United Nations Angola ( UNAVEM III )

The United Nations Angola Verification Mission III is a peacekeeping mission that began operating in Angola in February 1995 during the civil war.^[1] It was established by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 976.

The Indian Army contributed to this UN mission by deploying one infantry battalion group (1000 personnel) and one Engineers company group (200 pers). There were a total of six infantry battalion groups operating in distinct regions of Angola, during this period (One each from India, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Brazil, Bangladesh and Uruguay and also one battalion from Romania). The mandate of the Indian Infantry Battalion group was to ensure ceasefire between the Angolan Army and the UNITA rebels (who had control over more than half the country at that time), and then arrange for a safe "quartering" of these UNITA rebels once they laid down their arms. Subsequently, most of the arterial routes connecting major regions of the country were physically opened to traffic after demining them. The Indian Army initially sent 14 Punjab as the infantry component and later replaced it with 16 Guards.

Design

The medal is a circular medal of bronze alloy. The obverse depicts the ‘World-in-a Wreath’ emblem of the UN and the reverse has the inscription: ‘FOR SERVICE IN DEFENCE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS’.