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SITREP 27 15 APR 05
GENERAL SITUATION:
There have been a number of incidents throughout the Nuba
during the last week. Although most proved to be minor, or of a
non-political criminal nature, one serious incident occurred at the
university at Dilling. There was an election for the student government,
with the student body split along SPLM and National Congress Party (NCP)
lines. The NCP is the party represented by the current
national government of Pres. Al Bashir. When it became apparent that the
election had gone to the NCP faction, the SPLM affiliated
students rioted, burning and destroying facilities. The police were called in;
shots were fired by persons unknown at this time, and the
police opened fire. Although it is unclear at present whose shots actually
caused the casualties, at least one student was killed and
twenty or more were wounded.
The army was called in to reinforce the police and order was
soon restored. (Dilling is a major GOS center.) While it is sad to see young
people killed and wounded over something as inconsequential as a student
government election, prompt action by the police probably
prevented more bloodshed in the long run. Riots and demonstrations in this
part of the world tend to get out of hand and become
bloodbaths all too quickly unless halted immediately.
Just a little editorializing from your correspondent: I am
at a loss to understand the level of tolerance for this sort of life
threatening
behavior that has developed in America over the last few decades. It seems
that every time some major athletic event in the States takes
place, supporters of the winners, or losers, or both, seem to feel that
they have license to run utterly amok. If nobody has been killed yet in
one of these riots, stand by; it is just a matter of time until someone
is.
Unpopular jury decisions are also likely to produce total
anarchy. Power outages generate orgies of looting and destruction. People
do die in these breakdowns of law and order, and it seems that it is about
time that we took whatever actions are necessary to restore
law and order when such events occur. Better that a few guilty die than
any innocent.
SECTOR 3 OPERATIONS:
This week was our turn for peace and tranquility, while the other sectors dealt with ‘alarums and excursions’.
A National Monitor team, led by CPT Timo (SPLA) and 1LT Awad
(GOS), has organized a cross line meeting between the sheiks, elders
and other authorities of Um Serdiba. This meeting is scheduled for tomorrow
morning. Hopefully this gathering will eliminate some of the
issues that have been emerging from Um Serdiba, particularly since many
more SPLM sympathizers have moved back into the area. I think
that in this case the presence of a JMC sector HQ right next door has been
an impediment to local problem solving, as there is a
tendency to “let JMC deal with it” every time a difficult decision has to be
taken. Many of the outlying communities have worked through
the same kind of problems with little or no assistance from us. It is now
time for Um Serdiba to prepare for a post JMC existence. Having the
sheiks from both sides, who heretofore have refused to sit down with one
another to discuss issues, meet with one another can only
help the situation.
Rainer, the Sector Commander, returned from leave a few days
ago. A new International Monitor from the Netherlands, Peter Rufi,
arrived on Wednesday. He is a retired Dutch Army officer with previous
experience in Africa.
MICHAEL’S WORLD:
I have been selected to organize and teach an orientation
program for incoming International Military Observers (IMOs) and Force
Protection (FP) command and control elements. I will be leaving Sector 3 with
a certain amount of sorrow as I have enjoyed my duties here.
I feel, however, that I will be able to do more good familiarizing
incoming UN personnel with what made the JMC mission successful than
I will by participating in the turnover of the Sector 3 operation and
facilities to our replacements.
This transfer may result in major changes to the SITREP as I
will no longer be involved in day to day operations. It will, however, come
out
every week until my contract runs out.
It is still looking as though my next operational posting
will be in Darfur. Hopefully we will get some definitive word when the PAE
project
manager returns from Washington next week. If this change in fact occurs,
it should take place in mid to late June.
I am looking forward to my upcoming leave with growing
anticipation… 27 days and a wake up! And that’s it for another week
in the Sudan. Michael
SITREP 28 22 APR 05
GENERAL SITUATION:
JMC continues to move toward handover to the UN. Whether
or not the UN will be ready to take over remains to be seen.
The plan at this time is for us to pack and go whether they are ready or
not.
JMC has been confronted with a series of minor incidents
requiring prompt attention to prevent escalation in recent weeks.
The incidents in Karkaria in which I was involved are just one example. Many
of the occurrences are initially non-political, but have
a potential to be seen as politically motivated if not sorted out
expeditiously and effectively.
How well the UN personnel replacing us will be able to
cope with these ’brushfires’ is a matter for serious concern. They bring
neither
experience with, nor institutional memory of, operations such as the one JMC
has successfully conducted for the last three plus years.
If there was ever a time for armed forces in the Nuba it would have been at
the inception of the operation, not now. Having been through
the period when such force might have been justified without any necessity
for it, there can be no justification for it at this juncture.
The only justification for this course of action is that this is how the
UN operates. And, its long record of serial failures notwithstanding,
it is probably not going to change its policies in this instance just to try
to emulate the success of its predecessor.
Whenever I watch the UN in action I am reminded of the
story of the old farmer in the dust bowl who responded to the young USDA
agent
trying to explain soil conserving techniques to him by telling the young
man not to try to tell someone as experienced as he how to farm.
He had already worn out three farms in his life, and he did not need some
newcomer telling him how to farm!
SECTOR 3 OPERATIONS:
Although I an no longer in Sector 3, I do retain a
proprietary interest in their doings after seven months there. I follow
their operations
from a distance and am happy to say that they are doing just fine.
MICHAEL’S WORLD:
I am involved in preparing the Familiarization &
Orientation Training program for the incoming UN folks. This will be the
only opportunity
that JMC or I will have to convince these people that there is a
different, and possibly better, way to carry out peacekeeping operations.
My colleague, Nick Burrows, and I will have two days per eight man class
to generate an epiphany for these people. (We will also be the
primary instructors.) Nothing like a good challenge!
A Darfur posting has moved from possibility to strong
probability for me at the end of mission (EOM) here. I am awaiting word now,
but I may not hear the final decision for a little while. If the job comes
through it will probably run through the end of September, 2005.
The onset of the rainy season is imminent, and it could
start any day now. Then it will be back on the Lariam (anti malarial
prophylaxis).
Dry season=no mosquitoes=no malaria=no need for prophylaxis, and vice
versa.
Leave is less than three weeks away. Anticipation grows as it draws closer. And that’s it for this week in the Sudan. Take care. Michael
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