UNMIK/PR/1018
Wednesday, 6 August 2003

DSRSG Cady’s Statement for the Memorial Service of Police Officer Satish Menon

PRISTINA - Today, DSRSG Jean-Christian Cady made the following statement at the memorial service of police officer Satish Menon:

“We are all assembled today in this hall sharing a common grief, a common sorrow due to the tragic death of Police Officer Satish Menon. The United Nations are deeply hurt by this murder. I would like to welcome the presence of the representatives of the Kosovo Government, of the diplomatic corps and of KFOR who are here with us, sharing the grief of the UN family as a whole, of UNMIK Police, of the Indian Police Contingent, and of the family of Police Officer Satish Menon in India.

Today United Nations flags are flying half-mast throughout Kosovo and UNMIK Police vehicles wear a black ribbon as a mark of respect for Officer Menon.

My thoughts are with his family, his wife, his two children who are in India for whom this is such a terrible loss. I would like to express to them the greatest sympathy and deep felt condolences of all UNMIK and beyond UNMIK all those who in Kosovo work for a better and safer future. The relatives of Officer Menon are thousands of kilometers away from us but they should know that their loss is our loss as Officer Satish Menon had become a member of the UN family.

My thoughts are also with the Indian UNMIK Contingent, one of the largest police contingents in this mission, who since 1999 have made such a valuable contribution to promoting and establishing law and order in Kosovo. Everyone in the mission shares their grief.

The feelings of this mission are not only of grief but also of frustration and outrage as Officer Menon was murdered in a cold blooded terrorist attack performed cowardly under the cover of darkness. Every effort will be made to carry out the investigation into the circumstances of this murder and to bring the guilty to justice.

We, peacekeepers, know that establishing law and order is not an easy task, that there are risks involved and that some of us may have to pay the highest price for the cause of peace. This has unfortunately been the case of Officer Menon.

Violence has claimed many innocent lives in Kosovo. Even though violence has considerably diminished, even though the security situation has greatly improved, there are still some individuals who want to persist in the same violent ways. These people do not represent Kosovo. There can be no place for violence in the society we want to build, a society where all communities can live and participate.

As all murders, this murder is undoubtedly a setback for Kosovo. But we shall not be deterred. UNMIK and the international community will continue to work assiduously together with Kosovars for the very values which were at the core of the United Nations mandate and which were at the heart of Officer Menon’s commitment: peace, justice and tolerance.”