacceptable".
"We are asking a lot of our peacekeepers," Guterres said. "In return, we must continue to do everything in our power to ensure that they are as safe as possible."
Twenty-one peacekeepers were killed this year.
The secretary general also laid a wreath at a special memorial garden at the US headquarters, paying tribute to the peace-loving staff and peacekeepers who lost their lives in search of peace.
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