| Garuda Contingent | |
|---|---|
| Kontingen Garuda | |
 Indonesian peacekeeping Garuda XX contingent during a pre-deployment departure ceremony in 2003 | |
| Active | 27 November 1956 (1956-11-27) – present |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Allegiance | United Nations[1] |
| Branch | Indonesian National Armed Forces Indonesian National Police |
| Type | Deployment |
| Role | Peacekeeping[1] |
| Size | Up to battalion strength (Batalyon Angkatan Darat Republik Indonesia)[1] |
| Nickname | KONGA[1] |
| Engagements | Various peacekeeping missions for the United Nations |
TheGaruda Contingent[2] (Indonesian:Kontingen Garuda), abbreviated KONGA,[1] is apeacekeeping unit drawn from the Indonesian military;[3] currently titledTentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) and originally known as Angkatan Perang RI, that serve with theUnited Nations (UN). Since its first mission starting on 27 November 1956; 68 years ago (1956-11-27), KONGA has deployed to three continents.
The Garuda Contingent was first deployed (KONGA I) toEgypt andIsrael on 27 November 1956, as part of theUnited Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) to secure and monitor aceasefire in Egypt, remaining until September 1957. It was initially under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hartoyo, who was subsequently replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Suhadi Suromihardjo.[1]
The next two contingents were sent to theRepublic of the Congo. The first contingent (KONGA II) consisted of a battalion (Batalyon Angkatan Darat Republik Indonesia) of 1,074 troops, and was led by Colonel Prijatna (later replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Solichin); this contingent served from September 1960 to May 1961.[1] The second contingent (KONGA III) returning to Congo consisted of 3,457 troops selected from a number of units of theIndonesian Army; namely the Battalion 531 (Raiders), Kodam II (Bukit Barisan), the 7th Cavalry Battalion, with support from combat assistance elements. KONGA III was led by Brigadier General Kemal Idris (later replaced by Colonel Sabirin Mochtar); this contingent served from 1962 to the end of 1963, and saw one casualty; Colonel GA. Manulang, commander 7th Cavalry Battalion lost his life.[1] Notably, KONGA III also included a journalist, H.A. Manan Karim, fromMedan.[1]
The Indonesian government awardedVespa VGLA and VGLB models, collectively known as the Vespa Kongo, to soldiers of KONGA II and KONGA III in recognition of their service.[4] They were assembled in Germany by Vespa GmbH inAugsburg and were later made available for sale to the general public due to high demand.[4] The scooter is also known as the Vespa Ndog, due to the rounded, egg-like shape of its left and right sides, and features the Garuda bird emblem on the front left side of its body.[4]
The Garuda Contingent's fourth (KONGA IV) and fifth (KONGA V) deployments were toVietnam in 1973 and 1974, towards the end of theVietnam War. This was followed by a sixth (KONGA VI) deployment to Egypt after theYom Kippur War under the command of Colonel Rudini. The Garuda Contingent later returned to Vietnam and Egypt for a seventh and eighth deployment, respectively.[1]
After an eight-year hiatus, the Garuda Contingent deployed as part of theUnited Nations Iran–Iraq Military Observer Group under the command of Lieutenant ColonelEndriartono Sutarto, then Lieutenant ColonelFachrul Razi and Johny Lumintang.[1]
In 1992, five Garuda Contingent members participated in theUnited Nations Operation in Somalia I under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Bibit Santoso. This was later reduced to four soldiers, under the command of Major CZI Budiman.[1]
During theBosnian War, the Garuda Contingent XIV deployed medical officers and military observers in their fifteenth mission. This was not well received by the Indonesian populace, who wished that the soldiers took a more active, military role.[5] This was followed by a deployment toGeorgia and a 15-man deployment toMozambique in 1994. That same year, they were also deployed to thePhilippines under the command of Brigadier General Asmardi Arbi (later replaced by Brigadier General Kivlan Zein) to help deal with the conflict between theMoro National Liberation Front and thePhilippine government.[1]
