Bosnian peacekeepers for African Horn

UN soldiers plan to police the Ethiopia-Eritrea border

By Alix Kroeger in Sarajevo

Bosnia-Hercegovina, a long-time beneficiary of United Nations peacekeeping operations, is to send peacekeepers to Africa.

We were at war until 1995. Then the United Nations came and they brought peace to us. So we want to do the same thing - to take it to the people of Eritrea or Ethiopia

Bosnian Serb soldier Zoran Garagic

Nine officers - three Muslims, three Croats and three Serbs - will serve as unarmed military observers in the UN mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea, (Unmee).

Despite Bosnia's obvious divisions, the UN Special Representative to Bosnia, Jacques Klein, says the Bosnian peacekeepers will be an example to the Eritreans and Ethiopians.

"The nine officers from all three ethnic groups are demonstrating that we can work together. If we can do it after the horrendous times we've gone through, certainly you should be able to," Mr Klein said.

Two armies

Zoran Garagic is a captain in the Bosnian Serb army. He volunteered for the mission because of the benefits peacekeeping brought to Bosnia.

"We were at war until 1995. Then the United Nations came and they brought peace to us. So we want to do the same thing - to take it to the people of Eritrea or Ethiopia," Mr Garagic said.

Bosnia itself has two armies, one for the Serbs and one for the Muslims and Croats.

The UN hopes that by sending a multi-ethnic contingent to Africa it will improve relations between the armies in Bosnia itself.

Last year a Bosnian radio operator serving with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, was killed in West Timor.

He had survived the war in Bosnia only to be killed while trying to help the victims of another conflict on the other side of the world.