restoring law & order and crime prevention - Peace Operations ...

50Presence of organized crime can have serious negative fallouts on longtermsustainable peace in the mission area as these gangs with the presenceof former combatants may have more interest in continuation of theconflict to suit their activities rather than in resolving of the conflict.Organized criminal activities thus can act as significant peace spoilers,influencing the peace process and stability and having the potential to posegrave risk to the public security in the fragile mission area, as was quitevisible in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Haiti. Combating organized crime istherefore important for the success of peace operations, for a long termsustainable peace process. Combating organized crime is an important taskin peacebuilding process also because it promotes corruption in the postconflictgovernment institutions.UNPOL component of the peacekeeping mission is assigned the task ofcrime prevention including addressing the menace of organized crime;however lot of difficulties are faced by the Police in combating organizedcrime given the transnational character of the crime backed by powerfullocal gangs armed with sophisticated arms & ammunitions who in case ofpolice action may offer stiff armed resistance. Dealing with organizedcrime becomes further difficult due to very limited covert police operationsand lack of criminal intelligence in the mission area.Tackling organized crime therefore calls for integrated efforts by the actorsinvolved in the peacekeeping missions. Military can provide valuableassistance to the UNPOL in this regard which can range from generatingintelligence using their network about the organized gang operatives tosupporting the Police through their coercive presence during police actionsagainst the war lords and war leaders involved in the organized crime.Military can also provide assistance in striking at the root of such criminal