In November 1997, Garuda Contingent XVIII consisted of eight TNI officers deployed toTajikistan, under the command of Major Can Suyatno.[1]
Less than two years later, Garuda Contingent XIX deployed toSierra Leone in 1999, remaining until 2002. XIX-1 comprised ten TNI officers led by Lt Col K. Dwi Pujianto. KONGA XIX-2 also included ten officers, led by Lt Col PSK Amarullah. KONGA XIX-3's ten officers were led by Lt Col (P) Dwi Wahyu Aguk. The final element in Sierra Leone, KONGA XIX-4, also included ten officers, led by Major CZI Benny Oktaviar MDA, who was mission tasked as an observer.[1]
In 2003, the Garuda Contingent XX-A deployed on its twentieth mission, to theDemocratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. A total of 171 troops deployed originally, including 32 medical staff and 28marines. They were deployed with peacekeepers fromNepal, India, andBangladesh, with the peacekeeping mission being led by France.[6] As of 2009, the focus had shifted toinfrastructure, and a seventh contingent had been deployed.[7]
The Garuda Contingent was part of theUnited Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. In August 2010, two of its soldiers were criticised after they escaped from clashes between Israel and Lebanon by fleeing in a taxi.[8] In June 2020, an Indonesian soldier was killed and another was injured during an attack on MONUSCO, nearBeni,North Kivu.[9]
.jpg)
| location(s) | operation | TNI KONGA deployment | period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt,Israel | UNEF | Garuda Contingent I[1] | November 1956 – September 1957 |
| Republic of the Congo | ONUC | Garuda Contingent II[1] | September 1960 – May 1961 |
| Republic of the Congo | ONUC | Garuda Contingent III[1] | 1962 – 1963 |
| Vietnam | ICCS | Garuda Contingent IV[1] | January – August 1973 |
| Vietnam | ICCS | Garuda Contingent V[1] | August 1973 – April 1974 |
| Egypt | UNEF | Garuda Contingent VI[1] | December 1973 – October 1974 |
| Vietnam | ICCS | Garuda Contingent VII (A & B) | April 1974 – June 1975 |
| Egypt | UNEF II | Garuda Contingent VIII (1–9) | September 1974 – October 1979 |
| Iraq,Kuwait | UNIIMOG | Garuda Contingent IX | August 1988 – November 1990 |
| Namibia | UNTAG | Garuda Contingent X | June 1989 – March 1990 |
| Kuwait | UNIKOM | Garuda Contingent XI (1–5) | 1992 – 1995 |
| Cambodia | UNTAC | Garuda Contingent XII (A–D) | July 1992 – April 1993 |
| Somalia | UNOSOM I | Garuda Contingent XIII | July 1992 – April 1993 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | UNPROFOR | Garuda Contingent XIV | November 1993 – 1997 |
| Georgia | UNOMIG | Garuda Contingent XV | October 1995 – November 1995 |
| Mozambique | UNOMOZ | Garuda Contingent XVI | June 1994 – December 1994 |
| Philippines | Philippines - MNLF ceasefire monitors | Garuda Contingent XVII | October 1994 – November 1994 |
| Tajikistan | UNMOT | Garuda Contingent XVIII[1] | November 1997 |
| Sierra Leone | UNAMSIL | Garuda Contingent XIX (1–4)[1] | 1999 – 2001 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | MONUSCO | Garuda Contingent XX-A | 2003 |
| Liberia | UNIMIL | Garuda Contingent XXI | 2003 |
| Sudan | UNMIS | Garuda Contingent XXII | 2008 – 2009 |
| Lebanon | UNIFIL | Garuda Contingent XXIII | 2007 – 2011 |
| Nepal | UNMIN | Garuda Contingent XXIV | 2007 – 2011 |
| Lebanon | UNIFIL | Garuda Contingent XXV | 2008 – 2017 |
| Lebanon | UNIFIL | Garuda Contingent XXVI | 2008 – 2012 |
| Sudan | UNAMID | Garuda Contingent XXVII | 2008 – 2012 |
| Lebanon | UNIFIL | Garuda Contingent XXVIII | 2009 – 2019 |
| Lebanon | UNIFIL | Garuda Contingent XXIX | 2009 – 2018 |
| Lebanon | UNIFIL | Garuda Contingent XXX | 2011 – 2018 |
| Lebanon | UNIFIL | Garuda Contingent XXXI | 2011 – 2018 |
Indonesian National Armed Forces
Indonesian State Intelligence Agency
| Leadership | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organisation |
| ||||||||||
| Other topics | |||||||||||
